Re-Evaluating Colts’ 2025 Offseason Now That the Year's Over

It's been a week since the Indianapolis Colts' 2025 season came to a disappointing end against the Houston Texans. A collapse from the best record in the league to out of the postseason is rarely seen, but the Colts made it happen.

The Colts made plenty of moves last spring in preparation for the season, but not all of them panned out. Injuries took their toll, but that can't always be an excuse.

Let's revisit the Colts' biggest offseason moves, grading each with the appropriate context.

Signing DC Lou Anarumo

As soon as the Cincinnati Bengals released Anarumo, he found a new home in Indianapolis under head coach Shane Steichen. Anarumo wasn't just brought in to coach the same group of players; the veteran coordinator chose plenty of defenders to bring in from free agency and the draft.

On paper, it was a home-run hire. Anarumo arrived with a reputation for adaptability, disguise-heavy coverages, and situational mastery. Early in the season, those traits showed. The Colts were aggressive, blitz packages were better timed, and the defense looked far less predictable than it had in prior years.

Unfortunately, injuries slowly degraded the Colts' defense. Anarumo had to field practice squad cornerbacks for nearly half the season, and Indy's 31st-ranked passing defense reflects that.

Still, the scheme itself was an upgrade, and the defense finished the year more disciplined and competitive than it had been in 2024. While not a total transformation, Anarumo’s impact was real and gives the Colts a much sturdier foundation heading into 2026.

There were terrible moments, like allowing 40+ to San Francisco, but there were bright spots too, like holding Seattle to zero touchdowns on the road.

Final Grade: B-

Signing CB Charvarius Ward Sr.

The free-agent addition of Charvarius Ward was supposed to anchor Anarumo's defensive rebuild, but his season was plagued by three concussions that have him considering an early retirement.

When Ward was on the field, the Colts' defense was notably better. He looked like a true No. 1 corner capable of matching up with top receivers, which is exactly what he was signed to do.

Ward was one of the biggest free-agent signings that general manager Chris Ballard has ever made. The Colts' secondary desperately needed help, and with Ward on the open market, the Colts took a swing.

In seven starts, Ward recorded 25 total tackles, 7 passes defended, and a fumble recovery. If Ward decides to hang them up, the Colts will suddenly need more secondary help before next season.

Final Grade: C-

Signing S Cam Bynum

Cam Bynum, on the other hand, quietly became one of the offseason’s better value signings. The Colts signed Bynum as a Julian Blackmon replacement, and the decision paid off immediately.

Blackmon struggled with injuries during his Colts tenure, and Bynum solved that problem by playing in all 17 games this season. This season marks the fourth consecutive year in which Bynum has started all 17 games.

Bynum ended the year with 81 total tackles, 8 passes defended, 4 interceptions, and a strip sack. He finished as the 25th-ranked safety among 98 eligible players, according to Pro Football Focus.

Bynum quickly became a fan-favorite for his unique celebrations, and he transformed into one of the veteran leaders for a secondary that was constantly rotating through cornerbacks.

Bynum has three years left on his deal, and if he gets any better, this signing will be a clear success for Ballard.

Final Grade: A-

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Signing QB Daniel Jones

Now that the 2025 season is over, the Colts’ decision to bring in Daniel Jones can finally be judged without optimism or pessimism clouding the picture. Coming into the season, Jones had to fight for the starting job, a role he took away from Anthony Richardson.

There was little hope that Jones would pan out, but the former sixth-overall pick was absolutely incredible in the first half of the season. Jones led the Colts' offense to a historic start, but injuries quickly caught up to the veteran.

The most telling aspect of Jones’ brief tenure was how much the offense changed when he was under center. Indianapolis remained heavily reliant on Jonathan Taylor, but the star back was able to break away for some long runs because opposing defenses were forced to respect Jones' arm.

Turnovers issues surfaced during Jones' final starts, but before his fractured fibula, Jones looked to be a top 10 quarterback in the league.

The Colts gained confirmation that Jones can function in structured moments, but there's still concern among some Colts fans that Jones isn't built for the big moments. Depending on how his contract situation is handled, the Colts could figure that piece of the puzzle out next year when Jones plays December and January football.

Final Grade: B+

NFL Draft Grades

Round 1: TE Tyler Warren - A
Round 2: DE JT Tuimoloau - D
Round 3: CB Justin Walley - N/A
Round 4: T Jalen Travis - B
Round 5: RB DJ Giddens - D
Round 6: QB Riley Leonard - B-
Round 6: DT Tim Smith - F
Round 7: S Hunter Wohler - N/A

Dec 28, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren (84) pulls in a catch for a first down during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Mykal McEldowney-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Warren was the best pick of the bunch, but he was also the obvious choice. The Colts needed a tight end, and when Colston Loveland went off the board, the Colts were forced to take Warren.

Warren broke the Colts' single-season reception record for rookies, surpassing Josh Downs' mark of 68. By the end of the year, Warren had 76 receptions for 817 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Tuimoloau played just over 200 snaps and got most of his opportunities when edge rushers ahead of him suffered an injury. The Ohio State product finished with zero sacks in his rookie season, but he'll likely take on a bigger role in 2026 as multiple Colts defenders are set to hit the open market.

Travis played more toward the end of the year once Braden Smith landed on injured reserve. The 6-foot-8 giant allowed only one sack, according to PFF.

Giddens had 12 carries in Week 1, but he rarely played afterwards. The Colts gave most of the backup running back duties to Ameer Abdullah and Tyler Goodson instead.

Leonard proved he can throw the rock in Week 18, but the Colts didn't have enough faith in him to take over when Jones went down. Drafting a quarterback and then willingly signing Philip Rivers to start over him is certainly a choice, but Leonard made the most of the opportunities he got.

Smith and Wohler never played a snap. Smith spent the season on the practice squad, but Wohler was out due to a foot injury.

Overall, the Colts' 2025 offseason was a mixed bag. 2026 should give a better insight into how the Colts plan to use these guys, especially players like Tuimoloau.