Colts Claim Tight End Noah Togiai
INDIANAPOLIS — After Saturday’s final cuts, the Indianapolis Colts were in the market for a tight end because Trey Burton is expected to miss at least two games with a calf injury.
The Colts were awarded undrafted Oregon State tight end Noah Togiai, claimed off waivers from Philadelphia on Sunday. He caught 102 passes for 1,048 yards and 10 TDs in 44 games for the Beavers.
A move was expected because the Colts didn’t want to open the season Sunday at Jacksonville with just Pro Bowl tight end Jack Doyle and backup Mo Alie-Cox. The team places too much value on the position.
While Togiai has to learn the Colts playbook quickly, it helps that he’s coming from a similar Eagles offense. Colts head coach Frank Reich was Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator in 2016 and 2017.
“Yeah, I think there is an advantage coming from the system,” Reich said in a Zoom video call on Sunday. “The system is obviously similar so that should make for a seamless transition.”
Oregon State tight end Noah Togiai reaches for a pass in 2019.
Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports
Colts general manager Chris Ballard mentioned other waiver claims who have made significant contributions to the team.
“Look, our pro scouting staff – all these college and pro scouts, they do an incredible job,” Ballard said. “I mean, I think our history shows that. From Kenny Moore II to (Al-Quadin) Muhammad to (Pierre) Desir to (Mark) Glowinski, I mean you’re talking about full-time players that were all claimed.”
All four players became Colts regulars.
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“I tell you all every year that the draft is just one part of the player acquisition process,” Ballard said. “We always feel like if we have a chance to get better and find a player who we think can help us, we’re going to take a shot at it. Look, we’re not always right. We’re not always perfect, no team is.
“But when Burton went down with a calf injury, we just started studying these tight ends. Look, with no preseason games it makes it even harder, but we reevaluated a lot of the draft picks. We went back and our scouts went back through college tape and identified Noah as a guy who we think can help us. Without preseason tape, you’re not 100 percent sure, but we sure liked what we saw on college tape and in the workout. So we will get him in the fold and see how he does. I know this, we’re excited to get Noah.”
Reich echoed that sentiment.
“Like Chris said, I’m just excited,” the coach said. “I had no idea about Noah. It’s funny to think about the connections there, but no idea. That was Chris and the scouts finding this guy. So we will see what he does. I think mentally though, it should be made a lot easier by coming from a similar system.”
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Colts Add Practice Squad
The team has filled 14 of 16 spots on the practice squad with players who were cut on Saturday, including sixth-round defensive tackle Rob Windsor, the only draft selection in a nine-player Colts class to be waived.
As of Monday, the squad consists of: CB Andre Chachere; DT Kameron Cline; G Jake Eldrenkamp; WR Daurice Fountain; TE Farrod Green; DE Gerri Green; TE Xavier Grimble; WR DeMichael Harris; C Joey Hunt; QB Chad Kelly; OT Carter O’Donnell; CB Tremon Smith; DT Chris Williams; DT Rob Windsor.
In addition to the practice squad being bumped six players to 16 this season, six players can have unlimited experience.
Defensive end Kemoko Turay was placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, which means he can’t play for the first six weeks.
Defensive tackle Sheldon Day and running back Bruce Anderson III were placed on injured reserve. A new IR rule allows for a player to be activated off the list after three weeks if he’s placed there after the final roster is set. Anderson was put on IR before then, he cleared waivers, and reverted to IR for the season unless he reaches an injury settlement, which allows him to be a free agent.
(Phillip B. Wilson has covered the Indianapolis Colts for more than two decades and authored the 2013 book 100 Things Colts Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. He’s on Twitter @pwilson24, on Facebook at @allcoltswithphilb and @100thingscoltsfans, and his email is phillipbwilson24@yahoo.com.)
