8/31 Indystar

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Insider: Why the Colts made their most surprising roster decisions

INDIANAPOLIS — Colts general manager Chris Ballard spent most of his final press conference before the start of the regular season talking about running back Jonathan Taylor.

The contract dispute, the decision to keep Taylor on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, the potential for a reconciliation between the team and its star running back down the line.

But Ballard’s press conference came on the heels of the NFL’s annual roster reduction from 90 players down to 53, a process that remains ongoing for Indianapolis and included a handful of surprising moves, including a few moves the general manager tried to explain.

At least, when he wasn’t being asked about Taylor.

Indianapolis Colts cornerback JuJu Brents (29), lefts, watches during Colts Camp practice at Grand Park, Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023 in Westfield.
More:Colts GM Chris Ballard believes relationship with Jonathan Taylor can be fixed. How is unclear

Why did the Colts let rookie cornerback Darius Rush get away?

Indianapolis cut Rush in a surprising move Tuesday, exposing the fifth-round pick from South Carolina to a waiver wire teeming with NFL teams looking for cornerbacks like Rush, cover guys who are young, fast and have a nose for the ball.


Kansas City snapped up Rush on the waiver wire a day later, ensuring the Colts wouldn’t have a chance to get him back on the practice squad.

“We’d have had to keep seven corners, so it would have been tough,” Ballard said. “It just happened to be a group that’s young and talented.”


The Colts already know their three presumptive starters — Kenny Moore II, Darrell Baker Jr. and Dallis Flowers. Indianapolis values Tony Brown for his special teams ability, and Indianapolis had another roster spot locked up with second-round pick JuJu Brents, a Warren Central product.

“I do want to talk about JuJu, because I do think the upside is really high,” Ballard said. “He missed the spring with (offseason wrist surgery, and then he had the hamstring early, so it’s been a little bit slow here, but the two weeks he was in, we’re excited about him. He kind of had a little tweak again, so we’re trying to get our head around making sure we’ve got him right for the long haul.”


That left Rush and the team’s seventh-round pick.

“Jaylon Jones,” Ballard said.

Ultimately, Jones’ development cost Rush a spot on the roster.

Doyel:Colts think they can fix this with Jonathan Taylor. Why are they always last to know?


Why did the Colts only keep four receivers?

Ballard was initially asked about having three receivers on the roster, but that number had already been remedied. Indianapolis briefly released veteran receiver Isaiah McKenzie on Wednesday to make room for a waiver claim, then brought him back when the Colts placed tight end Jelani Woods on injured reserve later in the day.

The Colts ended the day with just four receivers, but Ballard indicated the number will change again.

“We’re doing roster mechanic stuff,” Ballard said, referring to the transactions NFL teams often go through to get players in certain spots at the right times. “We’ll get the rest of it filled out.”

Ballard disagreed with the suggestion that Indianapolis hasn’t given rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson enough weapons.

“I still think Michael Pittman (Jr.) is a pretty good football player, I still think Alec Pierce has upside and is a pretty good football player and we really like Josh Downs,” Ballard said. “I know the world paints a bleak picture here, but I don’t think it’s as bleak as the world makes it out to be.”

Ballard also believes there is talent among the tight ends.

Even with Jelani Woods on injured reserve for at least the first four weeks with a pulled hamstring.

“I think you know our thoughts on (Drew) Ogletree, we’ve always thought highly (of him),” Ballard said. “(Will) Mallory, that was exciting to see him get healthy and show the flashes he showed. (Kylen) Granson is a good football player. Every staff that has come in, and every quarterback that has come in, has liked him.”

The Indianapolis Colts
Arlington Hambright (64) stretches with the team at the Indianapolis Colts Training Camp, held at Grand Park on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2023, in Westfield Ind.
Why is there so little experienced depth on the offensive line?

Indianapolis made two waiver claims on the offensive line on Wednesday, adding former Eagle interior lineman Josh Sills and Dolphins rookie tackle Ryan Hayes. With those additions, the Colts now have a full complement of five offensive linemen to back up the starters.

What’s surprising is how little experience the group has. Arlington Hambright is the only player who’s started a game in the NFL, and his lone start came in Week 9 of the 2020 season. Hayes and fourth-round pick Blake Freeland are rookies; Sills played in one game with Philadelphia last season, and We

“They are young, but how do they become vets? They have to play,” Ballard said. “I’ve got a lot of faith in (offensive line coach Tony Sparano Jr.) and how he coaches them and what he’s doing. These guys have talent, and you’ve just got to grow with them.”

Aug 1, 2023; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Isaiah Land (53) during training camp at Marriott Residence Inn-River Ridge playing fields.
Why did the Colts claim Cowboys edge rusher Isaiah Land?

Put simply, Indianapolis had an underrated need for another speed rusher.

The Colts have plenty of big defensive ends — Kwity Paye, Dayo Odeyingbo, Tyquan Lewis and Adetomiwa Adebawore can all fit that bill — but only had Samson Ebukam at the speed rushing position coordinator Gus Bradley has built into his defense.

Indianapolis got intriguing training camps from both veteran Genard Avery and sixth-round pick Titus Leo, but both players ended up on injured reserve, leaving a hole at the position.

Land, an undrafted free agent from Florida A&M, turned heads in training camp with the Cowboys, enough that there was some surprise locally in Dallas when he was waived Tuesday.

Indianapolis was ready to scoop him up.

“We wanted to add some speed off the edge,” Ballard said. “He’s a guy we really liked in the draft, and just, for whatever reason, we just didn’t get a chance, and he ended up going undrafted, ended up in Dallas. He showed us enough (with the Cowboys) that we said, ‘OK, let’s take a shot and get him in here.’ We don’t know when he will be ready.”

[JAFF]

Indystar update

INDIANAPOLIS — The Colts continue to tinker with the roster in the aftermath of the NFL’s deadline to get down to 53 players, and Indianapolis added an intriguing cornerback to the practice squad on Thursday.

Indianapolis signed former Falcons cornerback Darren Hall, a 2021 fourth-round pick who started nine games last season.

Hall played 634 snaps defensively for Atlanta last season and played 916 overall in two seasons, making him more experienced than any cornerback on the Indianapolis roster other than long-time Colt Kenny Moore II.

Colts Insider:Why the Colts made their most surprising roster decisions


The 6-foot, 190-pounder made 45 tackles, three pass breakups and a fumble forced last season.

But he also struggled somewhat in coverage. Hall gave up 18 of 27 completions for 315 yards and two touchdowns last season, allowing a 130.9 rating when he was in coverage. Hall’s also played 161 snaps on special teams the past two seasons.