The Indianapolis Colts are now out of the playoffs and are looking to the new year, plus one last regular season game. With so many storylines and happenings from The Circle City’s NFL team in 2024, it’s time to detail five resolutions for the franchise in 2025.

Draft a Tight End

The Colts saw their tight end receiving production fall off a cliff in 2024. Despite having Kylen Granson, Mo Alie-Cox, Drew Ogletree, and Will Mallory, the group has compiled a meager 37 catches. Given that the tight end is integral for a quarterback, especially Anthony Richardson, it’s time for the Colts to draft a new name.

They still have Jelani Woods, but he’s missed back-to-back seasons and has no direction. Names like Penn State’s Tyler Warren or Michigan’s Colston Loveland have seen their names possibly tied to the Circle City. We’ll see what happens in the upcoming months, but the tight end spot is ugly for the Colts and must be addressed with a better overall talent.

Fire Gus Bradley

The Colts’ defense has been suspect, to say the least, since Gus Bradley was hired as defensive coordinator in 2022. While his initial campaign was a wash due to so much drama with Jeff Saturday and Jim Irsay, 2023 is when the cracks started to show. Now, after a horrific loss to the paltry New York Giants and rollercoaster 2024, the writing is vibrantly on the wall for Indy to move on.

The Colts have taken steps back defensively and still rank 29th in the league through 16 games in yards allowed per game (363.8). Against the Giants, struggling quarterback Drew Lock scored five total touchdowns and looked surgical with accuracy. In short, Bradley’s time in the Circle City is up; expect his to be one of the first dismissals if it happens.

Better Defensive Tackle Depth

Indianapolis re-signed veteran defensive tackle Taven Bryan and added Raekwon Davis during the 2024 offseason to help stalwarts DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart. However, both have been liabilities, displaying an issue with depth.

Starting with Bryan, the second-year Colt has a Pro Football Focus pass-rushing grade of 65.8 but run defense mark of 53.7. While these aren’t the worst numbers, considering that Bryan was brought back to be a revolving door against the run is discouraging. Indy needs to save their money with this offseason free agent.

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As for the new addition Davis, he’s been far, far worse. Per Pro Football Focus, Davis has a pass-rushing mark of 54.3, but can’t stop anyone on the ground, with a gross 36.1 grade. To think that the Colts signed Davis to a two-year, $14 million deal to give lackluster production is just as unfortunate as the results with fellow DT Bryan.

We’ll see what happens with Davis, but don’t be surprised if he’s cut ($2.5 million penalty; $6.49 saved in 2025).

Positive Steps from Anthony Richardson

Quarterback Richardson has had quite a wild second year in the NFL. After being sidelined for nearly his entire rookie campaign, Richardson’s sophomore season has been full of ups and downs. While he didn’t play against the Giants due to back spasms, he’ll push to return to action in Week 18 against the Jacksonville Jaguars to conclude the campaign with a victory.

Through his 11 games, Richardson’s passing numbers aren’t easy to look at, completing 47.7% (126/264) of his throws for 1,814 yards, eight touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and nine fumbles. As for his rushing numbers, they’re impressive, boasting 499 rushing yards on 86 carries (5.8 average) and six touchdowns.

While Shane Steichen must improve as a play caller and the rest of Indy’s offense needs to get in a better rhythm in 2025, Richardson must also take that third-year leap to give the Colts the confidence he’s the future of the franchise. With plenty of pressure already mounting for Richardson to succeed, he’s hoping that great things happen in 2025.

Fire Chris Ballard

The last resolution, and likely most importantly, owner Jim Irsay must relieve general manager Chris Ballard after eight years with the franchise. The tenured front office executive has compiled a disastrous post-Andrew Luck resume’, but altogether has 61 win, 69 losses, and one tie with two playoff appearances and a single postseason victory (2018).

Ballard has had plenty of time to put up something, yet it rarely happens past seven to nine wins and no playoffs. Recently, players like captains Kenny Moore II and DeForest Buckner shared their frustrations with a brutal loss to the bottom-dweller Giants in Week 17, giving even more fuel to the long-time Indy general manager being dismissed.

There’s still a puncher’s chance that Ballard remains in his seat for another year. However, that wouldn’t be as painful to consider if the Colts didn’t just give up 45 points to the Giants. We’ll see what happens with Ballard, but don’t be surprised if he and Bradley are gone following the regular season finale.

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ (WISH) — Just call him Big Play Pierce.

“When there’s a big play that needs to be made, you can count on (Alec Pierce) to come down with that ball, and that’s the level of play that we all need to have,” Colts All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor said.

It was a bittersweet kind of game for Pierce in New Jersey Sunday. His six catches went for 122 yards and a touchdown – one of his most productive days of the season. But the Colts lost to the Giants, 45-33, and were eliminated from the playoff chase.

“I think as a whole I think the receiver room, we did a good job making plays,” Pierce said postgame. “Joe (Flacco) gave us a lot of good opportunities down the field. I think we could’ve made more plays, but we just try to make the play any time we get the opportunity.”

Pierce’s production constantly impresses his coaches.

“The big play ability that he brings to our offense was huge,” head coach Shane Steichen said. “Obviously, he had the big one down the field down the middle, made some big time clutch catches. I mean, he’s had a hell of a year for us.”

“He just made play after play after play, and that’s really just what Alec does,” fellow receiver Michael Pittman Jr. said postgame. “If you give him the shot, he’s going to make the play, so yeah, he had a big game today.”

Pierce has hit the century mark now three times this season. Against the Titans, Pierce missed his first game in two years due to a concussion. He said having to sit on the sidelines motivated him even more to have a big game against the Giants.

“I was just happy to be back out there,” Pierce said. “I was frustrated I couldn’t play last week. So it was just good to be back out there.”

“I’m proud of him, and I’m excited to see him hit his stride like that,” Taylor said. “AP has been showing that game in and game out every single week this year, and to be able to see him do that is something special.”

Pierce continues to show his versatility as he caps off his third season in the NFL.

“His ability to go downfield and really go up and get the ball,” center Ryan Kelly said on what’s most impressive about Pierce’s talents. “I think if you see his deep threat ability, and that’s what Shane told him in the beginning of the year – that he’s got a very hard standard for each person in the room. Here’s your roll. Here’s what I need you to be. He told him, ‘I need you to be the deep threat guy that I know you can be.’ And he’s been that all year, and super impressed with him.”

Pierce gets one more chance to show off this season when the Jaguars come to Indy Sunday at 1 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An umbrella can block the rain from hitting you this New Year’s Eve, but it can’t stop bullets from raining down on you. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department warns people to not celebrate 2025 by shooting guns into the air.

It is incredibly dangerous, in part, because you just don’t know where they’ll come down, IMPD said. “Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve we often hear gunshots and those are typically fired into the air,” IMPD officer Tommy Thompson said.

No matter if it’s a small caliber bullet, or a larger caliber, gravity will bring it down at a speed fast enough to get through your skull.

“We’ve had incidents where individuals in past years have been struck by bullets that have come down,” Thompson said.

Even if someone doesn’t get hit, you can cause serious damage.

In 2019, Indianapolis saw broken car windows and several homes that had holes in their roofs because people shot a gun into the air.

“What goes up must come down and we ask that you please not celebrate in a fashion that requires firing firearms into the air,” Thompson said.

If you’re caught firing a gun into the air you can be charged with a level 6 felony with the possibility of spending six months up to two and a half years years in prison.

IMPD said they’ll also be on the lookout for anyone who over indulges in alcohol and decides to get behind the wheel to drive.

“We will have an increase in patrols doing traffic and enforcement. That will include OWI and DUI enforcement,” Thompson said.