As the Indianapolis Colts officially begin training camp Thursday, there will be several players jumpstarting their campaign for a roster spot and/or significant role at their respective positions.
Some players will be entering training camp with a likely roster spot but will need to show they can handle a bigger role. Others will simply be there fighting for their jobs as a professional football player.
Let’s take a look at six Colts who need strong showings at training camp:
WR Chester Rogers
Let’s be clear, just about everyone in the wide receiver room needs a strong showing at training camp. But there are some more than others that need to show they belong on the roster with a significant role intact. Rogers would be one of them.
Rogers has always been steady since arriving as an undrafted free agent in 2016. However, he faces his biggest challenge yet in the wide receiver competition. Not only is he competing for a reserve role in the room, but he’s also competing to prove he still has value on special teams.
Rogers is in a boat similar to the rest of the room, but he needs to show throughout training camp that he hasn’t hit his ceiling yet.
OL Le’Raven Clark
The former third-round pick may have gotten an unprovoked shoutout from general manager Chris Ballard during the latter’s pre-training camp press conference on Wednesday, but that doesn’t mean his roster spot isn’t in jeopardy.
Though he’s been working as Anthony Castonzo’s backup, Clark faces a crucial training camp as he enters a contract year. He hasn’t shown the type of upside that warrants a second contract while also being pretty limited in position flexibility.
The Colts say they’ve been happy with Clark this offseason, but he has to go out and prove it to keep his roster spot.
WR Daurice Fountain
Though his outlook was a bit murky after being placed on the NFI list, Fountain will begin training camp with the rest of the team after being removed from said list on Wednesday.
After failing to show much during his rookie season, Fountain will be in a crowded wide receiver room with a number of players that have similar or even higher upside than the former fifth-round pick.
Can Fountain somehow separate himself in the competition? He will need to if he wants the Colts to keep believing in him, and getting some work on special teams could be a way to achieving that.
CB Chris Milton
Over the past few offseasons, Milton’s roster spot has been relatively safe given that he’s an exceptional special teams player as a gunner. It led the Colts to re-sign him on a one-year deal as a restricted free agent.
But seeing that he doesn’t contribute much to the defensive side of the ball, Milton’s roster spot could be in jeopardy now with the extreme competition going on in the cornerback room. With a need for playmakers, it remains to be seen if the Colts will want to keep Milton if he won’t contribute in coverage.
If another cornerback emerges as a potentially strong gunner with better coverage ability, Milton could be in trouble.
DE Gerri Green
Rookie pass rushers drafted on Day 3 don’t have a ton of pressure in terms of expected production outside the facility. Everyone knows Green is working on developing his game more than he is expected to be the premier pass rusher in the front seven.
But with fellow rookie Ben Banogu now working primarily as a defensive end to go along with the crowded competition along the defensive line, there is a chance Green’s developmental work will come as a member of the practice squad.
What Green will need to show during training camp is that the potential is there. The Colts know he has high character and athleticism, but Green needs to prove they were right to take a shot on him on Day 3 of the draft.
LB Matthew Adams
This is one of those situations where a player’s roster spot isn’t the thing in jeopardy. It’s his role in the defense. With Banogu expected to be a defensive end to begin training camp, Adams has a clear shot to prove he should be the starting SAM linebacker.
Is that a huge role in the defense? Not with how often nickel packages are used. But Adams held that SAM role during the home stretch of the regular season in 2018, and he played pretty well in it. Entering Year 2, he has to prove now that the Colts won’t be hindered by having three linebackers on the field, which is a front that no longer is considered BASE defense.
Adams is young and talented, which means his roster spot is most likely safe. But if he wants to see extended playing time in Year 2, he has to prove during training camp that he should be the starting SAM linebacker.
