The Indianapolis Colts cut their roster down to 53 players earlier this week and have been tweaking it ever so slightly in the days to follow.
Between putting players on reserve lists to begin the season and making simple tweaks to add depth to other positions, the Colts have the foundation of their roster set for the 2023 season.
Buy Colts TicketsThere are still moves to come, especially at positions like wide receiver and running back. But for the most part, this is the group the Colts will be taking into the first campaign under rookie head coach Shane Steichen.
Here’s a breakdown of each position of the Colts’ 53-man roster following roster cuts and the subsequent moves that came after:
Quarterback (3)
- Anthony Richardson
- Gardner Minshew
- Sam Ehlinger
Analysis: No surprises here. Richardson will be the starter for the season with Minshew as the backup. Ehlinger likely will be the emergency quarterback every week, and it will be interesting to see if the Colts ever consider carrying just two quarterbacks.
Running Back (3)
- Zack Moss
- Evan Hull
- Deon Jackson
Analysis: Jonathan Taylor will remain on the PUP list through the first four weeks of the season. The hope is that Moss (broken arm) will be ready to go for Week 1. Expect this to be a committee while Taylor is out.
Wide Receiver (4)
- Michael Pittman Jr.
- Alec Pierce
- Josh Downs
- Isaiah McKenzie
Analysis: Chris Ballard said during his preseason press conference that the low number of receivers is due to roster mechanics. Expect at least one practice squad call-up in Week 1 and potentially a free-agent addition at some point.
Tight End (4)
- Mo Alie-Cox
- Kylen Granson
- Will Mallory
- Drew Ogletree
Analysis: Jelani Woods will start the season on the injured reserve list, which means he could see a bit more of the rookie Mallory than we initially expected. Granson will be a staple as a receiver while Alie-Cox gets another chance to prove his worth as the starter.
Offensive Line (9)
- Bernhard Raimann
- Quenton Nelson
- Ryan Kelly
- Will Fries
- Braden Smith
- Blake Freeland
- Ryan Hayes
- Josh Sills
- Wesley French
Analysis: Two of the team’s three waiver claims were offensive linemen. Hayes is likely to be the backup left tackle while Sills will provide depth at both guard spots. Assuming Fries is healthy, he is expected to be the starting right guard.
Defensive Line (10)
- Kwity Paye
- DeForest Buckner
- Grover Stewart
- Samson Ebukam
- Dayo Odeyingbo
- Tyquan Lewis
- Adetomiwa Adebawore
- Taven Bryan
- Jacob Martin
- Eric Johnson II
Analysis: This room certainly has the chance to be the best defensive line of Chris Ballard’s tenure. The versatility and upside brings plenty of optimism regarding this unit, and it can make a world of difference if the Colts get a breakout from Paye and/or Odyeingbo. Martin was signed Thursday after roster cuts and waiver claims went through.
Linebacker (7)
- Shaquille Leonard
- Zaire Franklin
- E.J. Speed
- Grant Stuard
- Cameron McGrone
- Segun Olubi
- Isaiah Land
Analysis: It will be interesting to see how many backers the Colts carry throughout the season. Seven would be the most of Ballard’s tenure even though the recent addition in Land (waiver claim) may be used as more of an edge rusher than a typical linebacker.
Cornerback (6)
- Kenny Moore II
- Darrell Baker Jr.
- Dallis Flowers
- Julius Brents
- Jaylon Jones
- Tony Brown
Analysis: The Colts are rolling with six cornerbacks, all but one of which have started fewer than five career games. They will lean heavily on Moore II, Baker and Flowers as the starters to begin the season while second-rounder Brents and seventh-rounder Jones will compete for bigger roles as the season progresses. Brown provides special teams contributions and slot depth, which is likely why he made the initial roster.
Safety (4)
- Julian Blackmon
- Rodney Thomas II
- Nick Cross
- Trevor Denbow
Analysis: Expect Blackmon ad Thomas to be staples of the secondary while Cross moves into a versatile role working nearly everywhere in Gus Bradley’s defense. Denbow provides nice special teams contributions.
Specialists (3)
- Matt Gay
- Rigoberto Sanchez
- Luke Rhodes
Analysis: Sanchez and Rhodes are back for their sixth season working together as the former returns from a torn Achilles. The Colts are hoping Gay will give them a stable scoring option after making him one of the highest-paid kickers in NFL history.
