Veterans and rookies for the Indianapolis Colts will report for training camp on July 24th, with the first practice taking place on July 25th.
Between now and then I will be previewing the Colts’ 91-man roster with a look back at each player’s 2023 season, along with what’s ahead for 2024.
I’ll be going through the Colts’ roster alphabetically, so up next is defensive end Titus Leo. To stay up to date with our other previews, be sure to head over to Colts Wire.
2023 Season Review
Leo was a sixth-round pick by the Colts in the 2023 NFL draft out of Wagner. Leo would appear in all three preseason games last August, totaling 10 tackles and a sack. He would, however, suffer an injury during the final game, which landed him on season-ending IR.
“He’s got speed and toughness,” GM Chris Ballard said. “(Those are) good traits to work with.”
Leo was recruited to be a receiver at Wagner but eventually made the switch to the defensive side of the football. He played over 1,000 defensive snaps during his final two seasons and was highly productive, totaling 71 pressures and 10 sacks. He also graded out very well against the run by PFF’s grading system.
For a bit more on Leo’s game, here is what NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote about him in his 2023 pre-draft scouting report:
“Edge defender prospect with long arms, an explosive first punch and room for improvement as a pass rusher. Leo goes hard into first contact and can separate from blocks fairly quickly, but he’s tight-hipped, lacking the bend and the base strength to hold up against power at the point of attack. He challenges the pocket with a variety of rush angles, but his get-off and hand work might not yet be good enough to impress NFL evaluators. Leo might need seasoning on a practice squad.”
2024 Season Preview
Making the Colts’ initial 53-man roster is going to be a tall task, given the depth of this position group. Along with Samson Ebukam, Dayo Odeyingbo, and Kwity Paye all returning, the Colts drafted Laiatu Latu in the first round and re-sign Tyquan Lewis to a two-year deal in the offseason.
Those five players likely make up this position group, unless the Colts decide to go extremely heavy and keep six–which I would consider unlikely right now–but that then likely means keeping only four interior defenders or going lighter at another position.
Fully healthy, Leo is a prime practice squad candidate who can have the opportunity to develop this season after missing out on valuable practice time during his rookie year.
