Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - COLTS SQUAD SHOW: MAKE or BREAK? | What's on the Line in 2026 For Colts & Where is the Bar For 2026?

Episode Date: September 7, 2026

One week away from beginning a new season, is it a make-or-break year for Chris Ballard, Shane Steichen, and several members of the 2026 Colts? The Squad gathers to discuss, as well as where the bar of expectations should be set for a team that has missed the playoffs for five consecutive seasons. Also, the guys discuss how do the Colts stack up from a player leadership standpoint and what the Michigan Hail Mary clock fiasco says about the importance of integrity when it comes to football game results.Find and follow Locked On Colts on your favorite podcast platforms:  🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-colts/ 📺YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLdpxJspi1hMh5HL7ExpWOQ Give the squad a follow on X/Twitter @Schultz975, @JakeArthurNFL, @ZachHicks2, @allenpinkett, @colts_hit, @LockedOnColts, and @ColtsOn_SI, as well as on TikTok and Instagram! Locked On NFL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft & More 🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/lockedoncolts Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to the Colts Squad Show. I'm Derek Schultz. And according to my super secret clock that only I can see, it's 930 right now. So time to start the show. And I'm Zach Hicks. And we are all Western Michigan fans the rest of the season, despite what happened in that week one game. I'm Jake Arthur. And we were never Michigan fans to begin with. Don't you worry about it. Colts Nation rise up. It's the Colts squad. Everything Indianapolis Colts every week. Covering all the big hits and game change. changing plays from the Circle City the way only the locked on podcast network can. It's time to squad up. The Colt Squad Joe starts now. Welcome to the Colts Squad show. Today's show brought you by Calci for a limited time, download the Calci app. Use code locked on to get $10 when you trade $10.

Once again, I'm Derek Schultz. Longtime Ind Sports Soccer. I'm joined by the Lockdown Colts daily host, Zach Hicks and Jake Arthur, your first listen every day. Former Nerame running back, Alan Pinkett. Well, guess what he's doing? right now. He's watching his alma mater. So we gave him a little bit of a siesta catch and a break to watch his Irish due battle with Wisconsin, a tighter game than I think

most people predicted, at least so far as we reach halftime over there at Lambeau Field. Over here in Indianapolis, we're one week away from the Colts opening up the season against the Ravens at Lucas Oil Stadium at just a few days away from the 2026 NFL regular season being upon us. However, before we get into that week one matchup, we're going to do some final season outlook type analysis on our last non-cultz football Sunday of the offseason on tonight's show. We'll start with what exactly is on the line for the 2026 Colts. How are the Ursaid daughters treating this season? How are they treating Shane Stuyken? What's on the line for Chris Bauer contract year, right? The veteran players. Yes, Jonathan Taylor just got an extension.

We're expecting one for Quentin Nelson, but some other mainstays have their futures very much up in the air. We'll talk about that in segment number one. If things go good, if things go bad, we'll talk about all the hypothetical situations that await the 2026 Colts. The bar of expectations for this season. And this kind of plays into what's on the line. What's good enough is just making the playoffs good enough. Do you have to win a game? Do you have to end that embarrassing AFC South Divisional drought?

Do you have to go to the freaking Super Bowl? I don't know. We're going to talk about that coming up here in segment number two. It depends on who you ask. Segment number three, Jonathan Taylor and Cameron Bynum stepping into Captain Rolls. that were left by the departed, Kenny Moore and Zaire Franklin departed like when elsewhere, not that they're no longer with us, they're still here. Are the Colts in a better position leadership-wise than they were a year ago?

We'll discuss that in segment number three. And then our squad squibs, which we always do at the end of the show, new Hall of Fame process, which I think most of us felt like was necessary, at least a re-examination of the Hall of Fame process. And then, you know, we were joking about it in the opening, but I think it translates to pro football to the importance of fan perception when it comes to game results. And we've been through this before,

specifically with the Colts, you know, deflategate, all those Patriot level connected things. Some of those connected to the Colts directly, some of those indirectly. We'll talk about that coming up in segment number four. But guys, look, you've been on the beat for a long time, Jake, Zach, you've been on almost 10 years now, right? We've heard make or break season before.

You know, it's felt like every season for the Chris Bauer, you know, post-Andreluct retirement post-COVID, a lot of it, really ever since the Wenson plosion, has felt like a make or break season. But while the seasons often break on the field, unfortunately, they rarely seem to break when it comes to the front office, especially and the coaching staff, and even some of the veteran players,

even though we did see Michael Pittman Jr. and Kenny Morin, Zahier Franklin move on. So my question is, is this a make or break season for the Colts this year and your Isaac? I think it's a maker break for certain people in the organization, for sure. I will say this. I know we've made the joke about it for years and years that Chris Ballard will never die. He's the cockroach of this organization. And his tenure thus far does kind of point to him

being that in this organization. But there is a big difference between firing someone and having their contract expired. As of right now, he is not under contract for next season. So it is kind of make or break for Chris Ballard, right? Like you need tangible results of what Carly Ursaid Gordon is looking for. And we'll get into more of that in the second segment. I don't want to do too much of that here in the first segment. But He needs those tangible results or he's just not going to get his contract renewed. It's as simple as that. Again, it's a very different story than just not firing him and keeping him going or not,

like, you have to actually come to the table with a new contract offer now for him. So he has to prove that he is worth that right there. For Shane Steichen, I do think in general it does likely mean the same thing. It's hard to really go about this process in the NFL of like keeping a head coach while firing a general manager. do think it's kind of a make or break for Shane Steichen as well, even though I think Carl Eursay Gordon is a big fan of Shane Steichen and understands, hey, we have this young, a very good offensive mind at head coach. So it is hard to depart with that.

But if you have another season where you miss the playoffs, another season where things don't end up right and you're firing the general manager or you're not retaining the general manager, I should say, it is hard to keep that head coach. So maybe it's not a make or break for like everybody. Like I don't know if they go to a full territory. down rebuild if they don't make the playoffs this year. But I do think it is make or break for those two big decision makers, especially Chris Ballard. It should have been make or break half a decade ago at this point with Chris Ballard, but it hasn't been. But now with his contract just not being

currently running past this season, it is certainly a put up or shut up type of season for Chris Ballard. Finally, we'll have to see that from him here in 2026. Yeah, I think, I think certainly, recently Chris Ballard is probably the most at stake here. And usually, like Zach said, you know, it's head coach and general manager are kind of attached to the hip when it comes to if someone is being ousted. But it is the thing of just the contract not being there. It's the first time that Chris has gone into the final year of a contract. He's always had it renewed before.

He's always had that job security. And so I think, you know, last year with Carly, They knew this was coming up. And so you just look at that and you say, you know, we'll give you one opportunity for us to be in the driver's seat and you so we can see you through an entire offseason into the season and see how this thing goes. I think results can vary. I think there's so much gray area and how things can turn out. Even if they make the playoffs, I think there's still an avenue for it to not look positive for Chris. but I absolutely think this is a make or break year for Chris Ballard at the very least.

I do feel like it's kind of, I don't want to say en vogue, but there are probably more examples recently than ever before of like the young head coach being invested in and then almost getting to like handpick a GM or like having someone partner with them as GM to where it's not that structure where the GM is kind of almighty powerful. And the head coach is, it's more of a partnership, you know. And the head coach has a lot more hand in that. So it could be an example like that. I do think like Zach said that Shane probably has a little more grace still at this point. I think a lot of people hold him in really high regard and see the results that he has gotten as kind of a look what he's done without this type of thing.

But still at the end of the day, I don't think anyone would be surprised if everybody, or both of them, so to speak, were let go if things did not go to plan. Yeah, and I just, that dynamic really intrigues me with, especially if they're kind of on the borderline. I think a lot of people would agree, like, if this is another one of those eight and nine, nine and eight go nowhere, season ends after game 17 type seasons, then I think pretty much everybody will be ready to move on. on from Chris Bowerd. But then are you doing yourself a disservice, even if you want to give Shane Stike in an extra look, to bring him back for kind of like a lame duck type year and then hire a new general manager as opposed to just rip the bandit off?

Zach, just judging by your reaction there, I think I already know what you said. But Jake, you know, the Colts have done this before, right? Where they let Grigson go and then Pagano comes back for that one year. But I've always kind of felt like that's really awkward. Yeah. When you, not only for the position that you put your franchise in, but the position that you would put Shane Stuyken in and in that sort of hypothetical situation. Yeah, absolutely.

And what good did that do having Pagano in here for that one season, right? Like at least- We all knew that was not going to work, yeah. Right. And some people argue it's like, well, you have him take on the bad season, take the losses so a new head coach doesn't have a bad season to start off. But like, who cares if a new head coach's first season is bad? It really, it matters what they look like after three years, not. after one year.

Kyle Shanahan had a couple years early on where he stunk it up too, and they were winning four or five games because they were throwing Nick Mollins out there at quarterback because of all the injuries. So who cares about like, oh, don't want a new coach's career record. Like, no, like don't keep a coach just for the sake of that kind of stuff. You know, keep a coach if you truly believe in them. But again, with Shane Stuyken, this would be four years of not making the playoffs in this hypothetical, even if I think he's a good coach and I think he's a good coach,

and I think he can be a good coach, I don't, I don't think you can keep them after that, regardless of circumstance, regardless of everything that's gone on here in Indy, I just, I just don't think you keep a coach that they miss four straight playoffs. So I would, I hope they make it this year. I hope that we see good things,

but at the end of the day, I just don't think that that's feasible. I don't think it makes any sense for anybody. Yeah, and I do, you know, when you talk about also just sort of the players here, I think we all kind of knew that this Daniel Jones situation would be sort of a wait and see type thing. But, you know, the futures of Jonathan Taylor at least appears to be, you know, confirmed. I mean, there's really no reason, even if you did gas everybody out, that you wouldn't just kind of continue business as usual with a talented running back.

You know, the joke I made a couple of weeks ago in the squad show was you need to have somebody to put on the banners, right, outside Lucas Oil Stadium. So why would there be some sort of a departure there? But, you know, I do wonder if there's a little bit of a turning of the page with the rest of the core of this team, really outside of Nelson and Taylor, Jake, should things go south this year? Yeah, and I absolutely agree with that. And we've already kind of started to see it. You know, Kenny Moore was like the longest 10-year defensive starter. And then DeForest Buckner, I mean, probably his final year here, unless it looks like the neck injury never happened. and like he stays healthy.

I mean, even Quentin being in kind of limbo is an indication of, you know, them playing hard. Well, I still think ultimately he'll be back. But I do think Chris has shown more of a willingness to kind of flush out some of the old and bring in some new energy, which was so necessary. Because he's even mentioned, like he's even admitted before that, you know, running it back. with all the same guys all the time. It's just not a successful way to do things. And even if you've got some guys who have a really good track record with you and you feel really good about and our great teammates and this and that, you have to keep guys uncomfortable. And I think it also sends a

message when you let go of guys with that kind of stature that, you know, you need to keep churning and keeping everybody on their toes and keeping everything competitive. Because, I mean, guys can see that you let Michael Pittman Jr. go and he's still a useful player. But I think they also understand like, hey, this guy wasn't performing at the level of being a $29 million player. You know, like you can, I think the locker room can still respect when guys are being let go based on merit, you know. See, I do think that's a necessary part of it.

The players, not just the decision makers, but I think the veteran players who are kind of aging out of their prime. have to be a part of that as well. It's, it sucks. It's guys, a lot of us have been covering for eight or nine years or whatever, but like, that's just life in the NFL. Players don't last forever. Yeah, I do think regardless, this is probably DeForest Buckner's final year with the Colts. I mean, they have to pay out of Tommy Wa, out of Borre after this year. Or if they don't pay him, like, you want to go and get a younger possible guy to replace Buckner, you know? Yeah. Like, unless that, like, unless they win like 12 games this year and they win a playoff,

game in Buckner's like the face of the defense, I don't expect that to happen. Then you maybe give him another year, but I'm assuming if you're winning that many games, Tommy's also a pretty big part of that. And you want to keep him and he's coming off his rookie contract. That's who you really want to get in here. So, yeah, I do think that at the end of the day, like there will be some tough decisions made regardless of wins or losses at the end of the season. but, you know, I don't know how much this season really dictates a lot of that because you're going to make those decisions regardless.

I just think ultimately this season is most important for Ballard and Stuyken. Those are the two for sure. I just hope regardless of what it is that it's obvious. I just, you know, part of me is rooting for you. You never want to see a team bottom out in most instances. But I just feel like the worst possible thing for them moving forward is 8 and 9, 9, and 8. because then the writing's not clearly on the wall. Whereas if they win 11 or something,

you write obviously, okay, yeah, let's extend and bring back and retain and all of that. If they win six, it's the other way. And what I'm worried about is that we just see a repeat of the same of what we've seen over the past couple of years. Speaking of which, what's the bar for the 2026 Colts? Not only for retaining jobs, but for what makes this season a success.

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Super Bowl winning quarterback Sam Donald. I know it's not strange to say. It doesn't get easier than that. I think Shane Sykes is really going to utilize Tyler Warren again in a myriad of ways, but with Alec Pierce starting the season, easing back in. Michael Pittman Jr. gone. I think that's going to be especially true here in the early going in the first couple of games. Some tough opponents, looks like a front-loaded schedule here for the Colts.

I'm keeping my eye on Warren's prize picks projections to see if there's something to be won there. Even after everyone's up to speed, I'm expecting a big year two from the Colts tight end. Download the app today and use code locked on NFL to get $150 instantly in lineups if you win your first $5 lineup. Prize picks, run your game. And we're back on the Locked on Colts Squad Show. Thanks so much for joining us alongside Lockdown Colts daily hosts, Zach Hicks and Jake Arthur. I'm Derek Schultz.

Alan Pinkin will rejoin us for our midweek show. And also we have, of course, Will Star Lipper in the bullpen ready to go whenever we call upon him, your new Colts hit hosts. Don't forget to check out the Every Day or Club for ad-free episodes and access to a group chat with the two handsome gentlemen to my right. Jake and Zach and other listeners of Lockdown Colts, tap the link in the show notes or go to Lockdown Podcast.com slash Everydayer Club. So what makes this season a success?

I think bare minimum, you got to get back to the playoffs for the first time since that weird COVID season, which I know was only technically six years ago, but man, it feels like 60 just with, I don't know what I was doing the other day. I think I got down the YouTube rabbit hole and I was watching the Bears game, which was not a great game for Philip Rivers. But it's in Soldier Field. And I don't think there were any people there, if I remember right? it's just so surreal, right, to like go back and think, man, like, we did this and watch this. And, but that's how long ago it was. It feels like, you know, in this time before. But I guess the question is like, let's say nine and eight and you stumble into the playoffs,

just kind of by default. And then you lose wild card weekend. Is that good enough? Or does it have to be emphatically in the playoffs? Does it have to include a division championship? Does it have to include a playoff win? Zach, what makes this season, success now for Chris Boward in year 10 and Shane Steichen in year four. So I will say this. In my time covering the NFL, I have covered three different owners now. This is my third owner, Carly or say Gordon, in terms of owner that runs a football operation, right?

And maybe this is a bit of a hot take or a bit of a thing, but from listening to the three owners I've covered, which are Carly or Say Gordon, Jim Resey and Dan Snyder. That's who I covered in Washington. I think that she is the most knowledgeable owner. I've covered. I think she is the most aware of the process and what needs to be done in order to have a successful thing. Because Jim had his issues in the time I covered him where too loyal, too much.

Like he was kind of like the old guy that you bump into at a bar who's just like, yeah, we're going to win it all this year. And it's like, we're starting Jacoby Brissette, Jim. Like, no, we're not. Like, you know, it was kind of like that with Jim in the time I covered him. And then Dan Snyder was a businessman that used football for something else. So with the owners I've covered. Um, Carla or Sigourn, every time I hear her speak, I think she understands the process needed.

And I think a big part of running it back with this team last year is because what was winning early last season was a good process. So much of how you evaluate a team in the NFL, in my opinion is blow out the bad teams. Are you're competitive with the very good teams. And for the first half of the year, when they had their starting quarterback, that's what they were. Right. And they were lethal on offense. And they were doing some good things. and they were, you know, they went toe to toe with the Rams in L.A. They beat the Chargers badly in L.A.

They beat the Broncos early in the season. Like they were a good football team early in the year. And then their quarterback went down. And then there was some regression here and there. But overall, I do think the process was there. So when it comes to her wanting to run this back, I do think that I understand it from the aspect of like, hey, we had our quarterback go down.

And like, yes, we need to finish. And there's no excuses for this next season. I'm willing to just give it one more look, one more look because the first half of last season was that good. So I understand that. And I do think that's the way she's going into the season, but I think the process needs to look similar to how it did early last season or it's not going to be good enough for her. And I fully believe that when it comes to her. If she changes her mind by the end of next season, then I will change my mind on her. But from everything I've heard from her, whenever she talks, I do firmly believe that's where we're at. So I don't think it's just

going to be good enough to where they squeak in at nine and eight. and they lose and they go like 500 down the stretch, limb into the playoffs and lose by three scores in the first round. I don't think that's going to be good enough. And I don't think any of us should be thinking that's going to be good enough. I think that they really believe that this needs to look like it did early last season, even if it's not like, okay, we're setting point records for, you know, like I'm not saying it has to be 40 points a week or anything like that,

like it was early last season. But it needs to start looking like it did early last year. And that needs to carry on throughout the whole. season. They need to peak late, get into the playoffs. And even if they lose in the first round, it needs to be a game where they're actually in it, you know, and it's like the back and forth with a good team or something like that. The process is the most important aspect about this season. So I think that she gets it. I think that she is the most informed owner that I have covered. And I've seen, even if you look around the league right now to a lot of these owners, like,

there are some dreadful, dreadful owners around this. I mean, look at Jerry down in Dallas. I mean, come on. Like it's, it can be so bad. So I think she gets it. I'm willing to put my faith in her for this season. We'll see what it looks like by the end of the year. But I do firmly believe that it's about the process this year. And I don't think it's going to be good enough just to limp into the playoffs. I think that they need to be surging late.

And they need to look like a good team this season. Or it's going to be done for Chris Ballard, probably done for Shane Steichen. And they'll move on from that. So I do think that the bar for the Colts in 2026 is higher than just make the playoffs. I don't think it's some arbitrary. I think she's done a good job of avoiding saying that, too, right? Where she said, like, it's not, like, we're not going to put a firm thing on it. I think it's because it's the process this year. And I think she gets it from that standpoint. So, yeah, just making the playoffs, I don't necessarily think that's just good enough for everybody to come back. Yeah, I think

playoffs is the bare minimum. So I think with Carly, just what I understand about her so far, far more results driven and practical. Jim, very emotional, very, he's almost like Michael Scott. Like everyone is his family. You know,

he has great feelings about everyone. He believes the best in everybody, which is great as like a friend and everything. But that extends people's leash far too long sometimes. You know what I mean? I just know already of so many examples. of Carly being like, is this necessary? Is this doing anything for us?

This, this, this. No, okay. See ya. Like, I think she sees something in Shane and Chris, and that was definitely reflective of the first half of last year. It was just so good. Like, I think just no one knew how to handle last year, because it was so good.

And then it so wasn't. it was two polar opposites. It's like, what is this team really? Because at the beginning, the Colts had the best record in the NFL. Their offense was at a historic pace. They had two reasonable MVP candidates on their team. Meanwhile, their defense was somehow surviving while so ravaged by injury. And then the quarterback goes down and then it all unravels and they lose the final seven.

So it's like, are they this really, really good team or are they this dreadful team or are they something in between where they're good enough to be, you know, competitive with anybody? And I think they think they are definitely a playoff team. That's what they see themselves at. Because look at the sauce gardener move. You don't, you don't make that move if you're rebuilding or if you're just simply ascending. Like you think you're pretty much knocking at the door if you make a move like that with sauce. and so bringing back everybody that they did, I don't think they were ready to just start over

because I think they think they're so much closer to being competitive toward the top of the league than needing to make a bunch of changes. So with that being said, and Carly saying that this season's mantra is find a way is the Colts did find so many ways to lose games down the stretch. you know, you let go of your lead late.

You look like the Chiefs game, for example. Like you have a lead and then you squander it. And then you have a bad turnover or you, there's just stupid penalties, stuff like that. They're finding ways to lose these games where just a one or two game of those games having a bounce go their way instead or not having some big self-inflicted wound probably gets them into the playoffs, you know, despite the injuries. So I think for them, playoffs is bare minimum. I don't think they can just get in there and lose. It's, I think optics really matter. Like 2020, they got into the playoffs, right? And I think everyone

was pretty optimistic after that because you had a young Jonathan Taylor coming off a historic year. Philip Rivers was super old, but you hope to get him back one more year. It didn't wind up working that way. But like everyone felt good about the team coming after it. You know what I mean? Because you don't always feel good about a team even if they made the playoffs. Like the 2023 team, we may not have felt great about that with Gardnervention. You know.

But I think like the young players really have to be making an impact to where you feel comfortable about where the team is going. It can't just be all the older guys that you know aren't going to be there anymore. like your CJ Allen's and AJ Halsey's, those guys have to be part of what is carrying this team and making them good. It's so hard for me to say that it's going to have to take a playoff win, although I kind of think it will. I think I don't want to say they have to win the division.

It feels that way, but I think getting to the playoffs is one thing. But if you're not going to win the division, I think you absolutely have to win that. that wild card around though. You know what I mean? I just think the simplest way to put it is Carly or say Gordon is a very like she grew up like analytics league driven right, analytics driven. Like she is very close to a lot of analytics people. She's very much about again like the process and all this. And her first year of an owner,

you get a first half of the season where they are the best team in football, killing everybody, going toe to toe with the Rams, I mean, beating the Broncos and the Chargers, looking like one of the best teams in the league that is going to be poised for a deep playoff run. And then the second half where you're the worst team in football, right? You have two so polar opposite seasons that you just need more data points to understand what the heck this team is.

So now after this next year, we'll have enough data points to make some kind of assumption about this team, whether it's good, bad, or mediocre, right? And I think if it doesn't start looking like the first half of last season, she's going to want to move on and make her own decisions. So I honestly, I bet she was ready to make some moves after last season, except they started off so great, you know?

And it's like, well, all right, let's see where this thing can take us. So I have faith in her. I understand that, you know, some people are lukewarm on her and hot and cold, whatever it is. But I think it makes sense to want to run this thing back and see where it can take you. And if it doesn't take you to where early last season was, start over. And it's as simple as especially with their GM's contract, aspiring. So I think they have a really easy out after this season. And I think that's the route they're going to take if it doesn't translate

to like what it did early last season. And a lot of people in the comments are also mentioning like they can't just get run over by the Texans and Jaguars all the time either. Like they're going to have to look reasonable against them. I mean, even if they go 0 and 4 in those matchups but still look like a good playoff team, I don't think you can just look like Little Brother anymore. You know what I mean? They clearly could beat the Titans, but they always looked overmatched against the Jaguars and Texans.

I don't think that can continue. going to kind of toss the grenade in here in the final minute. What if they had Philadelphia's season last year? You get in the playoffs, you technically win the division, right? And then you lose to a Niners team that's kind of eh, or even Jacksonville season. Now, Jacksonville ended up with, what, like 13 wins? So you would think that would be.

But then, you know, they get beat by Buffalo. They don't have anything to show for it outside of the division. You know, what happens then? because Zach, kind of like you said, like, I am a process guy too. But after 10 years of no results, for me, I'm like, hey, like, I need the result at some point. You know what I mean? So it's sort of a tough balancing act here for the Colts. If they have a really good regular season, but then they biff it in the playoffs,

does that have to change your mentality? I think it just depends what the playoffs look like. Again, I think so much of it is like how much of this is repeatable. What happened in the playoffs is more of like a fundamental issue, or was it a day where like a receiver fumbled the ball that he like nine times out of 10 wouldn't fumble or you know we muffed a kick or wind came in on it on an extra point and blew it aside and we lost that like you know it's stuff that's repeatable versus stuff that's not repeatable if you just look overmatched and overwhelmed then that's more of a concern going forward so

it truly just depends on what exactly takes place but I do think so much of this is just going to be about analyzing the totality of next season plus whatever, happens postseason and just seeing if this is the right direction for your team. I think that's what they're going to look at. The Colts shed some longtime veterans in locker room voices but have replaced those with other in-house options for the captain's seat. Does this team have strong leadership as they head into a new season? We're going to discuss that when the Colt Squad Show returns next.

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plus free dessert for life. Go to HomeShep.com slash Lockedon NFL. That's HomeCep.com slash Lockedon NFL for 50% off. That's right, 50% off your first box. and free dessert for life. Homechef.com slash locked on NFL must be an active subscriber to receive free dessert. Rolling right along here, locked on Colts squad show, Sunday edition of the show, alongside Zach Hicks and free dessert enjoyer. Jake Arthur, I'm Derek Schultz. I'm a free dessert enjoyer too, by the way. We're friends at home chef. We're talking season outlook for the 2026

Colts and thanks to everybody in the YouTube comments as well. Like I said, it depends on who you ask. Some say, well, you got to at least make the playoffs. Some say you got to get to like AFC championship game. Some say, hey, it depends on how you look, regardless of what you do. But, you know, moving on to the team itself, since we've kind of focused a lot on, you know, the Shane Stike and Chris Ballard, hot seat type of aspect of it or future type of aspect of it, the Colts did announce two captains in Cam Bynam and Jonathan Taylor along with their core of continuing captains.

And, you know, for I think a long time here, most have. said that the Colts do have strong leadership just because, you know, even the guys that left, yes, Zaire Franklin is maybe a little bit of an outlier because he was a very polarizing figure. I think he was well liked in the locker room, though. But Michael Pittman Jr. was well liked by everybody. Kenny Moore was great, right? No one ever had a bad word to say about Kenny Moore. That was, that was hard to see them kind of move on from him.

But I think the Colts made a conscious decision to sort of step away from the continuing guard of the last couple of years, even with, you know, Nelson. and Taylor and DeForest Buckner and a lot of these guys sort of continuing on. But Jake, I'll start with you because you're at the complex. You're in the locker room. And that's not to say that you're behind closed doors all the time. You know, the players show you what they want to show you and coaches show you what they want to show you for the most part.

But, you know, what's your take just from knowing that? I mean, this is only season two for Camp Bynum, but all the other captains. I mean, you've known for a long time or at least, you know, Daniel Jones, et cetera, just what he has brought to the table. But where do you think the Colts are from a leadership? standpoint in that locker room right now? I think these are the logical ones. I don't really see many of these as like lifetime achievement awards or just like

guy who's been on the roster the longest. I think Taylor's is interesting because this is his third time, but it's every other year. 2022, 24, and 26. So I don't know what's up with that. But I think Bynum is a very logical next guy to slide in, especially after Zeyer Franklin and Kenny Moore. I think Bynum, he's got a little bit of a mix between the two. He's probably more of a vocal leader like Zyro Franklin was,

but while putting in all of like the hard work and like leading by example type of things that Kenny did. So I think Cam is a very, very good leader, very good communicator as well. He's going to be calling the defense. He's the green dot guy this year with the direct communication to Lou Anarumo. That's rare for a safety to do that. usually rely on a linebacker because they're in the middle of the defense.

So this is a guy who's going to have to be relaying information and giving pointers to all layers of the defense. And he's got a, he has got a very good relationship with Lou Anirumo. So he's kind of like a coach on the field as well. So as far as Cam Bynam goes, he is one of their strongest leaders. I think that makes a lot of sense.

Quentin is a guy who, I think this is like his sixth time, but Quentin very has very much taken ownership of a leadership role on the entire team, not just the offense anymore. When Ryan Kelly left, I think he felt he needed to kind of grab the mantle there. And he's also a guy that's just sick of losing. Like I really think Quentin leaves every season truly heartbroken after they have missed

the playoffs every year, you know. I think he takes it very hard. And I think he's very passionate and really invests in his teammates. And he's just a guy that is, he's over it. You know what I mean? Like, nobody wants it more than him at this point. So I do think they've got a good group of leaders. There are some guys where I know kind of the argument is,

well, they've had the same leaders over and over. Where has it gotten them? So on and so forth. But, like, the guys they have, like, yeah, DeForest Buckner is a great leader. like he leads by example. Like these are all guys you see them and you're like, yeah. Like obviously they're great leaders. Like Jonathan Taylor, probably nobody on the team who takes better care of themselves than him.

Very good player to emulate yourself after Buckner has been through everything. Quentin, like I mentioned, and then and then Bynum. And then of course I'm forgetting the fifth guy right now. Daniel Jones, yeah, obviously. But like these are all very much guys who are. vocal but lead by example, work very, very hard. They've been through some stuff as well. You look at Jones and Buckner, especially, what those two went through at the end of last

year to get back to training camp now and are healthy and are going to be ready for week one. It's astonishing. And everybody in that locker room has a couple guys right there to look up to. So I do understand the argument of where has it gotten them before, but like these five guys are very, very logical leaders. Yeah, I can't really add the same level of insight that J-Can when it comes to behind-the-scenes stuff, like how guys respond to certain players and stuff like that. But just to comment on Cameron Bina, you know, getting his first captaincy six years

into his NFL career and like kind of earning this now with his second team, he's a type of player that I certainly circle for this kind of role, right? When you look at just his background as a player, what he's accomplished in this League. I mean, going from, he was like a corner. He played a lot of corner in college at Cal University, comes to the NFL, learns more safety role stuff, playing some in the slot, playing some at strong safety, some at free safety, clearly learning a lot from a very good defensive mind in Brian Flores. It was part of two teams that won 13 plus games with the Vikings, right, before coming to the Colts. And now going into his six year, he's no longer that super

young player that is just learning. He is now the captain of the defense. He's now the guy that's kind of orchestrating everything on the back end, especially with having, like, inexperienced or young linebackers, like their most experienced linebacker is Akeem Davis Gaither who has started one season in his NFL career. No other linebacker on this team has started more than one season or has even started more than like a game in the NFL. I think Carlize has started like two or three games, but that's really about it with linebackers. So he's taken on the green dot as well, at least early on in the year. So I think he's certainly earned this captaincy. You know, I'm not even trying to go off of like,

the, oh, the celebrations are fun or anything, and he's a very likable guy because clearly he's a very likable guy, right? He markets himself well. He's a very personable, like person stuff, like really love to see it. But just how he was able to grind his way up with Minnesota, again, being like more of a corner at Cal, learning all these different secondary spots in a very complex Brian Flores defense, right, where they're bringing pressure nonstop and you're asked to just read and key so many different things, taking that to Luana Ruma, who again, is a pretty, complex defensive coach and learning a lot of those things, playing a lot of free safety, coming down and playing strong safety on some of their three safety sets as well.

I think he's a very intellectual player. I think he's fully capable of this green dot role. And I think he's well deserving of a captaincy as well. So I think he's the youngest captain as well, I believe, right? He's only like 27. I think of all the guys, him and Jones, I think, are the youngest two cats. Or I guess Taylor is pretty young. Taylor feels older than what he is.

but I think Bynum and Taylor, one of those guys are the youngest captain, but Bynum with his second team now on the second contract, I like him earning that captaincy. And again, when you look at the state of this Colts roster, like Bulkner and Bynum are two of the most accomplished players in terms of where they've gone in their careers, like success-wise, right? Where Buckner has gone to a Super Bowl and has been to the playoffs a couple times with the 49ers and once with the Colts even.

And Bynum has been to the playoffs. twice. The Vikings now they didn't win either of those games, but he's been to the playoffs twice. That's a lot for the Colts. You know, we don't have many proven successes on here in terms of like deep playoff runs.

So I do think that counts for something as well. So Bynum, I think certainly deserved it. Even though he's one of the younger guys at that captain right now, I think he certainly earned this, especially being the green dot guy as well on defense. It's funny because I feel like the Colts at times, you know,

I've been around the team like 20-something years. they've had coaching problems. They've had ownership problems. I mean, Jim Mersey, Jake, you mentioned it being early, you know, overly emotional. I've never really felt like they had a player leadership problem. Like when you really look at it, you know, obviously you go back to the Peyton Manning era, right, like Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, you know, Gary Brackett, like those groups. But then even when you got into like Adam Vinatry, you know, the end of the Robert Math this years. and then into this group of players with guys like,

I know Taylor is now just a captain, but guys like Taylor, but Nelson, you know, Michael Pittman Jr. is the consummate pro, right? Like, we can sit here and argue about how good Michael Pittman Jr. was, but he was a great professional. He was a great guy and a well-like guy in the leader room. So I do, in the locker room, I do think that the Colts have, while they've fallen off a little bit of this model franchise

that they were for so long in the early 21st, century, I do feel like they've always been sort of a model franchise in the fact that even when things have gone poorly or badly, they've had talent problems, they've had coaching problems, they've had on-field play problems. But I've rarely ever felt like, oh, man, they've got a big problem like over at West 56th Street right now, like with the way that things are going. I don't know. But again, like, Zach, like you said, that's my outside perspective sort of looking in. I mean, if you looked at the middle of the 2022 season, I think there was a lot of bad stuff that was happening just kind of everywhere.

There were fires everywhere. But the players at the top of this franchise, to me, have always held themselves in good regard, at least public facing to me. Yeah, I guess my only, not my only pushback on this, but just kind of my one thing with this is, like, how much does this really matter? You know, like, it matters to Jake, right? Because Jake talks to these people, and it makes his work environment more pleasant, right? Like, that's really the big part of this here.

You also have to know who to go to to answer for the tough bleep. You know what I mean? We've seen a lot of rough times with this team, and there are players you have to go up to in the locker room during these really hard times that have to speak up for the team. And Kenny's gone, right? Because Kenny was that guy, wasn't he? A lot of times because you knew that he would say something

if there was something that needed to be said. Yeah, and I guess just my, again, my question with all this is just like, I like, don't be wrong, I love having like the good faces of the franchise and all the in like, okay, guys who carry themselves like professionals. But I wonder if there's any like tangible aspect to this that actually leads to it.

Right. Like Terrell Owens, by all accounts, a horrible leader to have in your, in your locker room and stuff, right? Who got pushed around all over the place. Brandon Marshall, a horrible leader to have on your team.

I would kill for one of those guys in their prime right now on this Colts team. I put the sea on their chest if it meant they could stay on this team and produce for us. Right. So I love it. I want to cheer for guys like this, and I do think it makes stories better, and it makes just human interest aspects of this better, leading social things off the field better.

But at the end of the day, and I think our comments can agree, I haven't looked at them in a second, but I think our comments can agree the wins and losses of the things that matter the most. And it makes it easier when you like the guys and stuff. But I think a big part for this leadership council this year is just going to be making sure we're holding people accountable

and getting the results on the field. And like Carly Urs de Gorman, I guess one way to really wrap this all up is like, they got to find a way this year. And if you don't, it's as much on the coaching, the ownership, the GM, and it's also on these leaders. You know, if your team is falling apart late in the season again,

it's also on these guys. So I'm not trying to downplay all this conversation. I'm just kind of playing devil's advocate a little bit. But at the end of the day, if they're having Kenny Moore as the captain, Rigoberto Sanchez as a captain, Luke Rhodes is a cap, whatever it's going to be, got to win games.

Like, gotta win games this year. Yeah, I think leadership in general matters more than the title of captain. You, you just come across a lot of examples of veterans making their teammates better. And I think that's what is important, not having much of an ego and,

like, making sure you share the information and you don't gatekeep information. And like, you're actively trying to make guys around you smarter and better. I think that is more what, matter. Even guys who like notice their teammates body language and pick their head up, you know, like that type of stuff matters to me, not so much the title of captain, if that makes sense. Well, Jake, after Zach's comments caping for Brandon Marshall, I guess I know who we're not

voting for for locked on Colts squad captaincy this year. That's for sure. Hey, say whatever you want about Brandon Marshall's personality when he played, everywhere he went, he produced. Brandon Marshall still has the single game record for catches. against the Colts. It was three straight seasons of three different teams. He had 1,000 plus yards.

Like, everywhere he went, he was just really good. So I would take a prime Brandon Marshall. I take the linebacker Brandon Marshall as well. Forget Reggie Wayne. Let's give me Antonio Brown. That's what we want. How does the new Hall of Fame process and what does it mean? How does it affect Reggie Wayne?

How much do you put up with as a fan when it comes to game decisions being called in the question, like what we saw last night in Ann Arbor? I know that's college football, but major sports is major. sports, right? We'll talk about it when the Colts Squad Show returns for a final time next. This portion of the Colts Squad Show brought you by Calci before the season even kicks off. Everyone's making predictions. Who wins the division? Who makes the playoffs? Who's lifting the trophy at seasons end on Calci, America's number one prediction market platform? You can trade those predictions in a live market. Well, the Colts make the playoffs.

Man, we've been talking about that, so we're blue in the face. I know Jake and Zach just did a daily show episode on that. Obviously, we touched on it tonight on the squad show. Uh, if you're interested, predictions wise, as of today, Indianapolis is at drum roll 40%. 40%. So a $100 hour trade would pay out over 250 bucks if Indianapolis gets to an 18th game to go as far as winning the AFC South, a $100 trade for the Colts to take the division will pay out nearly 500 bucks. If they bust that decade plus drought, that's not all they have when it comes to predictions though. You could trade on calcium and other predictions.

categories and of course you can trade on the team who you predict is going to win the whole thing. On CalCher, you're trading against peers in a live market, meetings there's no house. And as the probability changes, you can buy in and out of your position. Trade the traffic, the game, and more on CalShe. Download the CalChi app. Use code locked on to get $10 when you trade $10. KALS-H-I, Calci, trade on anything. 18 and over only restrictions and eligibility requirements apply.

Event contact training involves risks. It may not be suitable for all investors. CalShe products are not available in all jurisdictions. Prices, values, and available markets may differ from those mentioned. For more information, see calsheet.com slash regulatory. Back for a final time, locked on Colts Squad show. Alan Pinkett watching his Irish maybe kind of sort of start to pull away here from Wisconsin. He'll be back with us.

They got a big six. They got a midweek show recently. That always helps. And they've gotten a lot of those against Wisconsin over the years. I think they had three of them. Maybe one of those was a kick return when they played at Soldier Field the last time that they played. But Alan will rejoin us as we'll Star Lipper later on Locked on Colts Squad show as we embark on a new season. Can't wait for that, guys. Squad Squibs as we usually do in our final

segment of the show. I did think this was interesting simply because if the Colts didn't have somebody that was knocking on the door for Canton, I don't know how relevant the Hall of Fame process would be for a discussion. Like I don't know how many of the other 31 teams squad shows are talking about this. But I just thought it was interesting for how it impacts Reggie Wayne. So as you guys might have seen, they've sort of overhauled the process a bit or at least tweaked it a bunch. Board of Selectors is being reduced.

25 members of the selection committee will be voting members plus three alternates. There won't any longer be one selector in each of the home market for the 32 NFL teams. I think what's really interesting is that they're getting rid of the seniors' modern era distinction. So they're pooling kind of everybody together and there's no exploration. date. The new committee will select three to seven candidates from a group of 15, which will include 13 players, senior or not, one coach and one contributor. And then under the old rule, if a player was a finalist for the Hall of Fame, they would automatically return

for a finalist as the following year. That's no longer the case, even though I don't think that will affect Reggie to make the top 13. I mean, I wouldn't think so. But Jake, what do you think when you saw how this all went down? I guess really this affects Mike Chapel probably. more than anybody else, but how it could play into the selection process when it comes to somebody like Reggie Wayne who's been waiting an awful long time. Yeah, they did this as a reaction to the Bill Belichick thing, not getting in. They're cutting it in half, the selection committee in half, to eliminate biases, which is not how things work. So I don't know really what's up with that. I'm fine with them making it up to seven.

players was it? I'm I think that's fine because the NFL already like I felt like the NFL's allowance was already good like I think in the Naismith Hall of Fame with basketball everybody gets in I think in baseball it's very strict I think the NFL's was like just right so I didn't really love for them to be messing with it in the first place I there's some Here's the frustrating part for me is so they're getting rid of the like the, the older player distinction, whatever it is, what you ever said. That is going to screw a couple guys over that do deserve it. I'm not in favor of just getting some guys in because they've been waiting forever if they didn't really. I think that allows us to like bring in guys who are just kind of from the hall of very good.

and they got romanticized a little bit from being back in the older days. I do think there are some examples of guys who have made it. Just from a perspective of Reggie Wayne, though, this maybe helps a little bit, maybe. I think getting rid of the finalist thing, where if you got like, if you were one of the finalists, you automatically grandfathered in, that helped Vin and Terry get in.

from year one to year two. But I think overall, this maybe gives Reggie a minuscule greater chance. It's not a much bigger one, but like I think it helps a little bit with making the selection pool a little bigger and not automatically qualifying the finalist from the year before. So overall, there's still so much they need to do. this still isn't a great process. I don't really agree with how it is now. With all the tweaks they've made in the last like five or so years,

they might as well have just left it how it was. Because it was, it was better before it just still was dealing with voters biases was the bigger issue. But now it's like the system sucks now. So like I don't, they need to fix it again in the next couple years. This can't be the way it stays because I don't. this going well. But yeah, it's, I don't know why they got to keep messing with stuff. Yeah, I don't have too much more to add.

I will say that I do think the NFL does lean a little bit too much closer to basketball than they do baseball in terms of like, they put in a little bit too much. Like, I always hate the argument of like, can you tell the story of the NFL without this? So dumb. You can't tell the story of the NFL without Jacoby Jones's kick return. Okay. We're not putting him in the Hall of Fame.

So relax everybody. Like, come on. So Reggie Bush's punt return for the Saints. You can't tell the story of the NFL without that's one of the best stories in the NFL. We're not putting him in the Hall of Fame. Like, come on. So, yeah, I just think the Hall of Fame is kind of goofy with the way they do. How they have to only, oh, you can only get one position, one player of one position in for most of these years, right?

And then it's like a waiting list for, oh, we put in Larry Fitzgerald. We can't put in Reggie Wayne as well. If we put in this guy, we can't put this guy in as well. It's like, come on. Like, if a guy earns it, he earns it. It's not going to go to because then I'll anger the New York fans with the Eli Manning stuff again. Joe Namath is the worst quarterback to be in the Hall of Fame there. Until Eli gets in, yes.

But can you tell the story, Jake, of the NFL? Can you tell the story of the NFL without having every single MVP winner in the Hall of Fame? Probably not, right? Because there's only been like, what, 70 of that, whatever it is, whatever 60, MVP, whatever it is. You can't, so Mark Mosley should be in the Hall of Fame, right? Cam Newton needs to get in the Hall of Fame. Matt Ryan needs to get in the Hall of Fame.

So, like, that's what I mean. It's just a goofy argument. I'm ready to move on to Western Michigan and getting screwed over because that's more of a, that's, that's, I was, I was staring at my screens. I've never been so mad at a Hail Mary before because Hail Marys are fun. But like, when the 27 point underdog loses on a Hail Mary, it's like, come on. And then they charge the field when they were famous. by almost 30 points and they ran the field with the one by one.

Yeah. I'm usually pro court or field storm because it's fun. I've done it before. Not that. But you don't run it. You don't storm for a barely beating a Mac. Imagine 2007. Imagine 2007 Michigan makes that kick at the end against App State and they charge the field.

Yeah. But getting like, you know, what happened last night? Oh. I don't know if either you guys watched the soprano. but there was a I always bring this up when this stuff happens. There was a scene where Tony was in a car with Adriana, who was Christopher Maltesanti's fiance, and they get in a car accident,

and they're out in the boonies at 2 a.m. It turns out they were just going to buy drugs, but the talk was, oh, Tony and Adriana were, you know, and there's this scene where Tony confronts Christopher, and he says, it's not true. I don't know what else I have to tell you. And Christopher says, it doesn't matter because it's what people think.

and it's sort of like, I think regardless of what the Big Ten comes up with or what Michigan comes up with, it doesn't matter because to the viewer at home, it looked like things were below board. And to me, with everything, every problem that we have in sports, and especially in college sports right now, with NIL and just the lawlessness of it all, the one thing, the one unforgivable sin is you can't have game results be called into question, especially with the gambling aspect and everything like that. because if I can't trust and things are above board, then I can't be a fan.

I'm not going to watch your sport. You know what I mean? So I do think that that aspect of it, you know, that's important for the NFL too because we have some of this stuff happen. Sometimes we're like, oh, it's rigged or whatever else.

Yeah, that was horrendous. I mean, even if they had a behind the scenes clock that was one second higher than the actual one, why are we not linking this up? You had the time. They took 20 minutes to review the play. Make sure everything is synced up. So that way everything is clear to not only the viewer, to both teams as well.

Like it was absurd. It was completely absurd. And this is where, again, as a referee, you have control over the game. As a league, you have control over the game. Make sure everything is right before you are doing this. You know, make sure the explanations are right. Make sure every. So like, it's insane how this happened.

And yeah, it stunk. I love upsets. I love those stories, the feel good upset stories. Obviously, we all do. It's why every single football movie is based on upsets and underdogs. Like, you know, even remember the Titans, they had to pretend they were underdogs in that season when they were like the greatest high school team ever put together. And they won their championship by like 40 points. They had to come together first, Zach.

Yeah, they had to make it look like they won six nothing when they won by like, it was like 40 to nothing in the final. So we love the stories of football and stuff. And it's just a horrible ending to a story. And especially when again, like you said, Derek, the optics of it are just so. awful. They're just so, so awful. So, yeah, I do think optics, and again, just to kind of relay this to the whole Colts conversation, like the optics of everything matter. Like, if the Colts limp into the playoffs and they lose by 30 to the bills, the optics are that you weren't a fraud and you weren't an actual playoff team. And I think that would come into question the end of the season. So, yeah, I do think that optics

are a very big part of this. It's why we remember the times our teams got, gosh, I still remember the Browns result from 2023 where they called the DPI in the back of the end zone when the ball was when the sack was the guy's knee was already down in the back field. Yeah. Well, at least one of them it was a DPI, I remember. But the first one they called, which would have ended the game, the guy's knee was down in the backfield. Like, it was over. It was the worst explanation.

They even called Ursaid afterwards and said they made a mistake. I'm like, okay, you made a mistake that changed our record by one game. And we missed the playoffs by one game that year. Those are the things that drive people crazy more so than like my team did something stupid, you know, because my teams are always going to do something stupid. Don't let the league take a win for me. My team's already going to do that. They're going to let Drew Locke complete 90% of his passes. I think that was a different season, but still, like, they're going to let that happen.

So like, don't do this to me. The team's already going to break my heart. I don't need you guys breaking my heart too. So, yeah, the optics are super important in sports. I'm just glad Michigan remains a mess. Yeah. that's pretty good. And just, you know, we all know what happened in

2023 as well. Like the fact that it was Michigan, too, you know, that almost, you know, I'm a big fan of deserved wins, right? Western Michigan deserved that. They coached a perfect game, controlled the game from start to finish. Michigan did not deserve that. Overturn it just because they didn't deserve it. I just think if it was Louisville, Western Kentucky,

right, or U.K. Western Kentucky, right? yeah, it's still a controversy, but it's almost like because it was Michigan too. It's sad even worse with people. And yeah, I mean, you just want to, it's one thing to blow calls and things like that. It's another thing to be like, well, behind the curtain, this super secret clock that we had actually wasn't synced up to this clock. Come on, man. Like, give me some transparency here, even if that's the legit, show me. You know what I mean?

Show me what I mean? Show me what you saw last night. And to my knowledge, I don't think they've still, they still haven't done that to clear the air. Thanks so much for joining us on this latest edition of the Colts squad show. We ended tonight in some controversy. We are your place for post-game Colts reaction. Can't wait to be with you next week right now, guys. We're going to be recapping Colts Ravens.

It's going to be awesome. Can't wait to be at Lucas Loyal Stadium. I know you guys are feeling the same way. Our Colts squad shows will follow each and every Colts game this season, including our usual midweek slot as well, Wednesday nights at 930. That's one will be back with you. Don't forget to keep it locked on Jake and Zach. Every day on Locked on Colts all season long.

Be sure to follow at Locked on Colts on. socials check out at locked uh sorry at colts underscore hit for our own will starlipper's great content don't forget to check out our other great offerings on youtube and ticot as well and we'll see you next time right here on the squad show