After
Tuesday’s league deadline, the Indianapolis Colts announced their initial 53-man active roster, which could be subject to change with cuts being also made from the NFL’s other 31 clubs:
Of course, there didn’t appear to be a ton of surprise, but among them included:
- The Colts waiving former 2022 3rd round, big bodied tight end Jelani Woods, who has seen his early pro career derailed by injuries with Indianapolis. He had been the 5th tight end in training camp and preseason and was the casualty of a crowded tight end room.
- The Colts releasing former 2023 2nd round cornerback JuJu Brents, who like Woods can’t seem to stay on the field to begin his initial football career because of reoccurring, frequent injuries. Brents wasn’t also as much of a scheme fit in new Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo’s coverage scheme.
- The Colts cutting 4th year cornerback Samuel Womack III, who was a revelation last year for Indianapolis and made 8 starts because of injuries. Like Brents, Womack III just wasn’t a natural fit with Anarumo.
- Not coincidentally, undrafted rookie free agent Johnathan Edwards from Tulane beat out both cornerback holdovers for a spot on the Colts initial 53-man roster.
- 3rd-year backup defensive end Isaiah Land failing to crack the initial 53-man active roster after appearing in 10 games for Indianapolis last season as a rotational defensive lineman.
- The Colts only carrying three running backs as of now: Jonathan Taylor, D.J. Giddens, and Tyler Goodson, as neither veteran Khalil Herbert nor undrafted rookie Ulysses Bentley IV made it as the 4th running back.
- Would think cornerback Chris Lammons, linebacker Austin Ajiake, running backs Ulysses Bentley IV and Khalil Herbert, center Wesley French, cornerback Alex Johnson, offensive tackle Marcellus Johnson, defensive end Isaiah Land, tight end Maximilian Mang, and wide receivers Coleman Owen and Landon Parker, etc. could be candidates for re-signing to the Colts practice squad soon hereafter.
- Would also expect the Colts to be scouring the waiver wire for backup offensive tackle help.
