3 Takeaways From Colts' Preseason Finale Against Lions: Starters Good, Depth Bad

The Indianapolis Colts fell to the Detroit Lions 25-16 in their preseason finale.

It looked like the Colts might notch their first preseason win early on after the starting units brought their A-game, but the reserve units that followed struggled to match that energy and ultimately lost the game.

All eyes now point toward the NFL's roster cutdown from 90 to 53 players. The deadline is 6 PM EST on Sunday, August 30, and will serve as the league's final step in determining regular-season rosters.

Follow along as I break down each of my biggest takeaways from the Colts' preseason loss to the Detroit Lions.

Depth Concerns at All-Time High

The Colts' preseason finale featured roster bubble players for the majority of the outing, particularly in the second half, but the overall depth that's reared its ugly head throughout the preseason continued to raise concerns.

Specifically, the Colts' glaring need for a backup center behind starter Tanor Bortolini remains. The experiment that saw Dalton Tucker move inside to take on snapping duties has proved to be a failure overall. There have been snap issues galore from the start of training camp to the conclusion of preseason play, and now the Colts are almost destined to bring someone in from the waiver wire once roster cutdowns happen.

Furthermore, the Colts entered training camp with what felt like a deep cornerback room, especially when it comes to their starting unit that's headlined by Sauce Gardner, Charvarius Ward Sr., and Justin Walley.

However, outside of those three plus veteran newcomer Cam Taylor-Britt, the rest of the cornerback room remains to be seen. Veteran cornerback Mekhi Blackmon was initially viewed as premium depth, but has since been released after a poor showing throughout the preseason. It'll be interesting to see how the Colts fill out their final two spots in the room.

Finally, depth across the defensive front has recently become a concern. Veterans Colby Wooden and Adetomiwa Adebawore both had strong camps, but their preseason performances have suggested otherwise. Longtime NFL veteran Jerry Tillery was viewed as a camp body, but he's been getting just as much run as Adebawore and Wooden throughout the preseason, which doesn't instill much confidence in their interior depth.

It's almost a guarantee that general manager Chris Ballard will be active in the waiver wire market once roster cutdowns happen, so even though some depth pieces may feel safe at first, the second wave will likely change things up for the Week 1 roster.

Starting Unit Has Horses

The Indianapolis Colts may not have the depth it needs to go the distance in 2026, but their starting units might just have enough to reach new heights in the Chris Ballard era.

The bar is low, but the Colts need to make the playoffs and/or win the AFC South if this regime wants any chance of sticking around, and they may just have a top-heavy roster that allows them to crawl to their intended finish line.

The ultimate goal is to win the Super Bowl; that's a given. However, as alluded to, the Colts need to do the bare minimum if they want to earn any respect, and their bet on their roster from a season ago looks like it will pay dividends once the regular season arrives.

The Colts' starters played for the first time all preseason during their loss against the Lions, but what they did in limited action was promising, to say the least.

The starting units got one drive apiece, and each side of the ball turned in the best possible outcomes: an offensive score and a defensive takeaway.

Although starting quarterback Daniel Jones didn't participate on Saturday, his impressive return to form during training camp suggests he'll be as close to the same player he was that an Achilles tear can physically allow. We've said it all preseason, but Jones truly looks as if he never tore his Achilles tendon, and now the Colts' ultra-efficient offense is back on the menu for 2026.

With that being said, Anthony Richardson filled in for Jones during the Colts' starters-led offensive drive and drove them down the field to net three points off the leg of Spencer Shrader.

Running back Jonathan Taylor (rest), wide receivers Alec Pierce (ankle/heel) and Josh Downs (rest), and tight end Tyler Warren (groin) also did not participate in the drive, but Richardson got the entire starting offensive line and Keenan Allen to work with, and this new-look group allowed him to thrive early on.

Richardson found Keenan Allen across the middle for a chunk gain of 24 yards in the Colts' opening drive, which is a sneak peek at what's to come during the regular season. The only difference is that Daniel Jones will be the one throwing Allen's way, but it goes to show just how night and day the roster difference is between their first and second units.

Furthermore, Colts' star defenders DT DeForest Buckner and CB Sauce Gardner each made their presence felt during the starters' lone drive. Buckner had an impressive play across the line of scrimmage, while Gardner had a deceptive interception to end the drive early.

The past two weeks have featured the Colts' starters winning against their opponents, but their reserve units have raised concerns for if any starter would go down with injury during the regular season.

The Colts may have a lot of work to do in determining their Week 1 depth chart, but at least their starting units at the top bring confidence to the table.

Rookie Class Intrigues

The Colts bet on experienced prospects for their 2026 NFL Draft class as they aimed to infuse ready-made players into their win-now roster.

With no first-round pick at their disposal, this was always a tall task to reckon with, but after training camp and preseason play, it appears they've done a solid job.

The Colts' top pick, linebacker CJ Allen, is the lone negative standout, but not due to performance. Allen was sidelined for the majority of training camp with calf and hamstring injuries, but has looked like a viable option when he's been on the field.

Third-round safety A.J. Haulcy has seemingly earned the Colts' opening at strong safety, because although he didn't participate in the preseason finale against the Lions, it still feels like his job once Week 1 arrives.

More than anything, it looks like the Colts had a strong draft on Day 3 (rounds 4-7).

Fourth-round guard Jalen Farmer struggled to emerge as a day-one contributor throughout training camp, but even then, he's shaping up to be one of the Colts' best backup options across the offensive line.

The Colts' other fourth-round selection, linebacker Bryce Boettcher, finished the preseason the same way he started it. From the jump, Boettcher has proven to be a viable option on game days, whether that be rotating on defense or contributing on special teams. He had a forced fumble on a kickoff against the Lions, which was a bonus after flashing on defense in the team's previous two preseason games.

Furthermore, Day 3 defensive ends George Gumbs Jr. and Caden Curry have essentially forced their way onto the Colts' initial 53-man roster. Both started off training camp with the third-team developmental squad, but have burst onto the scene as of late.

Against the Lions, Caden Curry was constantly in winning positions and even had a heads-up fumble recovery on kickoff coverage, while Gumbs Jr. had the biggest highlight of any Colts rookie during the preseason after he had a sack-fumble and then scooped it up himself.

Seventh-rounders WR Deion Burks and RB Seth McGowan ended the preseason on a high note. The former is still on the outside looking in ahead of cut day, while the latter has shored up his rookie role as the Colts' backup running back behind Jonathan Taylor.

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