Indianapolis Colts News & Rumors

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/29/21

Today’s taxi squad moves:

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

New York Giants

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

Colts Worked Out CB D.J. Hayden

The Colts are eyeing some cornerbacks. The team worked out D.J. Hayden and Grant Haley today, according to Aaron Wilson (via Twitter).

Hayden hasn’t lived up to his 12th-overall selection in the 2013 draft, but to his credit, he’s put together an eight-year career. The veteran spent the past three seasons in Jacksonville, but he bounced on and off injured reserve in 2020 while dealing with a hamstring injury. The 31-year-old ultimately saw time in five games during his final season in Jacksonville, collecting 18 tackles.

Hayden didn’t end up catching on with a team this offseason. He auditioned for the Bears last week, his first reported visit of the season.

Haley went undrafted out of Penn State in 2018, but he still saw time in 25 games through his first two seasons in the NFL, collecting 76 tackles with the Giants. He spent much of the 2020 season with the Saints, although he only saw time in one game. He was cut by New Orleans in late August.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/28/21

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Indianapolis Colts

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Tennessee Titans

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Football Team

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/28/21

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Los Angeles Rams

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Colts Shopping Marlon Mack

The Colts and running back Marlon Mack are going their separate ways (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). The two sides have mutually agreed to seek a trade, allowing Mack to find a better opportunity elsewhere. 

Jonathan Taylor is firmly entrenched as the Colts’ workhorse tailback while pass-catching specialist Nyheim Hines has just inked a three-year, $18.6MM deal with $12MM guaranteed. That doesn’t leave much left for Mack, who is finally back to 100% health after last year’s Achilles tear. There’s nothing imminent yet, per Pelissero’s sources, but a deal could come together between now and the early November trade deadline.

Mack, 25, isn’t far removed from his two impressive seasons with the Colts. Between the 2018 and 2019 campaigns, he compiled 2,184 yards from scrimmage and 18 touchdowns. He also added another 200 yards and one touchdown in a pair of playoff games. However, he was limited to only a single game and seven touches after tearing his Achilles in last year’s season opener.

To the surprise of many, the Colts re-upped Mack on a one-year, $2MM deal in the spring. His low-cost contract should hold appeal for contenders in need.

Colts To Start Carson Wentz

The Colts will start Carson Wentz today against the Titans (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). This marks a shockingly fast turnaround for the quarterback, who suffered injuries to both of his ankles last week. 

[RELATED: Colts Promote DT Antwaun Woods]

Wentz told reporters on Wednesday that he was “throwing the kitchen sink” at his injured ankles in hopes of getting ready. Then, he managed to return to practice on Friday and got through his drills without any setbacks. Still, he had to practice with his ankles heavily taped, so backup Jacob Eason will go into today’s game ready to play, if necessary. Brett Hundley has also been elevated from the practice squad in case of emergency.

Things haven’t gone according to plan for the Colts so far. Now 0-2, they’ve already allowed Wentz to absorb six sacks. He enters today’s game with 498 passing yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.

On the other side of the ball, they’ll have support from newly promoted defensive tackle Antwuan Woods. Woods, 28, played on 57% of the Cowboys’ snaps in 2018 and worked as a full-time starter. The former UDFA started 10 games in 2019 but saw his role reduced during a woeful Dallas defensive season in 2020. He could have an opportunity to shine again as he takes linebacker Jordan Glasgow‘s spot on the active roster.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/25/21

The weekly Saturday bunch of minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Promoted: WR Juwan Green

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Colts Promote DT Antwaun Woods

The Colts quickly signed Antwaun Woods after his Cowboys release in May but did not play him during the season’s first two games. The veteran defensive tackle is on track to make his Indianapolis debut in Week 3.

Woods, 28, will rise from the Colts’ practice squad to their active roster, with the team clearing a spot by placing linebacker Jordan Glasgow on IR Friday.

A 32-game Cowboys starter from 2018-20, Woods received his walking papers in new Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn‘s initial months on the job. The Colts signed Woods less than a week later but released him just before Week 1. Indy, however, gave Woods a practice squad gig shortly after.

While the Colts are set at defensive tackle, with DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart entrenched as starters, Woods would be in line to provide some depth. The Colts have two former UDFAs — Taylor Stallworth and Chris Williams — stationed behind their starters presently. Known more for his run-stopping abilities than interior pass-rushing work, Woods played 57% of the Cowboys’ snaps in 2018 and worked as a full-time starter. The former UDFA started 10 games in 2019 but saw his role reduced during a woeful Dallas defensive season in 2020.

Colts Audition T Isaiah Wilson

Ahead of the Colts’ Week 3 game against the Titans, they are working out a recent Tennessee first-round bust. Isaiah Wilson trekked to Indianapolis for an audition, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.

One of the 2020 draft’s top tackle prospects, Wilson flamed out of Tennessee fast. After myriad issues limited Wilson to four snaps as a rookie, the Titans traded him to the Dolphins earlier this year. The Dolphins waived Wilson not long after acquiring him, leaving last year’s 29th overall pick out of football 11 months after being drafted.

Wilson’s laundry list of issues since being drafted include two arrests — one for DUI in 2020 and another after he was involved in a high-speed car chase in January — and a trespass warning for attending a party on the Tennessee State campus. Wilson had two stints on the Titans’ reserve/COVID-19 list and ended the season on Tennessee’s NFI list, that coming after a team-imposed suspension. The former Georgia blocker also tweeted about potentially being done with football in February.

This Colts meeting marks Wilson’s first workout since the Dolphins cut him in March. Indianapolis has experienced persistent problems at tackle this year, however.

Eric Fisher made his debut in Week 2 after completing Achilles rehab, but standout right tackle Braden Smith is currently sidelined with foot and thumb injuries. The Colts declared Smith out for the Titans matchup. Indianapolis also lost Sam Tevi for the season with an ACL tear.

Colts’ Carson Wentz Returns To Practice

A welcome surprise for the Colts. Quarterback Carson Wentz returned to practice on Friday, which means he could potentially play on Sunday against the Titans. 

Wentz was forced out in the fourth quarter against the Rams on Sunday, when his right ankle visibly twisted beneath defensive lineman Aaron Donald. Meanwhile, his left ankle was also sprained, which signaled that he’d be out for one game, at minimum.

He rolled it up pretty bad,” Colts head coach Frank Reich said earlier this week. “I had a sense when he walked off the field. It didn’t look good. Sometimes if you go back in right away when it’s still warm you can maybe gut out a few more plays. The longer we were off the field, it stiffened up and he tried, but there was no chance.”

The Colts won’t rush Wentz back to the field, so Jacob Eason could still be in line to start this week. Beyond them, Brett Hundley stands as the next QB up with Sam Ehlinger on injured reserve.