The Indianapolis Colts are banking on a competition between Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson to help pull them out of quarterback stagnation in 2025, especially with a potential franchise reset in the cards if they fall short again.
While the Colts solving their quarterback problem would understandably make them a better football team, though, there is still work that general manager Chris Ballard can do to make sure his roster is in tip-top shape for the start of training camp in late July.
Free agency is always an option, but a more aggressive approach could suit Ballard and the Colts with the urgency to succeed higher than ever in 2025. Here is a look at three potential trade candidates whom the Colts could consider targeting in the weeks ahead:
Jacksonville Jaguars LB Devin Lloyd
GettyJaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd.
The Colts will return Pro Bowl linebacker Zaire Franklin to the middle of their defense in 2025, but they did lose veteran E.J. Speed in free agency without finding a suitable replacement for him throughout the rest of the offseason. Perhaps the Colts are merely confident in the growth of 2024 fifth-round pick Jaylon Carlies, but it could potentially create a precarious situation for them at linebacker if their gambles do not pay off.
To keep that from happening, the Colts could call the Jaguars about a potential deal for Lloyd after Jacksonville declined his fifth-year option in the spring. The 26-year-old linebacker tallied at least 113 tackles in each of his first three seasons and has stood out both as a run defender and pass rusher. While he has primarily played the MIKE role in Jacksonville, the Colts could deploy him at the WILL spot alongside Franklin to give themselves a more formidable starting linebacker duo heading into the 2025 season.
Chicago Bears G/C Ryan Bates
GettyBears offensive lineman Ryan Bates.
The Colts lost two of their interior offensive line starters — center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries — in free agency and did not make any substantial signings to replace either one, choosing instead to trust draft picks Tanor Bortolini and Matt Goncalves with bigger responsibilities in 2025. And that could wind up working out fantastically for the Colts, but it is also an awfully big risk to take without more veteran insurance.
Enter Bates, an interior offensive lineman who can play both guard and center and has become somewhat expendable with the Bears over the past several months. Bates did not play much for Chicago during the 2024 season, dealing with a shoulder injury that forced him to consider retirement, but he played 1,436 snaps and made 19 starts with the Buffalo Bills before the Bears traded to acquire him last offseason.
The Bears might prefer to keep Bates as an extra level of security for quarterback Caleb Williams, but they did add three new veteran interior starters in the offseason along with sixth-round rookie guard Luke Newman. And if the Colts are willing to offer the Bears a sixth-round pick as compensation — even a 2027 one — would Chicago say no?
Cincinnati Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson
GettyBengals pass rusher Trey Hendrickson.
This one is more fun than it is pound-the-table necessary for the Colts. Hendrickson is a monster of a pass rusher with one of the best reputations in the league over the past few seasons, leading the NFL with 17.5 sacks in 2024 and making four straight Pro Bowls. With the Colts, he could potentially play a significant role in helping get their pass rush back on track after they went from the fifth-most sacks (51) in 2023 to the eighth-fewest sacks (36) in 2024. They also have about $20 million in cap space to sign Hendrickson to the extension he is seeking — which is why he is a trade candidate in the first place.
The problem with the Colts trading for Hendrickson — beyond the exorbitant cost — is how much they have invested in defensive end over the past few offseasons. They have a pair of first-round starters in Kwity Paye and Laiatu Latu and added J.T. Tuimoloau in the second round of the 2025 draft. They will also have back veteran Samson Ebukam after an injury sidelined him for the entire 2024 season, which would make acquiring Hendrickson complicated at best and destabilizing to the position group at worst.
3 Potential Trade Targets for Colts Before 2025 Training Camp