The Indianapolis Colts got through their first week of the preseason and while they couldn’t come away with a road victory over the Buffalo Bills, they inched one step closer to reducing the roster to 53 players.
The first five cuts are set to come before the end of Tuesday, reducing the rosters to 85 players. The Tuesday following the second preseason game on Aug. 20 will include another five cuts. Then, following the final preseason game on Aug. 27, the final roster cuts will be made down to 53 players.
With the first preseason game now behind us, here’s an updated 53-man roster projection for the Colts:
Quarterback (2)
1. Matt Ryan
2. Nick Foles
Even after Sam Ehlinger’s strong day, there’s no reason to keep more than two quarterbacks on the active roster.
Running Back (4)
1. Jonathan Taylor
2. Nyheim Hines
3. Phillip Lindsay
4. Ty’Son Williams
Lindsay is securing his role as the RB3 while Williams was the next in line during the preseason opener. He would have to work on special teams as the RB4, but it appears he’s leading that charge going into the second week of the preseason.
Wide Receiver (5)
1. Michael Pittman Jr.
2. Parris Campbell
3. Alec Pierce
4. Ashton Dulin
5. Keke Coutee
The Colts could certainly keep six wide receivers here but with Nyheim Hines expected to see more work out of the slot, they may start the season with just five. Coutee has been leading that competition for much of training camp and he may have the advantage as long as his groin injury isn’t severe.
Tight End (4)
1. Mo Alie-Cox
2. Kylen Granson
3. Jelani Woods
4. Andrew Ogletree
The preseason opener only confirmed that the Colts are likely to keep four tight ends. The upside of Woods and Ogletree will be too enticing to keep on the practice squad.
Interior Offensive Line (4)
1. Quenton Nelson
2. Ryan Kelly
3. Danny Pinter
4. Will Fries
These four are pretty close to being locks on the roster. Fries had a strong showing in the preseason opener. The question becomes whether one of the undrafted rookies in Wesley French, Alex Mollette or Josh Selztner wind up making the roster.
Offensive Tackle (5)
1. Matt Pryor
2. Braden Smith
3. Bernhard Raimann
4. Dennis Kelly
5. Ryan Van Demark
The final spot in the room will be interesting, especially considering the fact that Kelly hasn’t practiced for the majority of training camp due to a knee injury. If he’s healthy, he can play four spots on the offensive line. Van Demark makes it for now, but he’s on the bubble.
Defensive End (4)
1. Yannick Ngakoue
2. Kwity Paye
3. Tyquan Lewis
4. Ben Banogu
This room is pretty standard. Banogu had a strong showing during the preseason opener. Ifeadi Odenigbo will be someone to watch over the next two weeks as a player who could compete for one of the final roster spots.
Defensive Tackle (6)
1. DeForest Buckner
2. Grover Stewart
3. Dayo Odeyingbo
4. Chris Williams
5. Curtis Brooks
6. Eric Johnson II
The two rookies in Brooks and Johnson will be fun to watch this preseason. They both showed a lot of promise during the preseason opener. Williams is a wild card here because he’s missed the majority of training camp due to a lower leg injury, but he’s a true one-technique behind Grover Stewart.
Linebacker (6)
1. Shaquille Leonard
2. Bobby Okereke
3. Zaire Franklin
4. E.J. Speed
5. Sterling Weatherford
6. Jojo Domann
The final two spots in the room will likely come down to those two undrafted rookies and veteran special teamer Brandon King. The latter didn’t have the best showing on defense in the preseason opener while Domann and Weatherford both offer upside in that phase of the game.
Cornerback (6)
1. Stephon Gilmore
2. Kenny Moore II
3. Brandon Facyson
4. Isaiah Rodgers
5. Tony Brown
6. Marvell Tell III
With the top-four spots in the room locked up, the final two are completely up for grabs. Right now, it looks like Brown has the lead for the No. 5 role given his speed and versatility. Tell has looked closer to his rookie form than the one that disappointed in 2021. Don’t be surprised if he takes advantage of this opportunity.
Safety (4)
1. Julian Blackmon
2. Nick Cross
3. Rodney McLeod
4. Armani Watts
It would be a surprise if the Colts didn’t keep these four as the safeties. They could add another like rookie Rodney Thomas II or Will Redmond, two players who have experience at both cornerback and safety.
Specialists (3)
1. Rodrigo Blankenship
2. Rigoberto Sanchez
3. Luke Rhodes
The only competition to watch here is at kicker between Blankenship and Jake Verity. Blankenship has the upper hand right now.
Review
Offense (24)
| Pos | First | Second | Third | Fourth+ |
| QB | Matt Ryan | Nick Foles | ||
| RB | Jonathan Taylor | Nyheim Hines | Phillip Lindsay | Ty’Son Williams |
| WR | Michael Pittman Jr. | Parris Campbell | Alec Pierce | Ashton Dulin Keke Coutee |
| TE | Mo Alie-Cox | Kylen Granson | Jelani Woods | Andrew Ogletree |
| LT | Matt Pryor | Bernhard Raimann | ||
| LG | Quenton Nelson | Will Fries | ||
| C | Ryan Kelly | |||
| RG | Danny Pinter | |||
| RT | Braden Smith | Dennis Kelly | Ryan Van Demark |
Defense (26)
| Pos. | First | Second | Third |
| DE | Yannick Ngakoue | Ben Banogu | |
| DT | DeForest Buckner | Dayo Odeyinbgo | Curtis Brooks |
| DT | Grover Stewart | Chris Williams | Eric Johnson II |
| DE | Kwity Paye | Tyquan Lewis | |
| LB | Shaquille Leonard | Zaire Franklin | Sterling Weatherford |
| LB | Bobby Okereke | E.J. Speed | Jojo Domann |
| CB | Stephon Gilmore | Brandon Facyson | Tony Brown |
| CB | Kenny Moore II | Isaiah Rodgers | Marvell Tell III |
| FS | Julian Blackmon | Rodney McLeod | |
| SS | Nick Cross | Armani Watts |
Specialists (3)
| Pos. | Player |
| K | Rodrigo Blankenship |
| P | Rigoberto Sanchez |
| LS | Luke Rhodes |
