Predicting Colts' Roster On Eve of Training Camp
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Indianapolis Colts players report to Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, Ind. for training camp this Tuesday, beginning practice the following day.
After the team addressed some of the most important positions on the roster, and now gathering everything we've learned over the offseason, here's our shot at the team's 53-man roster.
QUARTERBACK
- Matt Ryan, Nick Foles
The Colts have a classic quarterback setup with an unquestioned veteran in Ryan and a dependable starter in Foles. While the team likes Sam Ehlinger, there is no need for a third quarterback.
RUNNING BACK
- Jonathan Taylor, Nyheim Hines, Deon Jackson
The Colts have an impressively deep backfield right now after adding Phillip Lindsay and Ty'Son Williams this offseason, but ultimately Jackson's special teams abilities win out. Seeing Marlon Mack remain stagnant on the sidelines week after week last year showed the Colts won't force a fourth running back into an unnecessary role.
WIDE RECEIVER
- Michael Pittman Jr., Parris Campbell, Alec Pierce, Ashton Dulin, Dezmon Patmon, Mike Strachan
It's an unheralded group behind Pittman, but this core of athletic youngsters sticks around for another year now that a quarterback of Ryan's caliber is in town. One of the biggest reasons the Colts haven't made drastic moves at the wide receiver position is because they feel Ryan's accuracy and leadership can help them develop and reach their potential.
TIGHT END
- Mo Alie-Cox, Kylen Granson, Jelani Woods, Drew Ogletree
The tight ends might be the biggest position of unknowns on the roster. Alie-Cox and Granson are both stepping into more significant roles than they've seen yet in the NFL, and both Woods and Ogletree are rookies. Ogletree was a late-round pick but the Colts are unlikely to let another team try and poach him through the waiver wire after they've spent three years courting him.
OFFENSIVE TACKLE
- Matt Pryor, Braden Smith, Bernhard Raimann, Dennis Kelly, Jason Spriggs
This is almost a totally different group than the one that entered camp last year, but the Colts have a few younger, athletic guys that they like in Pryor, Smith, and Raimann while Kelly and Spriggs are a couple of swing tackles who provide depth all along the line.
INTERIOR OFFENSIVE LINE
- Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly, Danny Pinter, Will Fries
Pinter appears poised to step into the Colts' vacant right guard spot while Fries continues to develop into a utility lineman that can provide depth on the interior of the line.
DEFENSIVE END
- Kwity Paye, Yannick Ngakoue, Dayo Odeyingbo, Tyquan Lewis, Ifeadi Odenigbo, Ben Banogu
If Lewis can come back looking any way like himself after suffering a season-ending patellar injury last year, his spot should be safe. It gets interesting between Odenigbo and Banogu. The former can do more for a defensive line at an adequate level while Banogu offers a much higher ceiling as an athletic pass-rusher who may get a fresh start with a new defensive staff. Why not both players?
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
- DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, Curtis Brooks, Byron Cowart, Eric Johnson II
Like end, tackle has too many intriguing prospects to cut the group down for the sake of reaching a certain amount. Brooks and Johnson are a pair of rookies who offer long-term upside while Cowart is a veteran who can come in and offer some help right away.
LINEBACKER
- Darius Leonard, Bobby Okereke, Zaire Franklin, E.J. Speed, Brandon King, Sterling Weatherford
Rookie undrafted free agent Weatherford has an attractive blend of size and athleticism that makes him a high-ceiling defender but an even more likely contributor on special teams.
CORNERBACK
- Stephon Gilmore, Kenny Moore II, Isaiah Rodgers, Brandon Facyson, Tony Brown
The top four are all but locked in, so the question becomes, "Who is the fifth corner between Tony Brown, Anthony Chesley, Marvell Tell III, and Rodney Thomas II?" Brown is a great athlete with some special teams and starting corner ability in his background.
SAFETY
- Julian Blackmon, Nick Cross, Rodney McLeod, Armani Watts
This is another new-look group following the retirement of Khari Willis this offseason. Blackmon and Cross offer an intriguing young duo for the Colts' future while McLeod is the trusty veteran who can play in either the back half or the box.
SPECIAL TEAMS
- Rodrigo Blankenship (K), Rigoberto Sanchez (P), Luke Rhodes (LS)
No surprises here; Sanchez and Rhodes are two of the best in the business at what they do while Blankenship returns from a hip injury that caused the end of his 2021 season. Still, he has a legitimate battle with Jake Verity for kicking duties.
Would you make any changes to this? Drop your thoughts in the comment section below!
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