Colts Returning Most of its Youthful Roster

The Indianapolis Colts boasted the 3rd youngest roster in the NFL in 2023 and are returning nearly 80% of its output.

Heading into the 2023 NFL season, the Indianapolis Colts provided the league’s T-3rd youngest roster with a 25.4-year-old average. Initially led by 21-year-old rookie starting QB Anthony Richardson, the team’s ability to rally behind veteran QB Gardner Minshew across the latter half of the year proves this roster has more dogs than pups as it’s portrayed.

During that run, the injured reserve grew jealous of all the attention the players were getting and subsequently decided to end most of these young players’ season(s). In total, 11 Colts ended their season on IR. Out of the 12 total draftees from 2023, 5 had their rookie seasons cut short thanks to the injury bug in question.

Despite this and as alluded to, the Indianapolis Colts are set to return 79.3% of its players who were on the team’s roster during the 2023 offseason. This list includes practice squads, which adds not only to the total but to the realization that the Colts are truly running it back.

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The main contributors that are set to return from IR are TE Jelani Woods, S Julian Blackmon, CB Dallis Flowers, WR Ashton Dulin, and of course, 2nd-year QB Anthony Richardson.

That group of five was sorely missed throughout the 2023 season. However, the big ticket we’re all waiting on is Anthony Richardson’s emergence continuing into his sophomore season. During his availability at the NFL Scouting Combine, Colts general manager Chris Ballard said, “He’s [Anthony] already explosive within himself…the more good, reliable players you surround him with, the better.”

Even though the Colts mainly retained talent as opposed to bringing in new, Ballard stayed true to his wishes of surrounding Anthony Richardson with good and reliable talent via free agency and the draft. There’s not one person more confident in Richardson taking the next step, which in turn affects the team, than Chris Ballard.

The good news is Anthony Richardson is reportedly a, “full-go,” per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Fowler mentioned how Richardson has been throwing for quite some time and feel’s good to go while concluding that the Colts could deliberately hold him out of OTAs and/or minicamp but the feeling is that he wants to get started.

The fans may feel there’s more work to be done when it comes to constructing a roster viable of contention, and although that may be true, step one in righting the ship (aka Richardson’s health) appears to be done. There’s plenty of time between now and preseason festivities to add pieces to the puzzle, the next step is acclimating the new and even returning players to the fray.