Where have Colts improved this offseason? Chris Ballard weighs in

His 14 pressures won't leap off the stat sheet, but getting after the quarterback wasn't always a part of his responsibilities. With the Colts, Wooden will see fewer snaps at the nose, as he provides the ability to be moved around the defensive front and better showcase his pass-rush abilities.

Tillery can provide some added pass rush juice as well. That is where the bulk of his snaps and contributions have come during his NFL career. Last season, the Colts' defense as a whole ranked 30th in ESPN's pass-block win rate metric.

The Colts also added defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi to the mix, who provides a run-stuffing presence.

Ballard then continued, "I do think with the addition of (Micheal) Clemens and (Arden) Key, I think we got better real depth and they're healthy as of right now. They're healthy. so I think that's a I think that's a really positive thing."

Clemons's ability to play inside will allow him to fill a similar role to that of Tyquan Lewis. Keys get off at the snap, providing the Colts' defensive end unit with some added burst.

As far as the offense goes, Ballard acknowledged that the Colts will likely be banking on the continued development of players already on the roster. He specifically mentioned Matt Goncalves and Jalen Travis needing to take those next steps.

"I think on offense, we're going to bet on some development of players," Ballard said. "I mean, that's kind of what we've done. I mean, you've got to be able to do that."

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: 2026 NFL draft: Chris Ballard evaluates where Colts improved