Colts Could Have Their Starting Linebackers, and One Will Surprise You

The Indianapolis Colts have officially concluded their 2026 training camp after their second joint practice with the Atlanta Falcons.

Plenty of storylines come to mind, but an interesting one is the situation at linebacker for Lou Anarumo's defense.

Indianapolis Colts on SI publisher Noah Compton was at the practices and noticed something interesting about this spot on the depth chart: Akeem Davis-Gaither and Jaylon Carlies appear to be the duo that Anarumo may go with as his starters for Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens.

"Veteran linebackers Akeem Davis-Gaither and Jaylon Carlies conclude Colts training camp as defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo's starting duo in the middle of the field.

This makes back-to-back-to-back practices with them as the starters, and although Anarumo has been regularly rotating the room throughout training camp, their consistent placement on top of their strong play suggests this could be the Week 1 pair come September 13."

Back-to-back practices for LBs Jaylon Carlies and Akeem Davis-Gaither rolling with the #Colts starting defense.

It’s been a constant rotation throughout training camp, but still worth noting.
— Noah Compton (@nerlens_) August 19, 2026

Fellow rookie linebacker, Bryce Boettcher, also had a good training camp and even put together a solid performance in Indy's first preseason game of the year against the New England Patriots.

However, it looks like Davis-Gaither and Carlies are on track to start for Anarumo's defense against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.

Indy's second-round investment, CJ Allen, missed nearly all of training camp with a hamstring injury. This caused him to get behind the eight ball, which opened opportunities for other linebackers like Carlies to shine.

While it isn't much of a surprise to hear that Davis-Gaither is on track to be a starter, the fact that Carlies has emerged as a candidate to join Davis-Gaither is.

Jaylon Carlies walks on the training camp field. — Indianapolis Colts’ linebacker Jaylon Carlies (#57), left, and teammates wait their turn during drills at Colts Camp at Grand Park Sports Campus, Tuesday, July 29, 2025 in Westfield.v | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Carlies showed some glimpses of a possible difference-maker during his rookie year in 2024. He played 10 games, logged 36 tackles and showed promise in pass coverage.

However, 2025 was a rough year for Carlies. He underwent shoulder surgery and followed that up with an ankle injury that sidelined him. He finished with just one tackle in three games.

Fast-forward to 2026 and Carlies didn't just make a full recovery from his ankle injury, but has apparently thrived in a way that few expected.

The assumption is that once Allen is up to speed, he'll be the starting linebacker next to Davis-Gaither. However, this was the opportunity that Carlies needed to display what he can do in Anarumo's defense.

Compton had this to say about Carlies and his performance through training camp.

He also briefly detailed how Davis-Gaither seamlessly transitioned into Anarumo's defense after spending five seasons with the defensive coordinator in Cincinnati (2020-2024).

"Carlies has really come on as of late, especially in pass coverage, with a strong day on Sunday trickling into the team's final practice, where he picked off Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr.

Davis-Gaither had been a steady hand throughout camp, with his familiarity within Anaurmo's defense from their days together in Cincinnati showing up on the field."

Akeem Davis-Gaither looks on during Colts training camp. — Indianapolis Colts linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither (51) walks up the field on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, during practice at Colts Camp at Grand Park in Westfield. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The linebacker position saw plenty of rotation, but it seems like Davis-Gaither and Carlies are currently the duo to start for Anarumo.

Anything can change, especially with the Colts still having two preseason games left before they kick off their regular season on September 13th.

We'll see how things pan out, but this isn't the duo I expected to be frontrunners to start at the defensive second level, especially Carlies.

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