Colts Trim to 53, Extend NFL’s Longest Streak of an Undrafted Free Agent Making Regular-Season Roster to 22 Years

INDIANAPOLIS — Thanks to rookie kicker Rodrigo Blankenship, the Indianapolis Colts continued an impressive streak on roster cutdown Saturday.

Blankenship beat out Chase McLaughlin, which means the Colts extend the NFL’s longest streak of having an undrafted free agent make the 53-man roster to 22 years. It’s also the first time in the team’s Indianapolis era since 1984 that a rookie kicker will start the season.

Eight of the Indianapolis Colts’ nine draft picks made Saturday’s roster cut to 53 players, the lone exception being sixth-round defensive tackle Rob Windsor.

Don’t be surprised if Windsor winds up on the Colts’ 16-man practice squad, presuming he isn’t claimed by another team. Windsor played well enough in camp to prove he’s worthy of a job. But the Colts are seemingly overloaded on the defensive line with nine players, not counting third-year defensive end Kemoko Turay, who was placed not the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

Expect more roster movement in the next 48 hours. In addition to forming a practice squad expanded six players from the previous year, general manager Chris Ballard will be combing the waiver wire, presumably for a tight end.

That’s because tight end Trey Burton isn’t expected to play for at least two games, if not more, due to a left calf strain. The Colts have just two-time Pro Bowl star Jack Doyle and Mo Alie-Cox at the position. And because this offense places a great value on tight ends, it’s doubtful the Colts will show up for the Sept. 13 season opener at Jacksonville with just two.

Turay has yet to practice in his rehab from surgery on a right ankle fractured in Week 5 last season. Defensive tackle Sheldon Day is on the roster for now but isn’t expected to play for several weeks, which suggests the Indianapolis native signed in free agency could be headed to injured reserve.

If Burton or Day are placed on IR, the rules have been changed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. A player can be activated after three games, whereas it was eight games previously.

The expanded practice squad also allows for six players with unlimited experience, so that could include someone like wide receiver Marcus Johnson, who was been on and off the Colts roster and practice squad since 2018, and played two years in Philadelphia before that.

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Players trimmed from the roster were:

WAIVED: CB Andre Chachere; DT Cameron Kline; TE Dominique Dafney; G Jake Eldrenkamp; WR Daurice Fountain; TE Farrod Green; DE Gerri Green; WR DeMichael Harris; OT Brandon Hitner; WR Marcus Johnson; QB Chad Kelly; K Chase McLaughlin; OT Carter O’Donnell; C Javon Patterson; CB Lafayette Pitts; CB Jackson Porter; CB Travis Reed; S Donald Rutledge; CB Tremon Smith; TE Andrew Vollert; DT Chris Williams; DT Rob Windsor.

RELEASED: TE Xavier Grimble; C Joey Hunt.

Since his 2017 hiring, Ballard has drafted 38 players. Twenty-seven are still on the roster, including 23 of 30 in the past three drafts. Just six players pre-date Ballard: offensive tackle Anthony Castonzo, wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, tight end Jack Doyle, center Ryan Kelly, offensive tackle Le’Raven Clark, and long snapper Luke Rhodes.

Colts roster by positions

Quarterbacks (3): Philip Rivers, Jacoby Brissett, Jacob Eason (R).

Running backs (4): Marlon Mack, Nyheim Hines, Jonathan Taylor (R), Jordan Wilkins.

Wide receivers (6): T.Y. Hilton, Parris Campbell, Zach Pascal, Michael Pittman Jr. (R), Ashton Duhlin, Dezmon Patmon (R).

Tight ends (3): Jack Doyle, Trey Burton, Mo Alie-Cox.

Offensive line (8): LT Anthony Castonzo, LG Quenton Nelson, C Ryan Kelly, RG Mark Glowinski, RT Braden Smith, OT Le’Raven Clark, G Danny Pinter (R), OT Chaz Green.

Defensive line (9): DeForest Buckner, Justin Houston, Denico Autry, Grover Stewart, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Sheldon Day, Ben Banogu, Tyquan Lewis, Taylor Stallworth.

Linebacker (7): Darius Leonard, Anthony Walker Jr., Bobby Okereke, E.J. Speed, Zaire Franklin, Matthew Adams, Jordan Glasgow (R).

Cornerbacks (5): Kenny Moore II, Rock Ya-Sin, Xavier Rhodes, T.J. Carrie, Isaiah Rodgers (R).

Safeties (5): Malik Hooker, Khari Willis, George Odom, Tavon Wilson, Julian Blackmon (R).

Special teams (3): Kicker Rodrigo Blankenship (R); punter Rigoberto Sanchez; long snapper Luke Rhodes.

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(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.)