Position Groups to Watch in Colts vs. Lions Preseason Matchup

With most starters not expected to play, opportunities will be available for guys on the back end of the roster to have an impact.

On Saturday, the Indianapolis Colts will play in a game at Lucas Oil Stadium for the first time in 2022.

The Colts will take on the Detroit Lions in their second preseason game of the season. Both teams became quite familiar with one another this week after participating in joint practices Wednesday and Thursday. The competition was intense at Grand Park between the two teams, and both Colts head coach Frank Reich and Lions head coach Dan Campbell felt the sessions were very productive.

Because of the joint practices, neither team is expected to play many of their starters on Saturday. However, this presents a great opportunity for players on the back end of the roster to get extended playing time and make an impression on the team.

With that being said, here are the position groups to keep a close eye on for the Colts on Saturday.

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Wide Receiver

The wide receiver position will be one to watch throughout the preseason for the Colts. With such a young group filled with unproven pieces, roles are available almost everywhere on the depth chart for the wideouts.

Receivers Michael Pittman Jr. and Parris Campbell are not expected to see the field. Behind those two, there is a chance everyone else could see some run. Alec Pierce, the Colts’ third and final starting wide receiver, may see some playing time because he is still a rookie, but it would not be much if he does take the field.

All other receivers will be looking to get some playing time and make the most of their time on the field. One of those is Mike Strachan, the Colts’ seventh-round pick a year ago who was just elevated from the physically unable to perform list (PUP) this week. Strachan had been placed on the PUP list as he recovered from a torn meniscus but made his camp debut this week and is ready to enter his name back into the wide receiver competition.

The Colts’ wide receiver group still has question marks surrounding them. For those towards the back end of the group, Saturday would be the perfect moment to have a breakout performance.

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Tight End

The tight end position is another young group with plenty of question marks surrounding them. Those questions became even more prevalent after one of their own went down this week.

Tight end Drew Ogletree went down with a non-contact injury during Wednesday’s practice and later determined that the rookie tore the ACL in his right knee. The Colts placed him on season-ending injured reserve on Thursday. Ogletree had been a revelation in training camp, making plays almost every day in practice and working his way into the starting rotation.

The loss of Ogletree is a big one for the Colts, and someone will need to step up to fill the void. Fellow rookie tight end Jelani Woods could be primed to do just that. Woods had a nice debut for the Colts last week against the Buffalo Bills, hauling in a touchdown. He built upon that performance with a couple of solid practices this week, particularly Thursday against the Lions.

Another tight end to keep an eye on is Michael Jacobson. Jacobson spent time on the Colts practice squad last season and caught a touchdown pass against the Bills last week. If the Colts decide to keep four tight ends with Ogletree going down, Jacobson may be the one.

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Offensive Line

The starters along the offensive line for the Colts are pretty much set. Matt Pryor, Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly, Danny Pinter, and Braden Smith have taken almost all of the first-team snaps throughout camp. The depth along the offensive line, however, is a different story.

Last week against the Bills, the Colts struggled at times to hold their blocks when the second unit came into the ball game. This also seemed to be the case throughout the week against the Lions.

With the Colts’ second unit expected to play most of the game on Saturday, this will be a big test for them. Bernhard Raimann, the third-round rookie left tackle prospect, has shown flashes in camp, and the Colts are happy with his progress so far. Wesley French and Will Fries – the combo known on social media as “French Fries” – have had some good reps along the interior. These three are the leaders in the clubhouse to grab depth spots on the offensive line.

For the others in the unit, they must step up and have a better performance on Saturday. Jordan Kemp, Josh Seltzner, and Ryan Van Demark are a few of the names that will need to perform better if they want to keep their hopes of making the roster alive.

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Defensive Line

One of the most competitive groups on the entire Colts’ roster is the defensive line. While the starting unit of Yannick Ngakoue, DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, and Kwity Paye is set, roles are still to be determined for the rest of the group.

Dayo Odeyingbo and Ben Banogu both had solid performances against the Bills. The pass rushers put pressure on the Bills’ quarterbacks and made them uncomfortable in the pocket. Both are trying to establish themselves as pieces on the second unit, and another good performance could do just that.

There are also a pair of rookies who are trying to make a name for themselves. Eric Johnson II and Curtis Brooks have been playing with the second unit along the interior of the defensive line. Johnson has shown explosiveness off the ball, while Brooks is a more polished pass rusher at this juncture.

Four players have already been named, and there are still others with a legitimate chance to make the roster. Tyquan Lewis, Ifeadi Odenigbo, and R.J. McIntosh have all had moments where they have made plays. Saturday will be a good barometer on where the defensive line rotation currently stands.

What position groups will you be paying attention to on Saturday? Let us know in the comments below!

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