Colts 53-man roster projection: Indy's crowded tight end room and questionable secondary (2024)

The NFL remains on summer break, but football won’t be gone for much longer. The Indianapolis Colts begin training camp July 24, and their complete training camp schedule will be released Wednesday evening. Those hot days at Grand Park in Westfield serve as a boxing ring for players fighting to climb the depth chart, and GM Chris Ballard is the most important judge.

“Until we get to training camp and get the pads on, that’s when the real evaluations start to take place,” Ballard said recently on “The GM Shuffle” podcast, hosted by former NFL GM Mike Lombardi and Femi Abebefe. “Players change when the pads come on.”

As we wait for the competition to resume, here is my way-too-early prediction for how the 53-man roster will shake out.

(R) denotes rookie

Quarterbacks: 2

In: Anthony Richardson, Joe Flacco

Out: Sam Ehlinger, Kedon Slovis (R), Jason Bean (R)

Indianapolis typically has kept three quarterbacks on its roster, but now that the NFL will allow teams to dress a third emergency QB from their practice squad on game days, I don’t think it’s necessary. Obviously, there is the risk of a third-stringer like Ehlinger being signed off the practice squad by another franchise, though I still believe that roster spot could be better used elsewhere.

Running backs: 3

In: Jonathan Taylor, Trey Sermon, Evan Hull

Out: Tyler Goodson, Trent Pennix (R), Zavier Scott

It’s a bit concerning that the Colts didn’t add a running back in the draft or free agency to fill the void that Zack Moss left when he joined the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason. Moss was one of the best backups in the league last year and stepped up seamlessly when Taylor was sidelined due to injury. Indianapolis could still make a move. However, for now, it appears the team is content with former third-round pick Sermon stepping in as the second-stringer. Hull appeared in just one game last year as a rookie due to a torn left MCL, but he was a good pass catcher coming out of Northwestern and will have a shot to supplant Goodson in that role with the Colts if he has a big summer.

Wide receivers: 6

In: Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, Adonai Mitchell (R), Ashton Dulin, Anthony Gould (R)

Out: Tyrie Cleveland, Ethan Fernea, D.J. Montgomery, Juwann Winfree, Derek Slywka (R), Xavier White (R)

This group was pretty easy to evaluate with Pittman, Downs, Pierce and Mitchell likely earning the lion’s share of targets. Pittman will lead the way after inking a three-year, $70 million extension this offseason that makes him the second-highest-paid receiver annually in the AFC South (trailing only Houston’s Nico Collins). Dulin, who’s still recovering from a torn right ACL, makes the cut because of his special teams prowess as a gunner. Gould joins him on the 53-man roster mostly as a return man thanks to the NFL’s new kickoff rules.

Tight ends: 5

In: Jelani Woods, Mo Alie-Cox, Kylen Granson, Will Mallory, Drew Ogletree

Out: Jordan Murray, Eric Tomlinson

I know you’re probably thinking, “Five tight ends are way too many,” but without carrying a third QB, I believe this position makes the most sense to potentially keep an extra player. Indianapolis still lacks a true No. 1 tight end, and although the best-case scenario is for Woods to have a breakout summer and use his next-level athleticism to assume that role, I’m not sure that’s the most realistic outcome for a player who missed all of last season due to hamstring injuries. Alie-Cox has been the Colts’ most consistent tight end in recent years, but he’s due $5.9 million in 2024, and Indy could cut him before the season and save that money in cap space. If the Colts keep just four tight ends, the chopping block will likely come down to whether Indianapolis is willing to roll the dice on a cheaper and less proven player than the 30-year-old Alie-Cox.

Offensive linemen: 9

In: LT Bernhard Raimann, LG Quenton Nelson, C Ryan Kelly, RG Will Fries, RT Braden Smith, OT Blake Freeland, C/G Tanor Bortolini (R), OT Matt Goncalves (R), C Wesley French

Out: G Arlington Hambright, G Lewis Kidd, G Josh Sills, G Dalton Tucker (R), OT Jake Witt, C Danny Pinter

The Colts return their entire starting offensive line from last season, and that continuity should help Richardson continue to develop in his second season. The only real question regarding this group is Smith, who is still recovering from knee surgery. If he’s unavailable at the start of training camp, then Freeland likely steps in at right tackle like he did a few times last season. Indianapolis also invested in its future by drafting Goncalves and Bortolini in the third and fourth rounds, respectively. Ideally, they won’t see the field in 2024, but they’re also not bad options if a starter or two gets dinged up.

Defensive linemen: 9

In: DT DeForest Buckner, DT Grover Stewart, DE Kwity Paye, DE Samson Ebukam, DE Dayo Odeyingbo, DE Laiatu Latu (R), DT Raekwon Davis, DT Adetomiwa Adebawore, DE Tyquan Lewis

Out: DE Genard Avery, DE Isaiah Land, DE Titus Leo, DT Taven Bryan, DT Eric Johnson II, DT Jonah Laulu (R)

This is probably the Colts’ best overall position group. Buckner and Stewart will continue to wreak havoc in the middle, while a slew of veteran defensive ends look to get to the quarterback on the perimeter. Latu, the first defensive player selected in this year’s draft, likely won’t be a Day 1 starter, but I expect him to be on the field a lot during third downs that are obvious passing situations.

Linebackers: 6

In: Zaire Franklin, E.J. Speed, Segun Olubi, Grant Stuard, Ronnie Harrison Jr., Jaylon Carlies (R)

Out: Austin Ajiake, Liam Anderson, Cameron McGrone, Craig Young (R)

The Colts are banking on Franklin and Speed to lead the linebacker unit, which both proved they were capable of last year. There’s still a risk in not drafting an NFL-ready linebacker on Day 1 or 2 that could step up in case one of those two is sidelined with injury, but Olubi and Harrison saw some time last year and held their own. Stuard makes the cut for special teams duties, and Carlies’ versatile skill set earns him a spot as he transitions from being a safety at Mizzou to a linebacker in the NFL.

Cornerbacks: 6

In: Kenny Moore II, JuJu Brents, Jaylon Jones, Dallis Flowers, Jaylin Simpson (R), Micah Abraham (R)

Out: Darrell Baker Jr., Clay Fields III (R), Chris Lammons, Ameer Speed

Cornerback is a position to keep an eye on since the Colts didn’t bring in any starting-caliber players at that position. Moore is the only established cornerback on the Colts’ roster, but obviously, he can’t be everywhere at once. Brents and Jones, who started alongside Moore in spring practice, need to step up in their second seasons. Flowers, who tore his right Achilles last year, is back practicing and will compete for a starting role, too. Simpson has a chance to make his presence felt on special teams, while Abraham provides insurance for Moore in the slot. Overall, this is not a unit I’m high on.

Safeties: 4

In: Julian Blackmon, Nick Cross, Rodney Thomas II, Trevor Denbow

Out: Kendell Brooks (R), Marcel Dabo, Daniel Scott, Michael Tutsie

This may be the Colts’ most questionable group heading into 2024. Blackmon is the only proven safety on the roster and is coming off a career year at strong safety. Cross and Thomas are each entering their third season but don’t have much to show for it as they compete for the starting free safety role. Thomas regressed last year after a breakout rookie campaign in 2022, while Cross, a former third-round pick, has mainly been a backup and special teamer. From my perspective, this is a make-it-or-break-it year for Cross, who Indy traded up to draft. If he can’t take over the starting free safety spot this season and shore up the backend, then it may be time for the Colts to admit they whiffed on drafting him. Aside from Cross and Thomas, I have Denbow making the cut in case an injury pops up in the secondary. Needless to say, that would be a disastrous scenario for the Colts.

Specialists: 3

In: P Rigoberto Sanchez, K Matt Gay, LS Luke Rhodes

Out: N/A

Gay was a bit off last year, converting just 80.5 percent of his field goal attempts in his first season with the Colts, compared to 92.5 percent in the three previous seasons with the Los Angeles Rams. The Colts don’t seem too concerned, though, and expect him to bounce back. Sanchez, who tore his Achilles in 2022, returned to form toward the back half of last season. Rhodes remains one of the top long snappers in the NFL.

(Top photo: Michael Allio / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

James Boyd is a Staff Writer for The Athletic covering the Indianapolis Colts. Before joining The Athletic, James was the Indiana Pacers beat writer for The Indianapolis Star. James is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and grew up in Romeoville, Illinois. Follow James on Twitter @romeovillekid