According to PFF’s Bradley Locker, the Indianapolis Colts biggest remaining positional need is at linebacker, and given the current status of the position, he’s not exactly wrong :
Indianapolis Colts: Linebacker
The Colts do have a need at right tackle following Smith’s departure, but their linebacker unit is pretty desperate for an upgrade. Currently, Indianapolis fields Akeem Davis-Gaither and Austin Ajiake as starters — although neither of whom reached even a 50.0 overall PFF grade last year. With Zaire Franklin and Germaine
Pratt gone, the Colts are clamoring for both stabilizing linebackers as well as legitimate depth.
At this point, the Colts are expected to have two new starting linebackers in 2026, as former All-Pro linebacker Zaire Franklin was traded to the Green Bay Packers earlier this offseason, while fellow starting veteran Germaine Pratt remains a free agent and doesn’t appear to be a priority re-signing for Indianapolis at this time.
The Colts did sign veteran linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals and Cincinnati Bengals—the latter under their defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, but even if Davis-Gaither can be safely penciled into a starting linebacker spot, it’s a fair question of who will be starting alongside him next year.
No disprespect to linebacker Austin Ajiaka, but none of the current internal options, including 3rd-year linebacker Jaylon Carlies, inspire much confidence right now—until proven otherwise.
The current expectation is that the Colts could turn to the upcoming NFL Draft in ‘Day 2,’ with either their Round 2 or 3 pick, and select a young linebacker from what’s expected to be a very deep rookie positional class atop.
Names to potentially watch for the Colts in Day 2 are Georgia’s CJ Allen, Cincinnati’s Jack Golday, and Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez among possible intriguing rookie linebacker options.
Entering this early offseason, Colts general manager Chris Ballard said Indianapolis wanted to get younger in its defensive front seven collectively, and selecting a youthful, fast, rangy, athletic linebacker to shore up their vacant starting spot would go a long way toward achieving that hopeful objective.
