- Colts left tackle Anthony Castonzo went down with a knee injury, and Philip Rivers started coming under immediate pressure the moment backup Le’Raven Clark entered the game. While Castonzo was quickly ruled out with the knee injury, fortunately it looks like he avoided major injury, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). Rapsheet writes that it sounds like an MCL sprain for the long-time Colt. Head coach Frank Reich said after the game a worst-case scenario had been avoided. It sounds like Castonzo won’t be out too long, but any missed time would be a brutal blow for this offense. Indy will need him as they make their playoff push.
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: DL Zach Allen
- Promoted: TE Evan Baylis, DL Michael Dogbe, RB D.J. Foster, DL Stacy McGee CB Jace Whittaker
- Placed on IR: TE Darrell Daniels, DL Josh Mauro
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: RB Tony Brooks-James
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed to active roster: CB Jalen Davis
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OL B.J. Finney, WR Auden Tate
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: OG Michael Dunn, DT Joey Ivie, DE Cameron Malveaux
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: LB De’Jon Harris, RB Mike Weber
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: DT Kameron Cline, C Joey Hunt, DE Cassius Marsh, DT Rob Windsor
- Activated from IR: WR Ashton Dulin
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on IR: G Andrew Norwell
- Promoted: CB Josh Nurse, WR Trey Quinn, RB Craig Reynolds, K Aldrick Rosas
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: WR Marcus Kemp
- Waived: DB Tedric Thompson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: LB B.J. Bello, LB Cole Christiansen, DT Breiden Fehoko
- Waived: DE Jessie Lemonier
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: QB Reid Sinnett
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: LS Andrew DePaola, TE Brandon Dillon
New England Patriots
- Activated from IR: OT Justin Herron
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: WR Austin Carr, OL Will Clapp, DT Ryan Glasgow
New York Giants
- Activated from IR: K Graham Gano
New York Jets
- Promoted: OL Jimmy Murray
- Placed on IR: LB Patrick Onwuasor
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on IR: G Sua Opeta
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: LB Jack Cichy
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Vita Vea; Vea is also on Tampa Bay’s IR
- Promoted: CB Herb Miller, OL John Molchon
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: P Brett Kern, CB Tye Smith
- Promoted: LB William Compton, LS Matt Overton, LB Tuzar Skipper
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Chris Jackson
Jonathan Taylor will not play for the Colts on Sunday. The AFC South leaders placed the rookie running back on their reserve/COVID-19 list Saturday.
Taylor is not believed to have submitted a positive coronavirus test, but his girlfriend tested positive after an out-of-town trip, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). Taylor has been in quarantine since Friday. NFL protocols mandate players who come in contact with a COVID-positive person must isolate for five days. Were Taylor to test positive, he would be sidelined at least 10 days.
The Colts will face the Titans without their leading rusher or starting center, having declared Ryan Kelly out with a neck injury. Kelly, who has not missed a start since the 2018 season, did not practice this week.
As for Indianapolis’ backfield, it will rely on holdovers Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins. The third-year backs have been effective at times this season, though none of Indianapolis’ backs is averaging more than four yards per carry. Hines scored twice against the Titans in the teams’ previous meeting. Taylor, however, leads the Colts with 135 carries for 518 yards and four TDs.
Months after authorizing a monster extension for defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, the Colts have identified another D-tackle they want to keep long-term.
They agreed to an extension with contract-year interior lineman Grover Stewart on Saturday, Jim Ayello of the Indianapolis Star reports. It’s a three-year, $30.75MM deal.
Stewart has started alongside Buckner this season and has been a Colts first-stringer since last year. He was one of GM Chris Ballard‘s first draft picks, going to Indianapolis in the 2017 fourth round. The Colts now have Stewart and Buckner signed through at least 2023. Upon being acquired from San Francisco, Buckner signed a four-year, $84MM deal in March.
The Colts have used Stewart, 27, at nose tackle this season. While that is not a statistically friendly role, Stewart has made 36 tackles (four for loss) and grades as a top-40 interior defender this season — per Pro Football Focus. He has helped the Colts become a top-five defense. Indianapolis’ defense ranks third against the run and fourth against the pass, taking a major step forward after a down 2019.
Ballard and Co. have made Stewart a key priority; he is the first of the Ballard-era defensive draftees to receive a major extension. Others, like Darius Leonard, will follow. But for now, the Colts have taken care of a player that has helped make Leonard’s dominance possible.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
The Colts have placed DeForest Buckner on the reserve/COVID-19 list, according to a team announcement. This could be an especially difficult blow, as Indianapolis will take on the Titans in a battle for first place in the AFC South on Sunday.
At this point, it’s unclear if Buckner tested positive or if he is considered a close contact with someone who did. If he tested positive, he is guaranteed to miss the matchup with Tennessee, though if his placement on the list is due to a close contact, he may be back on the field on Sunday (depending on when the contact occurred and his test results in the coming days).
Indianapolis pulled off one of the biggest blockbusters of this offseason in acquiring Buckner, as it shipped a first-round pick to the 49ers in exchange for one of the game’s premier interior defenders and signed him to a massive $21MM/year extension. And Buckner has not disappointed, as Pro Football Focus currently ranks him fifth among all interior D-linemen, including an especially high pass-rush grade (though he has generated just 2.5 sacks on the season).
PFF is not quite as bullish on his run defense, but it still considers him an above-average performer in that regard. And the Colts will need all the run support they can get against Titans’ RB Derrick Henry, who rushed for 103 yards on just 19 carries against Indy two weeks ago.
Buckner joins fellow DL Denico Autry on the reserve/COVID-19 list, and as Stephen Holder of The Athletic tweets, Autry’s status for Sunday’s game is still unclear. If the Colts are without both players, they will need monster performances from players like Tyquan Lewis and Grover Stewart to contain Henry.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Here is Saturday’s usual flood of minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: QB Kurt Benkert
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: DB Natrell Jamerson, LB Chris Orr
- Waived: S Sean Chandler
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: T Jack Conklin, K Cody Parkey
- Promoted: G Michael Dunn, DE Cameron Malveaux, FB Johnny Stanton
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: T Brandon Knight
- Promoted: C Adam Redmond, CB Rashard Robinson
- Placed on IR: C Tyler Biadasz
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: OL Elijah Wilkinson
- Promoted: TE Troy Fumagalli, LB Josh Watson
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: P Drew Kaser
- Promoted: RB Mike Weber
Houston Texans
- Promoted: LB Nate Hall, OL Greg Mancz, RB Scottie Phillips
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from IR: CB D.J. Hayden
- Promoted: RB Nathan Cottrell, LB Joe Giles-Harris, WR Terry Godwin, TE Eric Saubert
- Waived: S Doug Middleton
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: C Joey Hunt, DE Cassius Marsh, DT Rob Windsor
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: WR Gehrig Dieter, OL Bryan Witzmann
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: DL David Irving
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Theo Riddick
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: LB B.J. Bello, LB Cole Christiansen, S Jaylen Watkins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Kyzir White
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: K Matt Gay
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: TE Chris Myarick
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: T Aviante Collins, LS Andrew DePaola
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: FB C.J. Ham
New England Patriots
- Promoted: LB Terez Hall, WR Donte Moncrief
- Waived: OL Hjalte Froholdt, DE Derek Rivers
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: DT Ryan Glasgow, TE Garrett Griffin
New York Jets
- Promoted: QB Mike White
- Activated from IR: LB Frankie Luvu
- Placed on IR: CB Bless Austin
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: RB Elijah Holyfield, DT T.Y. McGill, DE Joe Ostman, TE Caleb Wilson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated from IR: DT Chris Wormley
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: LB Jordan Kunaszyk, T David Steinmetz
Here are Friday’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Trace McSorley
Chicago Bears
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OL Lachavious Simmons
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Denico Autry
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Lamarcus Joyner
New York Jets
- Signed to one-year extension: OL Conor McDermott
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB T.J. Logan; Logan remains on IR
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on IR: TE Nick Boyle, CB Terrell Bonds
- Signed from practice squad: S Geno Stone
Denver Broncos
- Released: CB Davontae Harris
Green Bay Packers
- Activated off IR: WR Allen Lazard
Houston Texans
- Activated off reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Jacob Martin
Indianapolis Colts
- Released: DT Sheldon Day
- Activated off PUP: DE Kemoko Turay
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Clelin Ferrell, S Lamarcus Joyner
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed from practice squad: OL Brett Jones
New York Giants
- Signed: P Ryan Santoso
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted from practice squad: Michael Jacquet
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on IR: SS Johnathan Cyprien, RB JaMycal Hasty
Tennessee Titans
- Released: P Ryan Allen
Washington Football Team
- Released off IR: OL Michael Liedtke
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Matt Ioannidis
Here are Thursday’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S Deon Bush
- Placed on IR: DL Roy Robertson-Harris (story)
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: DE Cassius Marsh
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Travis Ross
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: P Trevor Daniel, LS Matt Overton
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Devon Kennard, CB Byron Murphy
- Placed on IR: Kevin Peterson
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Marlon Humphrey
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: RB Reggie Bonnafon
- Placed on IR: LB Adarius Taylor
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Baker Mayfield
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Tyrone Crawford
- Claimed off waivers from Colts: DL Ron’Dell Carter
Denver Broncos
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Graham Glasgow
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Matthew Adams
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Mecole Hardman
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on IR: WR Preston Williams (story)
New York Jets
- Claimed off waivers from Giants: CB Corey Ballentine