The clock is ticking for Shane Steichen. Entering his third year as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, the stakes couldn’t be higher. A 17-17 record over his first two seasons, zero playoff appearances, and whispers about his job security have set the stage for a defining 2025 campaign. With the Colts now enduring a four-year postseason drought – the longest in GM Chris Ballard‘s 25-year NFL career – and no playoff wins since 2018, patience is wearing thin. Last season’s 8-9 collapse, despite a favorable schedule and a struggling division, only amplified the urgency. Every move Shane Steichen makes is under a microscope, and if early roster shuffles are any indication, he’s not waiting around for miracles.
This isn’t just about wins and losses anymore. It’s about proving the Colts are headed in the right direction. Injuries have already ravaged the defense, particularly at cornerback – a unit that allowed a league-worst 69.4% completion rate last season. Starters Jaylon Jones and JuJu Brents are already battling hamstring issues in camp, with Jones even carted off after a non-contact incident. General manager Chris Ballard has publicly backed Shane Steichen, but his admission that the playoff drought is “a bothersome thing“ speaks volumes. The message is clear: improve now, or face the consequences.
So, what’s Shane Steichen’s response? Action. The Colts made a series of calculated roster moves, signaling a no-nonsense approach to the new season. While signing veteran cornerbacks Tre Herndon and Duke Shelley, the team added much-needed experience to a secondary in crisis. At the same time, they placed David Long Jr. on injured reserve, losing another key piece to a groin injury, and released tight end Albert Okwuegbunam Jr. to free up roster flexibility. These aren’t just minor tweaks – they’re survival tactics. With new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo on board and recent signings like Charvarius Ward and Camryn Bynum, Steichen is aggressively patching holes in a sinking ship.
Roster moves: Colts signed CB Tre Herndon and CB Duke Shelley, placed CB David Long Jr. on IR and released TE Albert Okwuegbunam Jr.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 31, 2025
Herndon and Shelley bring stability to a position that desperately needs it. Herndon, a seasoned defender with 34 career starts, knows what it takes to perform under pressure. Shelley, familiar with Colts defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson, offers quick adaptability in a system that can’t afford slow adjustments. But the challenges run deeper. Anthony Richardson’s accuracy woes (sub-48% completion in 2024) and injury history loom large, while contingency plan Daniel Jones is hardly a long-term answer. Ballard isn’t just talking when he says he wants to “infuse competition throughout the roster” – he’s making it a necessity for a team stuck in neutral.
The tone is clear. Shane Steichen and Chris Ballard share the same mission: turn the Colts into contenders. These roster moves mark just the beginning. With a brutal schedule ahead – featuring three West Coast trips and even a game in Berlin – there’s no room for slow starts. If Shane Steichen succeeds, he’ll silence the doubters and finally snap Indy’s playoff curse. If not? Well, the NFL doesn’t wait for anyone. Nowhere is the pressure more intense than under center. And after months of sidestepping the question, Chris Ballard finally came clean about the franchise’s biggest gamble.
Chris Ballard admits rushing Richardson as QB faces pivotal season
Chris Ballard just told the truth, and it hit like a punch to the gut. The Colts GM finally admitted what everyone in Indianapolis was thinking – they threw Anthony Richardson into the fire way too soon. “He was drowning,” Ballard said, his words heavy with regret. “Mentally, it was going really fast for him.” Two years later, that honesty stings even more because now Richardson isn’t just fighting to prove he’s the guy – he’s fighting just to keep his job. And the guy standing across from him in the QB room? Daniel Jones, a former top-10 pick brought in to push him, or maybe even replace him.
This isn’t how the Colts planned it. They drafted Richardson to be the future. A freak athlete. A big arm. A superstar in the making. Instead, he’s stuck in a nightmare. Injuries. Missed throws. Fifteen starts. More picks than touchdowns. A completion percentage so low, it hasn’t been seen since Tim Tebow. His body keeps breaking down – shoulder, hip, back, even a concussion – and every time he starts to find a rhythm, he’s back in the training room. The Colts wanted him to be ready before he was, and now they’re paying the price.
So here they are, at a crossroads. Ballard swears he’s learned his lesson, name-dropping guys like Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, late bloomers who needed time. “I believe Anthony will be the player we thought he’d be,” he says, but the clock is ticking. Daniel Jones isn’t here to hold a clipboard – he’s here to play. And if Richardson stumbles again, or worse, gets hurt again, the Colts might have no choice but to move on.
The Colts are taking a risky bet by sticking with a guy who hasn’t proven he can stay on the field or make the easy throws. Most teams would’ve already given up, but the Colts are digging in, refusing to admit defeat. The problem? The NFL doesn’t wait for anyone. If Richardson doesn’t turn it around this year, that “rushed” label won’t just haunt him – it’ll haunt Indianapolis for a long, long time. And Ballard knows it. Richardson knows it. And now, so does everyone else.
The post Shane Steichen Makes Roster Cut as Colts GM Publicly Confesses Anthony Richardson Regret appeared first on EssentiallySports.
