The Indianapolis Colts have made numerous moves this offseason, not all of which have been popular. With the NFL draft coming up April 21-23 in Pittsburgh, there is a lot of pressure on the front office to deliver with its picks.

So far in the offseason, the Colts have lost nine players to free agency and trades and could lose more. This includes over four defensive starters and wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and offensive tackle Braden Smith. This means there are a lot of gaps the Colts are looking to fill.

The Colts made moves in free agency, signing some defensive players like safety Jonathan Owens and re-signing Alec Pierce and Daniel Jones. Losing Pittman Jr. on the offensive end means that the Colts need to look to draft or sign another receiver. Jones is going to need options, and as good as Pierce is, he is only one person and cannot be everywhere on the field. With seven picks in the draft, it is safe to assume one of them will be a wide receiver. There are a lot of options available, so it does not need to be the first pick.

The more pressing matter is the defense. The defensive players lost in the offseason were huge contributors and leaders on that end of the field. Nick Cross and Zaire Franklin were the two top performers on the defense, both ranking No.1 and No.2 in tackles. The players signed are players that have already been in the NFL, and while impressive, their career performances and level of contribution do not nearly match. There is a chance these players have their best years, but the Colts should not rely on that for defense.

Recently, it was announced that the Colts and cornerback Kenny Moore II mutually agreed to seek a trade. Moore is another contributor from the defense that the Colts will be losing. Moore spent nine years with the Colts and earned Pro Bowl honors in 2021. His contract was set to expire after this season, but no money was guaranteed. This decision is surprising. The Colts need veteran leadership on the defensive end, and Moore would have been that. He was still producing on the field and putting up good numbers, and the Colts had the money to pay him.

Another move that may alarm fans was the Colts' signing of free agent safety Nasir Adderley. It was announced by Adam Schefter that Adderley would be coming out of retirement and playing for the Colts.

Adderley played four years for the Los Angeles Chargers from 2019 to 2022. He developed into a strong player and played in fifty games, recording over 232 total tackles. While Adderley has all of the potential in the world, it seems like an unnecessary risk. He has not played in the NFL for years, and it could take time to adapt again or decide he does not want to play again.

The Colts have taken a lot of risks and are now in a high-risk, high-reward situation. Jones is still recovering from a torn Achilles, and it is unknown what his status may be at the start of the season, despite his intentions to be ready for Week 1. The front office is relying on rookies to be able to contribute immediately and fill larger roles on the team. It is set up to be an exciting season. There are already many new players to look out for, even before the draft is completed, and it is a new group of talent to watch. However, with the decisions the Colts have made so far, there is a lot of room for things to go wrong, too.