Colts 53-Man Roster Projection Ahead Of Preseason Finale

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INDIANAPOLIS – With two of three preseason games in the books, it’s time for another 53-man roster prediction.

The Colts have concluded training camp, have a final preseason game on Thursday, and then need to cut their roster from 90 to 53 by next Tuesday.

Here’s a 53-man roster prediction (*rookie):

1. Quarterbacks: Sam Ehlinger, Gardner Minshew, Anthony Richardson*

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Quarterbacks (3/3): Sam Ehlinger, Gardner Minshew, Anthony Richardson*

Bowen’s Analysis: Let’s continue to put Ehlinger in that 3^rd QB, keeping all 3 quarterbacks. The Colts have yet to sign a 4^th quarterback this offseason.

2. Running Backs: Kenyan Drake, Jake Funk, Evan Hull*, Deon Jackson, Zack Moss, Zavier Scott*, Jonathan Taylor

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Running Backs (7/4): Kenyan Drake, Jake Funk, Evan Hull*, Jason Huntley, Deon Jackson, Zack Moss, Jonathan Taylor

Bowen’s Analysis: You are going to have some decisions here, especially with Jonathan Taylor’s status still on the physically unable to perform list. Again, Taylor must come off the PUP list by next Tuesday if he’s going to play in the first four weeks of the season.

3. Wide Receivers: Tyler Adams*, Kody Case*, Josh Downs*, Isaiah McKenzie, D.J. Montgomery, Breshad Perriman, Alec Pierce, Michael Pittman Jr., Amari Rodgers, Vyncint Smith, Mike Strachan, James Washington, Juwann Winfree

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Wide Receivers (13/5): Tyler Adams*, Kody Case*, Josh Downs*, Isaiah McKenzie, D.J. Montgomery, Breshad Perriman, Alec Pierce, Michael Pittman Jr., Amari Rodgers, Vyncint Smith, Mike Strachan, James Washington, Juwann Winfree

Bowen’s Analysis: I still just don’t see a 6^th wideout jumping off the page just yet. So I’m keeping 5 WRs and then 4 TEs. Is the 5^th WR Perriman, the former first-round pick? Does Mike Strachan get another shot on the 53-man roster? Does a special team focused guy emerge? The lack of special teams history with Perriman and especially Strachan is a hinderance in having a 6^th wideout on the roster. But the torn ACL to Ashton Dulin has opened up a roster spot, IMO. Amari Rodgers does have some special teams history. And the newly signed James Washington is somewhat intriguing to me. As Shane Steichen said earlier this week, the back of this position is very much up in the grabs.

4. Tight Ends: Mo Alie-Cox, Pharaoh Brown, Nick Eubanks, Kylen Granson, Michael Jacobson, Will Mallory*, Drew Ogletree, Ricky Seals-Jones, Jelani Woods*

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Tight Ends (9/4): Mo Alie-Cox, Pharaoh Brown, Nick Eubanks, Kylen Granson, Michael Jacobson, Will Mallory*, Drew Ogletree, Ricky Seals-Jones, Jelani Woods*

Bowen’s Analysis: I was torn on keeping a 4^th tight end, and then that debate being Will Mallory or Drew Ogletree. Let’s go with the rookie in Mallory, taken one round earlier than Ogletree was last year. The staff should do everything it can to get Ogletree onto the practice squad. Again, this is a very hard position to cut down, especially with all the injuries it has had to deal with in camp.

5. Offensive Line: Emil Ekiyor Jr.*, Blake Freeland*, Wesley French, Will Fries, Arlington Hambright, Ryan Kelly, Quenton Nelson, Carter O’Donnell, Danny Pinter, Bernhard Raimann, Dakoda Shepley, Dan Skipper, Braden Smith, Matthew Vanderslice*

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Offensive Line (15/9): Emil Ekiyor Jr.*, Blake Freeland*, Wesley French, Will Fries, Arlington Hambright, Ryan Kelly, Quenton Nelson, Carter O’Donnell, Danny Pinter, Bernhard Raimann, Dakoda Shepley, Dan Skipper, Braden Smith, Matthew Vanderslice*

Bowen’s Analysis: When rookie Jake Witt on injured reserve early in camp, Arlington Hambright showed some nice (and needed) position flex in kicking out to left tackle. He was the second-team left tackle to close camp, with rookie Blake Freeland still occupying that right tackle spot with the reserves, and then has played right guard as of late. That 9^th spot remains a mystery for me. Would Skipper, as more of a tackle be the guy? Do the Colts keep a 10^th offensive lineman?

 

6. Defensive Line: Adetomiwa Adebawore, McTelvin Agim, Taven Bryan, DeForest Buckner, Samson Ebukam, Eric Johnson II, Khalid Kareem, Titus Leo*, Tyquan Lewis, Dayo Odeyingbo, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Kwity Paye, Caleb Sampson*, Grover Stewart

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Defensive Line (14/9): Adetomiwa Adebawore, McTelvin Agim, Taven Bryan, DeForest Buckner, Samson Ebukam, Eric Johnson II, Khalid Kareem, Titus Leo*, Tyquan Lewis, Dayo Odeyingbo, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Kwity Paye, Caleb Sampson*, Grover Stewart

Bowen’s Analysis: Chris Ballard has never been afraid to keep double-digit defensive linemen, so we might be a number short here. Leo needs a practice squad spot. Agim Muhanmmad are names I’m still watching.

7. Linebackers: Liam Anderson*, JoJo Domann, Zaire Franklin, Shaquille Leonard, Cameron McGrone, Donavan Mutin*, Segun Olubi, EJ Speed, Grant Stuard

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Linebackers (9/6): Liam Anderson*, JoJo Domann, Zaire Franklin, Shaquille Leonard, Cameron McGrone, Donavan Mutin*, Segun Olubi, EJ Speed, Grant Stuard

Bowen’s Analysis: Are we a number short here? I don’t think so with Leonard ready to go. Some injuries with Domann has his spot up in the air for me.

8. Cornerbacks: Darrell Baker Jr., Julius Brents*, Tony Brown, Dallis Flowers, Jaylon Jones*, Chris Lammons, Kenny Moore II, Darius Rush*, Isaac Taylor-Stuart, Kevin Toliver II

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Cornerbacks (10/6): Darrell Baker Jr., Julius Brents*, Tony Brown, Dallis Flowers, Jaylon Jones*, Chris Lammons, Kenny Moore II, Darius Rush*, Isaac Taylor-Stuart, Kevin Toliver II

Bowen’s Analysis: This one I’m a little torn on. Part of me has thought about keeping just 5 linebackers and then 7 cornerbacks, with Brown being that 7^th. Jones has done more than enough to earn a roster spot, IMO.

9. Safeties: Henry Black, Julian Blackmon, Nick Cross, Marcel Dabo (international roster exemption), Trevor Denbow, Ronnie Harrison, Teez Tabor, Rodney Thomas II

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Safeties (8/4): Henry Black, Julian Blackmon, Nick Cross, Marcel Dabo (international roster exemption), Trevor Denbow, Ronnie Harrison, Teez Tabor, Rodney Thomas II

Bowen’s Analysis: Let’s keep Denbow for special teams after he earned a 53-man roster spot initially last year. But it is interesting to see the Colts have made some recent moves at safety with former Day 2 picks, in Harrison (3^nd rounder with 45 career starts) and Tabor (2^nd rounder with 7 career starts).

10. Specialists: K-Matt Guy, K-Lucas Havrisik, LS-Luke Rhodes, P-Rigoberto Sanchez

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Specialists (4/3): K-Matt Gay, K-Lucas Havrisik, LS-Luke Rhodes, P-Rigoberto Sanchez

Bowen’s Analysis: This is easy.