We're back with another edition of The Colts Show Mailbag, where I'll answer listener questions both on the podcast and here on Colts.com every Thursday.
You can submit your questions to me a few ways: At Colts.com/Mailbag, on social media (like X and Instagram) and in the YouTube comments for the podcast.
For this week's podcast mailbag question, I answered one from friend of the pod George Eghator about baseline expectations for the 2025 season. For the answer, check out this week's episode of The Colts Show – with defensive tackle Grover Stewart joining me for a great conversation – wherever you get your podcasts, including on:
Let's dive into the rest of this week's batch of questions:
@Badman8127 on YouTube: Love starting my work day with these. Big Grove is that dawg! I feel like the TEs outside of Tyler aren't getting talked about enough. JJ who do you think #2 & #3 TE is? Really hoping we see a resurgence year for Woods.
JJ Stankevitz: I like this question because it puts the Colts' tight end depth chart behind Tyler Warren into focus. The main thing here: If Warren is what the Colts believe he can be, which is a true do-it-all tight end, that could allow coaches to tailor certain plays and packages to the strengths of rest of this team's tight ends.
Mo Alie-Cox and Drew Ogletree can certainly make plays as receivers, but both have proven to be physical, scrappy blockers in the run game. Will Mallory – who's had a number of flashy moments in training camp – can block, but his speed and route running ability make him an intriguing threat in the passing game.
So if Warren hits – and all indications in training camp are that he's set up to do just that – it'll mean whoever the Nos. 2 or 3 tight ends are can lean into the strengths of their game a bit better. That's important here.
As for Woods, he's had a couple of nice moments in training camp, too. He has an uphill battle for a roster spot – this coaching staff, despite being in their third year with the Colts, has still yet to see him play in a regular season game – but he hasn't faded at all this summer.
@AlanMcDonald9633 on YouTube: Is there cause for concern in the CB room? Jones and Brents both have been battling the hamstring injuries and Walley is now out for the year.. Is the expectation that Jones or Brents will be healthy enough to be CB3 behind Kenny and Ward? Or are we looking at some of these other guys (Shelley, Johnson, Womack) to step up into that role?
Christian Hornsby (Freeport, Ill.): With the team having so many injuries at CB do you see us picking up a veteran during cuts or is there enough confidence in our backups? What would you say our weakest spot on the roster is? And do we sign anyone to that position?
JJ Stankevitz: We don't know a timetable on when Brents and Jones could return, only that Jones' hamstring injury is more severe than Brents', per head coach Shane Steichen. Neither injury was significant enough to merit being placed on season-ending injured reserve, and both players have been on the sidelines at practice, just not dressed to participate.
That's to say, if and when Brents and Jones do heal up, they could slide back into that second outside cornerback spot opposite Ward. Both Brents and Jones were having strong training camps prior to their injuries – each made several plays on passes and were consistently pushing Walley, who was having a standout camp in his own right.
A guy you didn't mention who I'd throw in the mix for cornerback depth is Jonathan Edwards, an undrafted rookie from Tulane (and prior to that, Indiana State). He's worked his way into getting some run with the first-team defense after this rash of injuries and has flashed at times.
We'll see in less than two weeks if the Colts make any moves on roster cut-down day – they picked up Womack off waivers from the San Francisco 49ers a year ago, and he wound up starting eight games in 2024. I'm not sure there's a truly weak spot on this roster – it's one of the deepest the Colts have had in some time – but what's happened at cornerback is a reminder that even the deepest positions can be thinned out quickly by injuries in the NFL.
Chase Schoonover (Mount Zion, Ill.): Do you think the Colts would have a chance to win the division or to make the playoffs with and without Anthony Richardson?
JJ Stankevitz: Easy answer, and it's based on recent history: Yes to both. The Colts have played meaningful football into December in each of the last two seasons: Without Richardson in 2023 (when they came up short on fourth down with a chance to beat the Houston Texans and win the AFC South) and with Richardson in 2024 (when they needed a win over the Denver Broncos to keep pressing the Texans, and also push for a wild card spot). Even despite that gutting loss to the Broncos last year, the Colts still were in the mix in Week 17, when they lost to the New York Giants (with Joe Flacco behind center).
The larger part here is the state of the AFC South. The last three winners of the division:
- 2024: Houston Texans (10-7)
- 2023: Houston Texans (10-7)
- 2022: Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8)
The last team to win the AFC South with more than 10 wins was the 2021 Tennessee Titans, who went 12-5.
The Texans remain the team to beat, not just because they're back-to-back division winners, but because they boast a couple of stars on offense (quarterback C.J. Stroud, wide receiver Nico Collins) and a defense that looks like one of the best collections of talent and coaching in the NFL. Despite that, they haven't won more than 10 games in each of their division title-winning seasons. The Colts, meanwhile, are 17-17 under Steichen, indicating a high floor for this team.
So that's a roundabout way of saying, yes, the Colts' goal should be competing to win the AFC South and, at worst, battling for a wild card spot.
Sam Tuohy (Indianapolis): When you are the stadium PA announcer, is it ever difficult to say a call when it does not go the Colts way? For example: Anthony Richardson's pass is picked off. Just want to know how it feels to say that and how you feel when you have to say it.
JJ Stankevitz: It's no fun, but that's where you have to be a professional. It's my job to announce what happened on the field, good or bad – plus, I have to imagine most of y'all don't even hear me when something good happens, because Colts fans are among the loudest in the NFL.
Anyways, I can't wait to welcome everyone back to Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday for our preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. It's an honor and privilege to play a role in our gameday production, which (and this isn't including me here) I think is first-class in the NFL.
