Jerry’s Top Three Players the Indianpolis Colts Need To Let Walk This Offseason

The Indianapolis Colts are staring down the barrel of the 2026 offseason with some big decisions to make. While we’ve got high-priority guys like Alec Pierce and Nick Cross who have earned their keep, there is the other side of the coin: the veterans who, for one reason or another, just don’t fit the puzzle anymore.

It’s never personal. Well, actually, for the fans, it’s always personal. But for the front office, it’s strictly business. Here are the three free agents the Colts need to let walk to finally turn the page.

1. Is It Time to Move On From Tackle Braden Smith?

I’m not going to lie, writing this one stings a little. Braden Smith has been a staple of this offensive line for eight years. In NFL years, that’s basically a lifetime. The reality is that the best ability in this league is availability, and Smith’s attendance record has been spotty at best. We’re talking about 23 missed games over the last five years. That’s more than a full season of football watched from the sidelines in street clothes. The final nail in the coffin was likely the concussion issues that sent him to Injured Reserve this past season.

Then there is the Jalen Travis factor. The rookie stepped in for 247 snaps at right tackle for the Colts and didn’t just survive; he looked like he belonged. When you have a younger, cheaper, and healthier option already in the building who can hold his own, keeping the expensive veteran is just bad math. Smith has been great for the Colts, but it’s time to thank him for his service and let the new era begin.

2. Why Samson Ebukam’s Days in Indy Are Numbered

Remember 2023? Samson Ebukam arrived in Indy, put up 9.5 sacks, and looked like the missing link in the pass rush. We all thought the Colts had found a steal. But the NFL comes at you fast. That Achilles tear in 2024 was a tragedy—not just for his season, but likely for his career trajectory. Achilles injuries steal that first-step explosiveness that pass rushers rely on.

When Ebukam returned for the 2025 season, it was like watching a ghost. The spirit was willing, but the burst just wasn’t there. The numbers paint a grim picture: 23 pressures, a measly 2.0 sacks, and a run defense grade from PFF that made you want to cover your eyes.

He’s going to be 31 years old when the next season kicks off. In a league getting younger and faster every year, betting on an aging pass rusher coming off a major injury to suddenly find the Fountain of Youth is a losing strategy. The Colts need a reset on the edge, not a nostalgia trip.

3. The Disappointing Reality Of Defensive End Kwity Paye

This one is less about injury and more about the frustration of unfulfilled potential. When you draft a guy at 21st overall, as the Colts did with Kwity Paye in 2021, you aren’t looking for “solid.” You aren’t looking for “reliable.” You are looking for a game-wrecker. You want a guy who keeps opposing quarterbacks up at night.

For a minute, it looked like Paye might get there. He led the team with 8 sacks in 2024, and Chris Ballard picked up that fifth-year option. It felt like a safe bet. It wasn’t.

Paye’s 2025 campaign was a dud. He secured only 4.0 sacks and regressed in the one area that was supposed to be his bread and butter: run defense. He essentially disappeared for long stretches of games. When you look at the surrounding talent, specifically Laiatu Latu, it becomes glaringly obvious that Indy needs a legitimate partner in crime for him, not just a guy occupying space.

I’d be genuinely shocked if the front office brings Paye back. It’s been a nice ride, and he’s a good pro, but “good” is the enemy of “great.” If the Colts want a terrifying defense in 2026, they need to stop hoping Paye becomes something he isn’t and go find someone who already is.

Why Let These Players Go?

The list that I’ve made is perfect for what Ballard wants to do this offseason. Moving Smith will open up cap space, which will also allow the offensive line to get better. The two defensive players go into what Ballard said during his end of year presser, in wanting to make the defense younger and faster. These moves will help move this team in the right direction in both getting younger and better talent. Only time will tell if this comes to be.