Stefon Diggs trade highlights how woefully behind the Colts are falling

Entering 2023, the Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans were all chasing the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South. Those three teams combined for a 14-35-2 record. The Colts began the season with Frank Reich at the helm and he was replaced at midseason by Jeff Saturday. The club lost their final seven games and finished 4-12-1.

Enter new head coach Shane Steichen, who guided Indianapolis to a 9-8 mark and had the team in playoff contention throughout the season. With a healthy Anthony Richardson behind center, the Colts hope to build on a strong debut by Steichen.

Of course, the 2024 NFL Draft is roughly three weeks away. It’s a little difficult to know exactly what any team’s roster will look like. However, less than a calendar month into the new fiscal year, the Colts have been pretty quiet this offseason while the other three clubs in the AFC South have made some big-time noise.

Colts haven’t embraced the rest of the AFC South’s aggressiveness

Steichen’s club certainly has some young and talented performers. General manager Chris Ballard has re-signed nine of the team’s 13 unrestricted free agents. The Colts gave wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. the franchise tag and inked him to a new deal. However, as Nate Atkins of the Indy Star points out, Indianapolis’ divisional rivals have attacked the offseason in a big way.

The Texans’ acquisition of former Bills’ wideout Stefon Diggs is just the latest move by Houston general manager Nick Caserio. That trade trumped the recent deal the Titans swung with the Kansas City Chiefs to obtain star cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. This year’s comings (and goings) for Houston, Tennessee and Jacksonville make for impressive reading.

On the other hand, the Colts’ signings of defensive tackle Raekwon Davis (Dolphins) and 2023 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Joe Flacco (Browns) are the only two veteran newcomers added by Ballard this offseason.

Again, this year’s draft is on the horizon. However, is the sun setting for the Colts, who will have to find a way to deal with this amazing influx of talent within their own division?