Source: Michael Hickey / Getty
INDIANAPOLIS – When you are running it back as much as the 2024 Colts, the top of the depth chart isn’t going to have much debate.
After a handful of spring viewings of the 2024 Colts, we now have a decent idea of what the depth chart looks like heading into Grand Park
Here’s a look at the depth chart, with some takeaways (*denotes rookie):
Quarterback: Anthony Richardson, Joe Flacco, Sam Ehlinger, Kedon Slovis*, Jason Bean*
Running Back: Jonathan Taylor, Trey Sermon, Tyler Goodson, Evan Hull, Zavier Scott, Trent Pennix*
Wide Receiver: Michael Pittman Jr., D.J. Montgomery, Tyrie Cleveland
Wide Receiver: Josh Downs, Anthony Gould*, Ethan Fernea, Xavier White*
Wide Receiver: Alec Pierce, AD Mitchell*, Ashton Dulin, Juwann Winfree, Derek Sywka
Tight End: Mo Alie-Cox, Jelani Woods, Drew Ogletree
Tight End: Kylen Granson, Will Mallory, Jordan Murray, Eric Tomlinson
Left Tackle: Bernhard Raimann, Jake Witt
Left Guard: Quenton Nelson, Josh Sills, Dalton Tucker*
Center: Ryan Kelly, Wesley French, Tanor Bortolini*
Right Guard: Will Fries, Danny Pinter, Lewis Kidd
Right Tackle: Braden Smith, Blake Freeland, Matt Gonclaves*, Arlington Hambright
Offensive Notes
-The exact order of running back depth behind Jonathan Taylor should be written in pencil. It is up in the air to see how exactly that’ll play out, with some specific roles for those guys. That statement could be said for a lot of these depth spots, as so much of the spring involves rotating tons of bodies in and out to give guys chances. Trey Sermon is probably the most likely 1st/2nd down backup though.
-You could probably flip a coin on that No. 2 outside wideout between Alec Pierce and AD Mitchell. As long as Ashton Dulin comes back from his ACL, I don’t know if we will have too much wide receiver roster cut debate. Mitchell is coming though after what we saw this spring.
-For me, tight end is easily the most wide-open position group of any on the roster. I could talk myself into 4 or 5 guys being the top tight end on the roster. Flip a coin one day and it might be Granson and Ogletree with the starters. The next day it could be Alie-Cox and Mallory. And Woods might have the most intrigue of any.
-The starting offensive line is likely not to be touched in camp. But the depth spots do have some questions to be solved. Plenty of interchanging of positions occurred at those positions in the spring, so expect more of that in camp as the Colts try to find those depth roles.
Defensive End: Kwity Paye, Laiatu Latu*, Tyquan Lewis, Titus Leo, Genard Avery
Defensive End: Samson Ebukam, Dayo Odeyingbo, Isaiah Land
Defensive Tackle: DeForest Buckner, Taven Bryan, Adetomiwa Adebawore
Defensive Tackle: Grover Stewart, Raekwon Davis, Eric Johnson II, Jonah Laulu*
WILL: E.J. Speed, Jaylon Carlies*, Craig Young*
MIKE: Zaire Franklin, Segun Olubi, Austin Ajiake
SAM: Cameron McGrone, Liam Anderson, Grant Stuard
Cornerback: JuJu Brents, Darrell Baker Jr., Ameer Speed
Cornerback: Jaylon Jones, Dallis Flowers, Jaylin Simpson*
Nickel: Kenny Moore II, Micah Abraham*, Chris Lammons, Clay Fields III*
Free Safety: Nick Cross, Ronnie Harrison Jr., Trevor Denbow, Kendall Brooks*
Strong Safety: Julian Blackmon, Rodney Thomas II, Michael Tutsie, Marcel Dabo
Defensive Notes
–The Colts are understandably bullish on their defensive line depth. So how the playing time looks for a group with ample rotation will be something to monitor, specifically the rookie usage for Laiatu Latu as a likely rotational guy.
-At cornerback, I would call JuJu Brents, Jaylon Jones, Dallis Flowers a 3-man race for the 2 outside cornerback spots, in that nickel personnel package. Currently, I’d consider the order above to be the current hierarchy in trying to settle those key roles.
-Nick Cross exits the spring as the leader to start at free safety. We hardly saw any rotation at free safety with the starting unit, so that’s good news for Cross trying cement himself next to Blackmon.
Kick Returner: Who Knows
Punt Returner: Josh Downs, Anthony Gould*
Returner Notes: I’m serious on the “who knows” at kick returner. With the new rule change back there, special teams coordinator Brian Mason tried numerous guys back there in the spring. It’s going to be interesting to see how that ends up playing out in the desired skillset. But the punt returner duo of Downs and Gould were the main guys fielding those in the spring.
