Colts 2023 UDFA signings
 

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Glad to see the kid from Alabama on there. Shorter, really strong

Yep. And he is another Indy guy - played high school ball at Cathedral.

Emil Ekiyor is a guy I'd've been okay with the Colts drafting. Great get at OG.

I know I sound like a broken record, but Colts should have drafted Cam Jones, or at least beat KC to signing him as a UDFA! Kid is going to be a star!

The Chefs gave him a guaranteed 150K (15K signing bonus and 135K guaranteed base salary).


https://twitter.com/TomPelissero/sta...70121191948288

We could have offered more, but the good thing for the UDFA's is that they can choose where they want to go. And he might prefer KC over Indy for a multitude of reasons, that an extra 10k wouldn't change.

Good point, I'm not sure how KC is set for middle or inside LBs, I know the Colts could use him and I think he would have had a better chance to earn a spot in Indy. But pretty hard to turn down a chance to play for the World champs!

Anyone else find it weird that out of all the draft picks and all the UDFA’s, we only picked up one guard?

How on earth is that possible? Do they think Fries is a legitimate starter? Even if they do, he needs some competition.

That’s the only thing I didn’t like about this draft.

They might. Could believe that with continued continuity this unit could do well. Still plenty of time, though.

Did you have your eye on a particular guy in the draft? If so, we can see who they'd have had to pass on in order to take him.

yeah me too


was wanting them to draft him

i did find it weird. clearly we have a depth issue at guard. i don't think one of those tackles we drafted are guards.

i am guessing we are going to get a veteran in here.

This is a big head scratcher for me as well. We clearly need at the very least need better depth at IOL. Hopefully Ballard has something up his sleeve. We cleared some additional cap space w/ DeFo's restructure for a reason. I was thinking it would be to bring in Rock or another FA CB, but we loaded up at CB so much in the draft that not sure we do that now. Hopefully it goes towards shoring up that glaring need at IOL.

I believe the Colts picked up two guards - although both were UDFA's.

Besides drafting Blake Freeland, the Colts signed another member of BYU's offensive line to an UDFA contract - Harris LaChance.

I agree that the Colts will probably add a vet or two before training camp.

https://www.profootballnetwork.com/b...s-depth-chart/

I stand corrected. I saw they signed him but he was just listed as OL. I assumed he was another tackle.

Seems like we’re gonna have to.

After the shit show that was last years offensive line I don't trust the Colts on this one. Until they actually sign a guard to replace Fries that is who we are going to run out there. I could see Ballard convincing himself that last year was an aberration and we will return to form this year. It concerns me, as it obviously does most Freaks.

I certainly hope not, but with the lack of prioritization of IOL so far this offseason you very well could be right. I could totally see Ballard thinking something like: "We got better when Fries was inserted in the lineup, and I can't imagine Kelly and Nelson playing anywhere as bad as they did in '22 again. No need to do anything here." :cool:

There were 2 OTs picked up, someone is moving to OG based on that.

Here's the depth chart as of now:

OT: Raimann Smith Freeland O'Donnell Murray Witt
OG: Nelson Fries Ekeyor Hambright French
OC: Kelly Pinter Shepley

They typically keep 9 OL, I could see it working:

OT: Raimann Smith Freeland Witt
OG: Nelson Fries Ekeyor
OC: Kelly Pinter

With Freeland being the first off the bench for any injury with a OG injury resulting in Braden sliding inside.

Sign a freaking vet. Ballard has done it before he can do it again.

That would be banking way too much on Fries and Ekeyor (and not to mention Kelly and Pinter). After the absolute disaster that was the OL last year Ballard would be wise to bring in at least a serviceable vet at OG, and possibly OC as well. We have the cap space. Why not do right by out new QBs and insure they'll be protected better than our QBs were last year?

Also, in all likelihood Witt's not going to be ready anytime soon and will need a red shirt year. Depending on how much promise he shows that could be on the PS.

This list of UDFAs looks like Ballard has been sending scouts out to all these tiny schools looking for gems, reminiscent of Leonard and Speed. I’m curious about that CB from Tiffin.

i think we need a vet at guard. center we are ok for now. if kelly doesn't get back to form, we can play pinter and get by. you can't pay everyone up front so we have to rely on young or inexpensive players.

It'd be nice. Off the top of my head, though, I think Risner from DEN might be the only interesting guy. And I think I read he was going to want $9m-$10m/yr.

I haven't looked to see who all else is available.

Suppose that's fair. Pinter did fill in just fine at OC in '21 when we had good guard play on either side of him.

I am a little surprised that the Colts signed as many UDFA's as they did since they were already bumping up against the roster space limit.

After their draft day trades, they have 12 drafted players from this class.

That leaves space for 4 UDFA's.

So there are going to be some roster cuts coming before these UDFA's officially ink their contracts.


https://overthecap.com/estimating-th...-for-each-team

They also have some May mini-camp invites. I realize that they don't count against the roster, but 1 or 2 may overpass a UDFA or even a draft pick.

Carter O'Donnell, I am wondering how much the Colts like this guy. He was injured early in training camp from memory and was on IR. They resigned him to a 2 year deal (which means very little), but he has now been around the Colts organisation for a good 3 or 4 years, so they must like something about him. I wonder if he was a Joe Reitz who came out of nowhere, and maybe they were hoping for something like that from him last year, and then he got injured. Maybe that explains a little of the lack of action on the offensive line at the start of 2022 and sticking with Pryor etc to start the year.

Or maybe he is just another camp body?

Still a little surprised that Ekiyor Jr went undrafted. He has to be one of the favorites of the UDFA class to make the team.

Below is his interview that was completed ahead of the Senior Bowl:

https://thedraftnetwork.com/senior-b...iyor-interview

The Colts started making some moves today by waiving RB Darrynton Evans, RB Aaron Shampklin, CB David Vereen, and WR Kristian Wilkerson


https://www.colts.com/news/roster-mo...vers-nfl-draft

Making room for more big uglies on the offensive side.

It is surprising. Was he injured? I'm not seeing that he was, but it looks like he didn't work out at the combine (except for bench press) or at the Bama pro day.

Although this site has some workout numbers for him. Not sure where they got them.

https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/...rJr-OL-Alabama

If he was hurt or didn't workout then that's probably why he wasn't drafted.

7 more cuts to go by my count. Unless some of the UDFAs are rookie camp invite only won't be signed.

The Colts waived 5 more players yesterday. I am a little surprised by some of these guys - obviously none of them are starters, but when reviewing the roster, there are some other names I would have cut before a few of these guys.

Although, perhaps, the Colts were allowing these guys the chance to catch on with another team before training camp.


https://twitter.com/NateAtkins_/stat...34987002609667

The UDFA signings are official.

Today the Colts announced that 15 players make up this year's UDFA class.

LB Liam Anderson (Holy Cross)
WR Cody Chrest (Sam Houston State)
CB Cole Coleman (Elon)
OG Emil Ekiyor (Alabama)
RB Darius Hagans (Virginia State)
WR Johnny King (Southeast Missouri State)
OG Harris Lachance (BYU)
S Aaron Maddox (Campbell)
LB Donavan Mutin (Houston)
CB Tyler Richardson (Tiffin)
DT Caleb Sampson (Kansas)
WR Zavier Scott (Maine)
RB Titus Swen (Wyoming)
DE Guy Thomas (Colorado)
WR Braxton Westfield (Carson-Newman)


https://www.colts.com/news/emil-ekiy...offensive-line

This year there were 4 camp invites that impressed during mini-camp and signed with the Colts:

WR Tyler Adams
WR Kody Case
OT Matthew Vanderslice
DT Jamal Woods


To make room, the Colts waived 4 UDFA's - WR Cody Chrest, CB Tyler Richardson, RB Titus Swen and WR Braxton Westfield.


https://www.colts.com/news/tyler-ada...ned-free-agent