The Indianapolis Colts showed promise of success, going 8-2 before losing every game following their bye in week 11. With the draft coming up, the team has vital decisions to make this offseason. The success of this season depends on what General Manager Chris Ballard decides, and unless he wins a Super Bowl, the Colts should consider hiring a new manager.

The Past

Ballard became the general manager for the Colts in 2017 and is being brought back for the 2026 season. Under his management, the Colts went to the playoffs twice in eight seasons. He has not seen a playoff win since 2018, when Andrew Luck was still the quarterback. If the Colts want to see big results, they need to make big changes, and those changes include management.

Ballard will go into his ninth NFL season as a general manager with one playoff win and zero division titles. The last time the Colts made the playoffs was in 2020. There has not been an MVP on the team since Peyton Manning in the early 2000s. Two of the most successful players in Indianapolis history, Manning and Luck, were not drafted by Ballard, and there has not been a quarterback of that caliber on the team since.

The Colts have the potential, but they lack the structure. It has not had consecutive seasons played by the same quarterback since Luck. Injuries account for some of that, but bad decisions make up the rest. With inconsistency in the most important position on the field, it is hard to build consistency as an organization. This is a direct result of constantly adjusting the offense to a new quarterback and having to build around that.

Ballard has had time to build this team and create the franchise he wants, and he has not done so. At the least, Ballard needs to bring this team to the postseason, and that still may not be enough.

The Present

There is a lot of potential in some rookies on the team, like Alec Pierce, but a deal also needs to be made with Daniel Jones. Before Jones got injured in week 14, he threw for over 3,000 yards and had eight interceptions. As a quarterback, Jones is a leader who has experience and potential, and if he recovers well, he could have a great season.

In contrast, there is a lot of money being wasted on players not producing. A previous first-round draft pick, Richardson, spent most of the past season out with an orbital bone fracture. Before the injury, Richardson recorded two pass attempts and four carries that averaged to negative yardage. Ballard drafted Richardson, and so far, it has not paid off.

The Colts do not have a first-round pick this year, having traded the pick for Sauce Gardner from the Jets, so they will have to rely on current players or trades going into this season. The Colts need to find their identity as an organization, whether that is with a franchise quarterback or a shutdown defense, and that comes from management.

Shane Steichen, hired in 2023, led the team to a winning record in 2023, followed by two seasons finishing 8-9. He knows what it takes to make the playoffs, having worked with the 2021-22 Philadelphia Eagles. Steichen has the potential to lead this team into postseason play if provided the correct tools.

There is potential in Indianapolis with new staff and roster changes, but this offseason is a turning point. Ballard has had time and opportunity to make a change, but has not been successful. Unless the Colts win the Super Bowl this year, this should be Ballard’s last run.