The Indianapolis Colts have officially concluded a wild preseason Thursday night with a 13-6 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, and there was plenty to take away from the four-game slate.
Over the last month, there have been players on the roster fighting for roles and roster spots. Training camp helps give players a boost, but the real impact can be made during the preseason games.
Here are eight Colts whose stock rose during the preseason:
QB Chad Kelly
With the retirement of Andrew Luck, the future at quarterback is in disarray for the Colts. While Jacoby Brissett is fully entrenched as the starter, the Colts will be searching for his backup. Kelly showed this preseason there is potential for that role to be his one day. He completed 74% of his passes for 583 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions while also taking 10 carries for 107 rushing yards and two touchdowns. No one’s stock rose more than Kelly’s.
DE Kemoko Turay
There are still many question marks about the Colts’ pass rush entering the 2019 season, but Turay had a strong showing in the preseason—which gives plenty of optimism for the unit. What was most encouraging about Turay’s preseason was his development in a pass-rushing plan. He’s showing the ability to win in multiple ways and while he did so against the backups, for the most part, he had an extremely encouraging preseason.
WR Deon Cain
There is a slight difference between having high stock and being hyped up. Cain was mostly the latter before stepping on the field this preseason. In the three games Cain played, he showed why the Colts are so excited about his game. He’s explosive with a nice catch radius an ability to create yards after the catch. He finished tied for the team lead this preseason with 12 receptions while leading the offense with 169 receiving yards (14.1 avg).
TE Hale Hentges
One of the big mysteries leading up to the roster cuts on Saturday is whether the Colts will carry four tight ends. If they do, Hentges has proved enough this offseason that the job should belong to him. A Jack Doyle lite, Hentges has proven to be a solid blocker with some surprisingly consistent pass-catching ability. He’s not the dynamic pass-catcher of Eric Ebron or Ross Travis, but he helped his stock this preseason by showing more consistency than the majority of the roster.
RB Jonathan Williams
This one is a bit tricky because Williams has been out for roughly two weeks with a broken rib. Before that, though, he was the clear leader for the RB3 role. If Williams is close to healthy enough for the start of the regular season, he should have a role in the backfield behind Marlon Mack and Nyheim Hines. Regardless, Williams is a bruising back that could help the Colts in short-yardage situations. He has a skill set that isn’t present in the backfield and proved in his short preseason work that he deserves a spot on the roster if healthy.
CB Rock Ya-Sin
We knew the second-round pick was going to make the roster, but Ya-Sin showed throughout the preseason that he’s developing at a much quicker pace than anticipated. His physicality and ball skills showed true during the preseason, and there is a chance he winds up carving out a significant role behind Pierre Desir and Kenny Moore. The Temple product is everything the Colts want in terms of character, but he also proved to be their type of cornerback this preseason.
DE Carroll Phillips
Every year, there are players that have elite showings in the preseason but are still long shots to make the roster. In 2018, it was Ryan Delaire. In 2019, it is likely to be Phillips. Probably the best pass rusher for the Colts this preseason, Phillips did everything he could to prove he deserves to be on an NFL roster. It just won’t be the Colts. His stock still rose, though, because teams will look at the tape he put on the field and take a chance on him following the roster cuts.
WR Krishawn Hogan
In the same mold as Phillips, Hogan is a wide receiver that did everything he could to prove he belongs in the NFL. But it will likely be a numbers game for the Indiana product, which means he’s set to be waived by Saturday afternoon. That shouldn’t discount what he put on the field though. He finished tied with the team lead of 12 receptions and his 132 receiving yards were second only to Deon Cain. In the unlikely event Hogan clears waivers, he should have a spot waiting for him on the practice squad.
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