The Indianapolis Colts are entering a big offseason in 2026. This is one that will probably determine the job security of their head coach and general manager.

In order for the Colts to avoid another season ending without a playoff game, they must be aggressive in their trades and signing. There were glimpses of this last offseason and mid-season when the Colts acquired key pieces in the secondary with Cam Bynum, Charvarius Ward, and Sauce Gardner. Thus, the Colts need to have the same aggressive approach this offseason, and there are three big moves that can be made to garner this.

3 Big Moves the Colts Need to Make

Trade Michael Pittman Jr.

Two months ago, many would’ve thought this would not even be on the table. However, after Alec Pierce’s surgence as a deep threat and reliable pass-catcher, the Colts are left with a choice. They can either keep Michael Pittman Jr., who still has not emerged as a true number-one or they can trade him, which will free up cap space to acquire talent in other needy areas.

According to ESPN’s Bill Darnell, the Colts would be wise to trade Pittman Jr. and a seventh-round pick to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for a fifth-round pick and their former first-round wide receiver, Xavier Legette. On the surface, this trade does not seem favorable for the Colts. However, looking deeper, there are two key components:

1). Accordng to reports, Pittman Jr. is owed $22M in 2026 and the Colts probably cannot afford to pay that, especially if they extend Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce. Acquiring Legette in a trade, would cost significantly less as he is owed $4.4M over the next two years.

2). The Colts would acquire a talented wide receiver, who could develop into an asset. Granted, his numbers are nowhere close to the range of production that Pittman has. However, Legette has only played two seasons with Bryce Young as his quarterback. Often times a change of scenery is all a receiver needs in order to blossom.

Another move the Colts could make with Pittman Jr. is to just release him, which would free up around $26M in much-needed cap space. This seems kind of a long shot as Pittman is worth too much just to let him go. Cap space is great, but acquiring players (via trade) would be better.

Do not Pursue Trey Hendrickson

Once again the trade conversations are swirling around All-Pro defensive end, Trey Hendrickson. While Hendrickson would certainly be an asset to the Colts defensive line, and the Colts need more assets at the line, there are two glaring issues in prusuring him.

1). He is getting older and slowing down. At 31 years old, and coming off a season in which he only played seven games, his ceiling is falling and the Colts need to get younger on defense.

2). The Colts do not have the monetary means to acquire a talent like Hendrickson. Even though 2025 was a down year, the Cincinati Bengals will not let Hendrickson walk without receiving a hefty sum of money. This is something the Colts cannot afford to spend on an aging player.

Nonetheless, according to reports by Ian Rapoport, the Colts are expected to make a “charge” for Hendrickson. All things considered, Hendrickson would be a better talent to compliment Laiatu Latu. The Colts current compliments are Samson Ebukam, Kwity Paye, and Tyquan Lewis. Those guys combined for nine total sacks in 2025, and Hendrickson had twice as many sacks in 2024 by himself. Needless to say, the Colts need to do something with their weak defensive line. However, Hendrickson might not be the hero the Colts think he can be, especially with his age.

Trade Anthony Richardson

Another big name that is swirling around the trade conversation is Anthony Richardson. The former fourth-overall pick might have played his last season with the Colts in 2025. After the surgance of Daniel Jones and the utmost command that he had in the Shane Steichen led offense, there just isn’t a place for Richardson to flurish in Indy anymore.

It seems pointless to keep Richardson, considering that former sixth-round pick Riley Leonard had such a good showing in his NFL starting debut last season. Couple this with the fact that Richardson cannot stay healthy adds more of an incentive to move on.

According to ESPN’s Stephen Holder, moving on from Richardson feels “inevitable”. Assuming that his vision heals after suffering an orbital fracture, the Colts could get something considerable for a young and promising talent. As Holder pointed out, Justin Fields, Kenny Pickett, Sam Howell, and Taylor Heinecke all garnered “draft-pick compensation”. Objectively, Richardson has more upside than these quarterbacks and many teams could pounce on the chance to acquire him.