Colts’ Malik Hooker To Miss 4-6 Weeks
Colts safety Malik Hooker will be out for 4-6 weeks with a torn meniscus, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. For now, the club will turn to fourth-round rookie Khari Willis. 
It’s a tough blow to the Colts’ secondary, but they might be able to survive without him as they ride a two game winning streak. Regardless, his toughness will be missed – Hooker actually re-entered after suffering the injury against the Falcons and finished the game.
Next up for the Colts, sans Hooker – a Week 4 matchup against the Raiders in Indianapolis. After that, they’ll face the Chiefs, Texans, Broncos, Steelers, and Dolphins.
Hooker graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 14 overall safety last season, a marketed improvement from his seven-game rookie slate. So far this year, he has one interception and ten tackles through three games.
Colts Release Spencer Ware
The Colts have released Spencer Ware, who was previously placed on injured reserve, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com relays, adding that Ware will be free to sign with any team next week.
Ware tore a ligament in his knee this past offseason and while the Colts placed him on the PUP list, the running back was not thrilled with that decision. “I am NOT done for [the] season,” Ware tweeted at the time (via Yahoo Sports). “When things happen you have to adjust and treat accordingly. I’m going to play THIS YEAR, so there are things that need to be done before that happens that’ll put me in the best case scenario. MINOR, MINOR, MINOR setback because of timing.”
It was reported last month, that Ware and the Colts were planning on reaching an injury settlement. Apparently, that has happened and the former Chiefs running back will attempt to play this season.
Colts Stash Chad Kelly On Practice Squad
The Colts were able to move Chad Kelly through waivers, and the third-year quarterback will stay with the team.
No one claimed Kelly on waivers, and the Colts signed him to their practice squad Thursday. The Colts waived Kelly on Wednesday, rather than activate him from his suspension, and had hoped to keep him on their 10-man taxi squad.
Indianapolis’ roster houses only two quarterbacks, Jacoby Brissett and Brian Hoyer, and Kelly will have a chance to continue to develop with the team he’s been with for a few months. Due to an October 2018 arrest, which led to his Broncos departure, the 25-year-old passer was suspended for the season’s first two weeks.
To make room for Kelly, the Colts released tackle Tyree St. Louis from their practice squad.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/18/19
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad decisions:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on practice squad IR: RB Mark Thompson
Indianapolis Colts
- Cut: RB Bruce Anderson
New York Giants
- Signed: RB Austin Walter
- Cut: TE C.J. Conrad
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB Craig James
- Cut: TE Alex Ellis
Colts Waive QB Chad Kelly
Instead of reinstating Chad Kelly after his two-game suspension’s conclusion, the Colts opted to waive the third-year passer. But Kelly remains an option for the team going forward.
If Kelly clears waivers, the Colts are expected to stash him on their practice squad, Mike Chappell of CBS4 notes. The Colts had two days to either activate Kelly, thus promoting him to their 53-man roster, or cut him.
Kelly landed with the Colts in May. The team does not currently have a third-string quarterback or a passer on its practice squad.
The Broncos made the Ole Miss product 2017’s Mr. Irrelevant, and while he missed all of his rookie season, Kelly usurped Paxton Lynch on Denver’s depth chart during the 2018 preseason and entered that year as Case Keenum‘s backup. However, an October 2018 arrest led to Kelly’s Broncos departure and this two-game suspension.
NFL Workout Updates: 9/17/19
Here are Tuesday’s updates from the workout circuit, all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter unless otherwise noted.
Atlanta Falcons
- LB Carroll Phillips (per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, on Twitter)
Cleveland Browns
- T Dino Boyd, G Colby Gossett, G Malcolm Pridgeon (Twitter links via Balzer and the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson)
Dallas Cowboys
- T Paul Adams, WR Quincy Adeboyejo, CB Deante Burton, DT Justin Hamilton, DE Willie Henry, LB Jawaun Johnson, S Josh Jones, WR DaMarkus Lodge, WR Anthony Ratliff-Williams (via ESPN.com’s Todd Archer)
Detroit Lions
- RB Benny Cunningham, RB Quinton Flowers, DE Durrant Miles, CB Marcus Sherels, LB James Vaughters (link)
Green Bay Packers
- WR Keon Hatcher, RB Bo Scarbrough, RB Austin Walter, DL Anthony Zettel (Twitter links)
Indianapolis Colts
- T Gerhard deBeer, Christian DiLauro, Brandon Hitner, C James Murray (link)
New Orleans Saints
- LB Ray-Ray Armstrong, QB J.T. Barrett, TE Crockett Gillmore, WR Krishawn Hogan, TE Gabe Holmes, QB Chad Kanoff, WR Jordan Matthews, TE Brian Parker, LB Brian Peters, LB Malcolm Smith, WR Deonte Thompson, QB Phillip Walker (link)
New York Jets
- LB B.J. Bello, CB Jordan Brown, CB Nigel Harris, CB Joshua Holsey, Shakial Taylor, CB Ahmad Thomas (link)
Oakland Raiders
- WR Jamal Custis (Twitter link via Wilson)
San Francisco 49ers
- LS Jon Condo, LS Garrison Sanborn, LS Drew Scott, T Sam Young (Twitter links via Balzer and ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter)
Seattle Seahawks
- LB Malik Carney, CB Jeremy Clark, S Adrian Colbert, DT Lyndon Johnson, CB Greg Mabin, CB Duke Thomas (link)
Washington Redskins
- RB Josh Ferguson, RB De’Angelo Henderson (Twitter links via Rapoport and NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo)
Colts Hold Kicker Workout
Despite Adam Vinatieri not opting to retire, the Colts held a kicker audition. The team worked out Cody Parkey, Elliott Fry and Younghoe Koo, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. This workout occurred today, after Vinatieri decided not to retire, NFL reporter Howard Balzer tweets. Also part of the audition: Greg Joseph, Chase McLaughlin and Cole Hedlund, per Balzer.
None of these kickers has signed with Indianapolis yet, but the 1-1 team is doing due diligence in light of Vinatieri’s rough start to the season.
Parkey worked out for the Jets recently, but Gang Green went with a Kaare Vedvik waiver claim instead. They now have Sam Ficken at kicker. Parkey has not kicked in a game since his infamous double-doink sequence ended the 2018 Bears’ season, but he has five seasons’ experience.
Koo has also participated in workouts but has not kicked since some late-game misses cost him his Chargers job early in 2017. A South Carolina alum, Fry has yet to kick in an NFL game. Neither has Hedlund, who kicked at Arkansas and North Texas. Joseph served as the Browns’ kicker last season, taking Zane Gonzalez‘s job in September 2018. He did not win Cleveland’s kicking competition this year. McLaughlin did not make the Bills out of camp. He kicked at the University of Illinois from 2015-18.
This is not yet an ominous sign for Vinatieri, but the 46-year-old kicking icon may now be on notice. The future Hall of Famer may be kicking for his job in Week 3.
NFL Workout Updates: 9/16/19
We’ve got another batch of workout updates from the past few days, all via veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer on Twitter (unless otherwise noted):
Detroit Lions
- OT Caleb Benenoch, OL Justin Evans, CB Alexander Myres, CB KeiVarae Russell, OT Zach Sterup
Houston Texans
- OT Caleb Benenoch (via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle on Twitter)
Indianapolis Colts
- LB Curtis Akins, S Corrion Ballard, S Briean Boddy-Calhoun, DT Carl Davis, DT Deon Simon, RB David Williams (via Wilson)
Miami Dolphins
New Orleans Saints
- LB B.J. Bello, LB Andrew Dowell, LB Connor Strachan
Oakland Raiders
San Francisco 49ers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- WR Amara Darboh, WR Ryan Davis, WR Ishmael Hyman (via Wilson)
Adam Vinatieri To Remain Colts’ Kicker
Adam Vinatieri has struggled to start his 24th NFL season, missing three extra points and two field goals in the Colts’ two games. Rumors of a possible Monday retirement announcement surfaced, but that will not take place.
The 46-year-old kicking icon will remain the Colts’ kicker for Week 3, Frank Reich confirmed. “Adam’s our kicker. … He’s an instrumental leader on our team,” Reich said, per the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson (on Twitter).
Reich and Vinatieri met Monday, and the future Hall of Famer will be given another chance. Jim Irsay expressed concern about Vinatieri on Sunday, but the Colts are standing by their kicker of the past 14 seasons. The Colts lost 30-24 in overtime to the Chargers in Week 1, after Vinatieri’s three misses, and narrowly edged the Titans 19-17 after Vinatieri’s two PAT misfires.
Last season, Vinatieri hit 23 of 27 field goals and 44 of 47 extra points. He will need to bounce back quickly to head toward those benchmarks (or finish the season as a Colt). Reich said Chris Ballard will decide whether or not additional kickers are brought in to work out, per Erickson (on Twitter).
Latest On Adam Vinatieri, Colts
Following an uncharacteristically-poor performance in Week 1, Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri struggled again during today’s win over the Titans. Following the game, owner Jim Irsay acknowledged that the team’s struggles at kicker are a concern.
“Breaks my heart to see it because I know how hard (Vinatieri) works,” Irsay said (via ESPN’s Mike Wells). “Of course it’s a concern. I can’t lie to you guys. Anyone would tell you it’s a concern. Adam, coach (Frank Reich), (general manager) Chris (Ballard), me. Yeah, I mean, in this league, it’s professional football. We all have to produce.
“The expectation is to win when you’re a professional. So we have to figure out where we’re at there and see what coach and Chris think is the best direction. And I know Adam will be the most self-honest person of all, so we’ll see where we’re at.”
Meanwhile, while Vinatieri didn’t say much following the victory, he did indicate that we’d hear from him on Monday. When told by reporters that tomorrow was a day off, the veteran had the same response: “Yeah, you will (hear from me).”
We’re all familiar with the future Hall of Famer’s accolades. Vinatieri made a name for himself by converting game-winning field goals during Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII, and he’s earned another two rings during his career with the Patriots and Colts. He currently holds NFL records for most points scored (2,600) and most field goals made (582). He also holds the distinction of being the oldest active NFL player at 46 years old.
While Vinatieri’s field goal percentage dropped each year between 2015 and 2018, he was still more-than-reliable. However, the 24-year veteran has struggled mightily in 2019. He missed a pair of field goal attempts and one extra point attempt in Week 1, and he followed that up by missing a pair of extra point attempts today.
While Reich seemed to place Vinatieri’s struggles on the “snap and hold,” there’s no denying that the veteran may simply be ready to call it a career.