The Indianapolis Colts begin OTAs next week, so now is a good time to dive into some of the team’s looming position battles. The Colts made several roster changes this offseason, with six starters from last year finding new homes elsewhere, thus opening the door for others to fill the void.Here are my top five position battles to keep an eye on.Backup quarterbackDaniel Jones, who is rehabbing from a torn right Achilles tendon he suffered in December, was solidified as the Colts’ unquestioned QB1 when he signed a two-year, $88 million contract with the team in March. Colts coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard have noted Jones’ recovery is going well, but they both stopped short of fully committing to Jones’ being available for the opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 13.If Jones isn’t ready, the Colts will turn to Riley Leonard or Anthony Richardson Sr., the latter of whom has requested a trade. Since last season ended, the Colts have praised Leonard, a 2025 sixth-round pick, for his progress and indicated he’s on track to be Jones’ backup. But that was before Richardson, who requested a trade in February, rejoined the team for spring practice earlier this month.The Colts haven’t said much about what Richardson’s role will be if he spends the 2026 season in Indy, but if he isn’t traded, it’s worth having a conversation about whether Richardson or Leonard gives the Colts the best chance to win if Jones is sidelined. Richardson, the No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft, has thrown 11 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions in the NFL. He’s also rushed for 10 touchdowns. Meanwhile, Leonard threw two TD passes and three picks during his rookie season. He also had two rushing TDs.OTAs could provide a tangible update on Jones, whom the Colts did not rule out of participating. They could also give us a glimpse of how the team plans to divide the reps between Leonard and Richardson.Other defensive endLaiatu Latu is the only proven starting defensive end on the Colts’ roster. The 2024 first-round pick notched 8.5 sacks and three interceptions last season. He’ll need to record, at minimum, double-digit sacks in 2026 to justify how high he was selected.Indy’s other starting defensive end from last year, Kwity Paye, joined the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency. Ballard said the Colts tried to sign four-time Pro Bowler Trey Hendrickson, who played under Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo in Cincinnati, but they swung and missed. Hendrickson signed with the Ravens, so the Colts will face him in Week 1 in Indy.The Colts appear to be content with using a defensive-end-by-committee approach opposite Latu, but the other starting job is likely to be claimed by veteran free-agent signee Arden Key or 2025 second-round pick Jaylahn Tuimoloau. Key has started 46 games through his first eight NFL seasons and has 30.5 sacks. He is the most accomplished defensive end the Colts added this offseason. Tuimoloau, on the other hand, logged zero starts and zero sacks as a rookie, though Anarumo and company have hinted he could take a big leap in Year 2.Rookie wide receiver Deion Burks from Oklahoma could compete for playing time behind Alec Pierce and Josh Downs this year. (Brian Bahr / Getty Images)Third wide receiverThe Colts traded veteran Michael Pittman Jr., who led the team in receptions in four of the last five years, to the Pittsburgh Steelers in March. His absence will push newly paid Alec Pierce, who signed a four-year, $114 million deal with the Colts shortly before Pittman’s departure, up the depth chart. Josh Downs will see an increased role as well.The competition for the third starting receiver spot could go in a few directions. Ashton Dulin offers the most familiarity since he’s entering his fourth season in Steichen’s offense, but he also has a huge role on special teams as one of the best gunners in the NFL. Free-agent signee Nick Westbrook-Ikhine is another veteran option. He had a down season with the Miami Dolphins last year, totaling just 11 catches for 89 yards, but he caught nine touchdowns with the Tennessee Titans in 2024 and has 19 receiving TDs in his career.The Colts could also turn to rookie Deion Burks. The seventh-round pick out of Oklahoma has blazing speed, evidenced by his 4.39-second 40-yard dash. Burks, who stands 5 feet 10 and weighs 180 pounds, also displayed impressive run-after-the-catch ability in college thanks to his deceptively strong frame.KickerColts special teams coordinator Brian Mason believes his team has two starting kickers on its roster: Spencer Shrader and Blake Grupe. Last year, Shrader was emerging as one of the best kickers in the NFL, drilling 13 of his 14 field goal attempts and all 14 of his extra points, before he suffered a season-ending right knee injury against the Raiders.The Colts first pivoted to Michael Badgley, who previously played for the team, but cut him after he missed 3 extra points. Indy then signed Grupe, who had been cut by the New Orleans Saints after missing eight field goal attempts in 11 games. The diminutive kicker, who is 5-7 and 157 pounds, redeemed himself in Indianapolis by making all 11 of his field goal attempts and all 10 of his extra points.Grupe could have signed elsewhere this offseason, but he decided to return to Indy on a one-year deal to compete with Shrader for the starter job. Whoever loses, Mason said, should have plenty of suitors.Backup running backJonathan Taylor is coming off his third Pro Bowl campaign and fourth 1,000-yard rushing season. The Colts star played a career-high 82 percent of the team’s offensive snaps last year, so the backup running back role was hardly mentioned. But there were some changes this offseason, with last year’s reserves, Ameer Abdullah and Tyler Goodson, joining the Jacksonville Jaguars and Atlanta Falcons in free agency.Unless the Colts sign a veteran in free agency, they’ll rely on 2025 fifth-round pick DJ Giddens or 2026 seventh-round pick Seth McGowan to serve as Taylor’s backup. Giddens, a former Kansas State star, totaled just 26 carries for 96 yards as a rookie. McGowan, meanwhile, recorded 165 carries for 725 yards and 12 touchdowns at Kentucky last season.