Arthur: 2021 Colts' 53-Man Roster Prediction (Version 2.0)

The 2021 NFL preseason is now in full swing, and while it brings back our insatiable appetite for football, one of the more intriguing parts of the league summer is also here: roster cuts.

On Tuesday, the Colts made their first round of moves to get down to 85 players.

With further looming cuts around the league, the majority of training camp behind us, and a preseason game in the bag, we'll take another whack at our 53-man roster predictions for the Colts.

OFFENSE (25)

Quarterback (3) — Carson Wentz, Jacob Eason, Sam Ehlinger

Wentz has been on the mend from foot surgery for the past two weeks, and Eason and Ehlinger have been duking it out to be his primary backup ever since. There's been plenty to like from both players, but they are both inexperienced when it comes to live, regular-season football. If the Colts don't acquire a veteran quarterback, I would expect both Eason and Ehlinger to make it onto the roster behind Wentz — especially if he isn't able to make it back for the regular-season opener.

Running Backs (4) — Jonathan Taylor, Nyheim Hines, Marlon Mack, Jordan Wilkins

Benny LeMay and Jet Anderson have both done some nice things in camp, but neither has really done enough to warrant knocking Wilkins off of the roster. Anderson also fell victim to the Colts' cuts on Tuesday. Taylor, Hines, and Mack are all the lock of locks, so there's no question there.

Wide Receiver (6) — T.Y. Hilton, Michael Pittman Jr., Zach Pascal, Parris Campbell, Mike Strachan, Dezmon Patmon

Hilton, Pittman, Pascal, and Campbell are all safe, but the biggest mystery around the receiver corps this summer has been who will be the fifth (and presumably sixth) receivers. After the training camp that he's had and then backing it up in the preseason opener, I don't see a scenario where Strachan isn't on the roster. That leaves one more spot. Between DeMichael Harris, Ashton Dulin, and Patmon, who gets it? Or would a wild card like Tarik Black or Tyler Vaughns sneak in? I give the nod to Patmon because he's shaken off a pedestrian start to training camp to re-establish the high upside surrounding him when the Colts drafted him in 2020. They kept him around while being mostly inactive all last year, and he's now showing further development.

Tight Ends (3) — Jack Doyle, Mo Alie-Cox, Kylen Granson

I really wanted to give the Colts a fourth tight end (looking at you, Farrod Green), but the depth at other positions, plus having six receivers, made this a tough cut. Doyle, Alie-Cox, and Granson are all very safe. Green and Jordan Thomas both have a good argument after a solid camp where they showed reliability, and Noah Togiai was with the Colts all of 2020. Unfortunately for Togiai, he's been dealing with a knee injury for much of camp.

Offensive Linemen (9) — Sam Tevi, Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly, Mark Glowinski, Braden Smith, Will Holden, Chris Reed, Danny Pinter, Will Fries, Eric Fisher (reserve)

With Eric Fisher currently on the Physically Unable to Perform list, it gives the Colts an "extra" roster spot until he returns. If he stays on the list when the regular season begins, the Colts will be forced to hold over that spot for someone else. The left tackle position has not been pretty in Fisher's absence, so there should be no big attachment to his replacements, which makes Julién Davenport expendable in this exercise. As far as depth goes, Reed and Pinter have done a nice job filling in for the injured Nelson and Kelly, and the rookie Fries has earned a lot of important reps with the first and second units during camp and the preseason.

DEFENSE (25)

Defensive Linemen (9) — Kwity Paye, DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, Tyquan Lewis, Kemoko Turay, Andrew Brown, Antwaun Woods, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Ben Banogu, Dayo Odeyingbo (reserve)

The Colts have been very fortunate in two areas regarding their defensive line. First, they sacrificed experience in favor of youth when they let former starting ends Denico Autry and Justin Houston leave in free agency, but the young guys they are depending on in Paye, Lewis, Turay, and Banogu have looked great in camp. Second, their defensive tackle depth looked a little uninspiring behind Buckner and Stewart, but Woods and Brown have looked like quality pieces along the interior throughout camp. While Taylor Stallworth played an important role for the Colts last year, he's missed much of camp with a hamstring injury and didn't return back until Tuesday. He could just as easily factor into this group as well, however.

Linebackers (6) — Darius Leonard, Bobby Okereke, Zaire Franklin, E.J. Speed, Matthew Adams, Jordan Glasgow

There's not much to address among the Colts' linebacker corps. It's been most of the same familiar faces for a few years now without much reason to change it. However, I was *this close* to putting Isaiah Kaufusi in over Adams, but some things we've seen in training camp have me believing the Colts value Adams quite a bit.

Cornerbacks (6) — Kenny Moore II, Xavier Rhodes, Rock Ya-Sin, T.J. Carrie, Marvell Tell III, Isaiah Rodgers

There has never been much doubt these six would be the group from the time camp started to now when it's nearly through. The only question is, after Moore and Rhodes, who will play what role, and how often will they see the field? Carrie would figure to be a quality backup option in the slot or outside behind Moore, Rhodes, and whoever else outside, but he's seen the lion's share of the first-team left cornerback snaps in camp. Can Ya-Sin win his starting job back?

Safeties (4) — Julian Blackmon, Khari Willis, Andre Chachere, George Odum

Blackmon, Willis, and Odum are easy picks, but who might any others be? I made a couple of surprising cuts and kept Chachere on the roster in lieu of Sean and Shawn Davis. While coaches likely see it differently and have the practice film to back it up, I haven't made any mental notes about either player during any of the practices. Meanwhile, Chachere went from the bottom of the cornerback depth chart to the main backup at free safety while Blackmon nursed his knee injury. I have noted plays made by Chachere on multiple occasions. DC Matt Eberflus told reporters about how they like his versatility and different skill sets, which is similar to what took Rolan Milligan from being a "camp body" to being on the roster a couple of years ago.

SPECIALISTS (3)

Kicking Game (3) — K Rodrigo Blankenship, P Rigoberto Sanchez, LS Luke Rhodes

Nothing to see here. The only "battle" is between Blankenship and Eddy Pineiro at kicker. While Pineiro has been perfectly fine, and both he and Blankenship have yet to miss a kick in camp or the preseason, the Colts haven't done very much live kicking during camp this year. That doesn't scream, "we're trying to find a winner!"

NOTABLE CUTS

WR Ashton Dulin, WR DeMichael Harris, OT Julién Davenport, DE Isaac Rochell, DT Taylor Stallworth, S Sean Davis, S Shawn Davis

Are there any changes you would make? Drop your thoughts below in the comment section!

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