The Indianapolis Colts are set to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday night for the preseason finale.
While the starters will see the field for roughly the entire first half of the game, this is the final chance for the fringe players on the roster bubble to make their case for a spot on the 53-man roster.
The Colts will have until Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. ET to cut the roster down to 53 players ahead of the Week 1 opener against the Houston Texans.
Here are six Colts on the roster bubble who need a strong showing in the preseason finale:
1
RB Deon Jackson
With Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines both sitting out the preseason finale, the depth running backs will get plenty of snaps. Among them, Jackson has had an up-and-down preseason. It’s likely that Phillip Lindsay will be the RB3 behind Taylor and Hines. Jackson is still in the competition for the final spot—assuming they keep four backs—but will need a strong showing to ensure that as the case.
2
WR Mike Strachan
Strachan has had limited work in the preseason after missing the majority of training camp and the preseason opener as he recovered from offseason knee surgery. He had a strong outing in the preseason game against the Detroit Lions, catching three passes for 45 yards and a touchdown. He can solidify his roster spot in the finale on Saturday night with another strong outing.
3
OT Ryan Van Demark
The undrafted rookie hasn’t had the best showing throughout the preseason, but the Colts lack depth at right tackle. Van Demark allowed two sacks during the preseason game against the Lions and will need to bounce back if he wants to make the roster as the final piece of the offensive line. If he doesn’t, Van Demark might very well be waived despite the signing bonus he received in the spring.
4
DE Ifeadi Odenigbo
Sometimes, the roster cuts aren’t really fair. A player like Odenigbo may be left off the initial roster despite the fact that he’s been one of the best pass rushers for the Colts through the two games. Odenigbo is right on the fringe but another strong performance could force the Colts into keeping six defensive ends to begin the season.
5
LB Jojo Domann
It has been more good than bad for the undrafted rookie linebacker, but he missed the preseason game against the Lions due to an undisclosed injury. It isn’t clear whether he will be back for the finale but if he is, Domann will have a strong chance to lock up one of the final roster spots in the linebacker room.
6
CB Marvell Tell III
It is still anyone’s guess as to who the final cornerback in the room will be. It’s likely that Tony Brown will enter the season as the CB5 unless he struggles mightily in the finale. Tell has as good of a chance as any other cornerback in the room to be the final player in the secondary, and he can put those doubts to rest with a strong outing against the Bucs.
