Who are the Colts' most indispensable players? We rank the top 6

Some players matter more than others.

That statement may be the antithesis of NFL football, which is often described by players and coaches as the ultimate team game, but the reality is that all 53 players on an in-season roster are not created equal, whether it be because of their talent, positional value or the depth chart behind them.

Advertisement The Indianapolis Colts are no different.

As they prepare to regather for training camp, with the hopes of ending their four-year playoff drought, there are certain players whose absence this year would make that goal exponentially harder.

With that thought in mind, I decided to craft a list of the most indispensable offensive and defensive players for the Colts 2025 campaign.

Before you ask, no, a quarterback did not make my list.

Obviously, quarterback is the most important position in football, but neither Anthony Richardson nor Daniel Jones, who are currently competing for the starting job, has played well enough in the NFL to be considered indispensable.

Right now, we dont even know for sure which QB is better.

Well soon find out, but for now, lets look at the players who are truly indispensable for the Colts: Offense The days of Matt Pryor serving as the Colts starting left tackle are long gone, but for those who remember Pryors struggles during the 2022 campaign, theyll have no issue with Raimann landing at No.

1 on this list.

Ever since Raimann took over for Pryor a few years ago, Indianapolis hasnt had to worry about arguably the most important position on the offensive line.

Raimann, 27, isnt a star, nor is he protecting a star quarterback.

But hes proven himself to be one of the better left tackles in the NFL, and if he missed time, it would only compound the Colts QB issues.

Furthermore, the next men up on the depth chart are 2024 fourth-round pick Jalen Travis and 2023 fourth-round pick Blake Freeland, neither of whom Id feel confident in taking over for Raimann.

Yes, I understand guards are typically viewed as the least important position on the offensive line, but Nelson isnt just any left guard.

Hes on track to be a Hall of Famer.

The 29-year-old is a five-time All-Pro, and hes one of just 20 players in league history to earn a Pro Bowl selection in each of his first seven seasons, per Stathead.

Nelson is also a four-time team captain, one of the most widely respected players in the locker room, and the Colts run game is still largely funneled through him.

Fortunately for Indy, Nelson has only missed four out of a possible 116 regular-season games during his Colts tenure.

With Tanor Bortolini competing with Danny Pinter to serve as the teams starting center, the only other guards on the roster are Matt Goncalves (now starting at right guard), Dalton Tucker and Josh Sills, whove combined to start 33 games between them.

Suffice it to say, if the Colts lost Nelson for any length of time, theyd be in big trouble.

Advertisement Taylors blunder last year at Denver, in which he inexplicably dropped the ball before scoring a TD and essentially cost the Colts a playoff berth, is going to be hard for him ever to live down.

Still, there is no denying his overall impact on Indianapolis offense.

Taylor finished the 2024 campaign with 1,431 rushing yards and 12 total touchdowns en route to his second Pro Bowl nod.

When he missed three games (Weeks 5-7) last year due to a high ankle sprain, the Colts ground game came to a screeching halt without him (108.3 yards per game with him vs.

142.6 without him).

Indianapolis bolstered its running back room this offseason with the addition of veteran free agent Khalil Herbert and rookie fifth-round pick D.J.

Giddens, but replacing the explosive Taylor would still be a tall task in what should remain a run-first offense in 2025.

Smith is back in the fold after missing the last five games of the 2024 season due to issues with OCD .

The 29-year-old has proven himself as a reliable starter throughout the years, but if Smith were sidelined, the Colts no longer have the option of replacing him with Goncalves, who is now starting at right guard.

Freeland fell down the depth chart last year amid his struggles, and Travis is an unproven rookie.

Defense Linebacker is arguably the biggest hole on the Colts roster ahead of the 2025 season, and it would only get bigger if Franklin were sidelined.

Franklin is the only linebacker on the team with significant starting experience following E.J.

Speeds departure to Houston in free agency.

Whats worrying here is that playing without a fully healthy Franklin isnt a far-fetched idea.

He missed all of spring practice after undergoing left ankle surgery in May, and his availability for the start of training camp remains unclear.

The Colts brought in a new defensive coordinator, Lou Anarumo, this year, and Franklins ability to grasp and lead Anarumos complex schemes will be vital in the teams overall success.

If Franklin struggles, the Colts have no other reliable options to turn to.

Buckners teammates jokingly call him Uncle Buck, and the nickname is fitting when considering that when all else fails on defense, hes usually the one person who can be counted on to still get the job done.

The value in Buckners game is twofold: Hes just about always going to command a double team, which frees up Indys pass rushers to take advantage of one-on-one opportunities, and he still puts up sack numbers as if hes playing off the edge himself.

When Buckner missed five games last year due to a high ankle sprain, it was no surprise that Indianapolis pass rush took a significant dip.

Theres simply no replacing the two-time All-Pro, and it would be ridiculous to ask backup defensive tackles Adetomiwa Adebawore and Neville Gallimore, among others, to do so.

This may be a head-scratching selection to some, especially since Bynum has yet to play a game for the Colts, but just hear me out.

Assuming Bynums high IQ and ball skills translate from Minnesota to Indianapolis, hell be poised for another strong campaign in Anarumos multiple defensive schemes.

Since Bynum became a full-time starter in 2022, hes notched at least six pass breakups and two interceptions every season.

The Colts are heavily relying on him to maintain that level of production because the alternatives behind him on the roster dont inspire much confidence.

Rodney Thomas II, a 2022 seventh-round pick, played well in his rookie season and started 10 games, but he was benched in 2023 and has started one game since.

Daniel Scott, a 2023 fifth-round pick, has yet to appear in an NFL game due to a torn ACL in 2023 and a torn Achilles in 2024.

In other words, the Colts dont have much bankable depth behind Bynum, so he needs to play and play well.

Advertisement Ward inked a three-year, $60 million deal to take over as the Colts top outside cornerback.

Anarumo has already stated that hed like for Ward to shadow the other teams top wide receiver, and Ward is eager to prove that his All-Pro days arent behind him.

In his absence, Indianapolis would have other reasonable options to turn to in Jaylon Jones, Sam Womack II and JuJu Brents.

But none of those players possess the experience and resume that Ward has.

If Ward were to miss time, the secondary would likely take a significant step back from what it is capable of with Ward in the lineup.

(Top photo of Quenton Nelson and Jonathan Taylor: Ethan Miller / Getty Images).

This article has been shared from the original article on theathleticuk, here is the link to the original article.