The recipe for a successful 2024 season for this Indianapolis Colts team certainly exists with the potential that is on this roster. Stout play in the trenches, a healthy backfield featuring Anthony Richardson and Jonathan Taylor, added playmaking at receiver, Shane Steichen’s second season at the helm, and continuity are all factors contributing to what could be a big jump this year.
“When you have your system in place, it helps big time, especially with the players understanding the verbiage and terminology,” said Steichen. “But really trying to stay on the cutting edge of things because this league is always changing. So if we can do that and build on what we did last year, I’ll be excited for the 2024 season.”
So, when it comes to the best-case scenarios for this season, who are the Colts’ top candidates to win the NFL’s major awards?
Now, of course, just because a player or coach is picked to be the Colts’ best option to take home an award doesn’t mean that league-wide they are the favorite to do so. Instead, the focus is specifically on viewing these awards from the Colts’ perspective.
Here are the Indianapolis Colts’ best candidates to win major NFL awards, as voted on by the Associated Press, during the 2024 season:
MVP
Pick: Anthony Richardson
This is a quarterback award, so of course, the pick is Anthony Richardson. With only 98 career dropbacks, Richardson is still an inexperienced player, which means there will likely be some growing pains. However, he’s entering an ideal situation where it’s not as if he has to do all the heavy lifting on offense, and those around him can help accentuate his playmaking abilities. Richardson will be playing behind what should be one of the better offensive line units, and at the skill positions, he’ll have Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman, AD Mitchell, and Josh Downs around him. This will also be Richardson’s second season under Shane Steichen, playing in an offense where the quarterback has found success wherever Steichen has gone.
“Every time I step on the field I’m like, what are we going to get today? Like, I can’t wait to see it,” Adonai Mitchell said. “I can’t wait to be a part of it and I can’t wait to play with it. It’s been fun just learning each other, learning what he likes to do, what I think as a receiver and just mixing the two because once we’re on the same page — if the whole offense is on the same page with that one man, it’ll be a very special year.”
Coach of the Year
Pick: Shane Steichen
Again, this is the only choice for the Colts. Having the Colts on the cusp of winning the AFC South in his first season while being without Richardson for the majority of the year was an impressive debut season for Steichen, who again, showcased just how good of a play-caller he can be. Now in Year 2, with continuity throughout the roster as well as on the coaching staff, the foundation has been laid for a jumping-off point in 2024.
“Well, I think you can see the communication and the chemistry with the guys,” said Steichen during minicamp. We signed a lot of our guys back, which I think that’s a bonus and I think that’s a plus for us.
“Sometimes, you get so many new faces here and then you got to recreate the communication piece of it. Guys know the standard. Guys know how to operate and I think that’s going to pay dividends come September and in the fall.”
Assistant Coach of the Year
Pick: Gus Bradley
With Shane Steichen calling the plays on offense, the most realistic option is defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. The Colts should have a very disruptive defensive front, but the key to Bradley having any sort of chance at winning this award will be in getting better play out of the secondary. Even average play on the back end, coupled with one of the better defensive fronts in football, should create an overall stout defense that opponents will have to contend with. Last season, the Colts ranked 28th, allowing 24.4 points per game. That stat, in particular, will have to improve drastically.
Offensive Player of the Year
Pick: Jonathan Taylor
Taylor has appeared in just 21 total games the last two seasons. However, now fully healthy this offseason, along with having his contract situation handled, Taylor is “feeling great,” and GM Chris Ballard believes a “really big year” is coming.
Being healthy will give Taylor a major leg up over where he was at this time last year. As Taylor told reporters during OTAs, beginning the season injured left him feeling like he was playing catchup for much of the season. Also contributing to what could be a big year for Taylor is playing behind a top offensive line unit, along with sharing the backfield with Anthony Richardson and the Colts, adding AD Mitchell at receiver, all of which will provide added stressors for defenses to be concerned about.
“To have Anthony and JT back there,” said offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, “JT has an extensive history with a lot of success, leading the league in rushing. Now we’ve got Anthony, where a defense, gosh, there may be that mesh on a run play and it’s JT going left and it’s Anthony going right, and as a defense, how do you defend that?
“You have two really explosive players that maybe have a chance to end up with the ball on a run play, how do you defend all that? It is exciting.”
Defensive Player of the Year
Pick: DeForest Buckner
Buckner has provided a highly disruptive presence since he arrived in Indianapolis. Last season, Buckner totaled 8.0 sacks, while his 52 pressures ranked 14th among all defensive tackles. He also tied for seventh in pass-rush win rate and was 11th in run-stop rate as well.
The continued emphasis on depth along the interior defensive line will help Buckner maximize his opportunities. Lining up next to players like Grover Stewart, Kwity Paye, Samson Ebukam, Dayo Odeyingbo, and Laiatu Latu will help create more one-on-one opportunities.
In addition to that, with the Colts being able to rely on eight or nine defenders up front that will keep everyone fresh, it can wear down the offensive line, and it will allow defensive coordinator Gus Bradley to really play matchups by mixing and matching his rotations based on the opponent.
“We’re a D line that rotates,” said Dayo Odeyingbo via ESPN. “You look around the league and you look at the good D lines, they pretty much all rotate a lot. They have a lot of depth. So, that’s something that helps you be fresh and be ready to play a full 17-game season.
“As far as the sharing goes, I feel like we’re kind of used to it and it’s not really about counting reps. It’s more about making the reps count.”
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Pick: Adonai Mitchell
Mitchell will bring a different element to this Colts’ offense with his 4.34 speed and explosiveness. He will have the ability to make an impact right away as a vertical threat, but that certainly isn’t all he will be asked to do. His route-running ability, coupled with that explosiveness, allows him to impact all levels of the field. Mitchell’s presence will open up opportunities for others as well, both over the middle and on underneath routes, and with the attention he draws.
“The explosiveness that he comes off the ball and wins one-on-ones,” said Shane Steichen during OTAs. “I mean he’s been making a ton of plays out here the last couple of days. He’s going to bring an element to our offense that we’re really excited about.”
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Pick: Laiatu Latu
In Sports Illustrated’s ‘100 Bold Predictions’ for the 2024 season, Latu was picked to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. Following the draft, GM Chris Ballard referred to Latu as a very “polished” pass rusher, and while there may be a learning curve, as is the case for any rookie, he expects Latu to make a quick impact.
As described with Buckner, because of the depth the Colts have up front, that means more one-on-one matchups for Latu and the opportunity to put him in situations where he can make a big impact, specifically during obvious passing downs. This is also a Gus Bradley defense that should suit Latu well, with the defensive front being asked to get off the ball quickly and get into the backfield.
“I would say he’s real slippery,” Kwity Paye said of Latu. “He gets on and off blocks real easy, can bend the corner, turn the edge, and just really manipulating the O-line. You know, just his counters and his spins, everything like that, just watching his film, it’s crazy.”
Comeback Player of the Year
Pick: Anthony Richardson
Honorable Mention: Jonathan Taylor
This is very much an award that Taylor could win. However, as the title of the article says, which Colts player has the “best” chance to win each award, and if both Taylor and Richardson put together bounce-back seasons, my guess is that the voters pick the quarterback. As I already detailed, the opportunity for Richardson to make a Year 2 leap certainly exists with the help around him, along with being in Steichen’s offense for a second season. Aaron Rodgers, Nick Chubb, Deshaun Watson, and Kirk Cousins are other players coming back from major injuries as well.
