HEADLINES

Indianapolis Colts News & Rumors

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/3/18

September 3rd, 2018 at 7:15pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:

Atlanta Falcons

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

  • Signed: DE Christian LaCouture

Chicago Bears

Signed:

Cleveland Browns

Signed:

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Signed:

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Signed:

New York Giants

Oakland Raiders

San Francisco 49ers

  • Signed: OL Zack Golditch

Seattle Seahawks

Signed:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Signed:

Tennessee Titans

Sunday NFL Transactions: AFC South

September 2nd, 2018 at 4:07pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC South teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Texans, Colts, Jaguars, and Titans are noted below.

Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s AFC South transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:

Houston Texans

Claimed:

Cut:

Placed on injured reserve:

Practice squad:

Indianapolis Colts

Claimed:

Cut:

Placed on injured reserve:

Practice squad:

Jacksonville Jaguars

Practice squad:

Tennessee Titans

Practice squad:

* = practice squad exception

Colts Cut Austin Howard, Reach 53-Man Roster

September 1st, 2018 at 3:43pm CST by Zachary Links

The Colts are at the 53-man roster max after making a bundle of transactions, including the release of offensive tackle Austin Howard.

[RELATED: Colts Cut John Simon]

The Colts invested $1.3MM guaranteed in Howard, but he was medically cleared until late July and struggled in camp and during the preseason. The Colts dangled him in trade talks this week, but there were no takers for him.

Despite his issues this summer, Howard had a solid 2017 with the Ravens and graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 36 offensive tackle. If healthy, he could draw interest from other teams.

The Colts also placed defensive end Chris McCain, linebacker Jeremiah George, defensive end Anthony Johnson, and tight end Ross Travis on injured reserve.

Here’s a look at the rest of the Colts’ moves:

Waived:

Last year, Bond ascended to the starting center job when Ryan Kelly broke his foot late in training camp. Unfortunately, a torn quad landed him on IR in October. This year, he’ll be looking for work elsewhere.

Alie-Cox was a former basketball player looking to transition to tight end. Although Antonio Gates and others have successfully made the jump, Alie-Cox has yet to find similar success.

In addition to the aforementioned moves, the Colts also waived the following players with an injury designation. If they clear waivers, then they revert to the Colts’ Injured Reserve list:

Colts To Acquire WR Marcus Johnson From Seahawks

September 1st, 2018 at 2:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Marcus Johnson will head to another new team this year. A two-trade offseason will ensue for the wide receiver; the Colts agreed to acquire him from the Seahawks, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com tweets.

The Colts are sending tight end Darrell Daniels to Seattle, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. This will mark an interesting second-year UDFA-for-second-year UDFA exchange.

The Seahawks acquired Johnson from the Eagles in the Michael Bennett trade earlier this year. Now, the Colts will add Johnson to a thin wideout corps — one that lost promising rookie Deon Cain for the season.

Johnson collected a Super Bowl ring last year as a rookie, catching five passes for 45 yards last season. The 6-foot-1, 204-pound pass-catcher showed a nice rapport with Russell Wilson this preseason, per Henderson, but the Seahawks’ receiver contingent is slightly more crowded than the Colts’.

Daniels will join a Seahawks tight end corps that lost Jimmy Graham. Daniels played in 12 Colts contests last season and caught three passes.

 

Colts Cut John Simon

September 1st, 2018 at 2:26pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Colts have released veteran edge rusher John Simon, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

New defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus planned to play Simon at defensive end rather than middle or strongside linebacker. At 6’2″ and 260 pounds, that was perhaps too tall of an order for the veteran. Simon played well during the preseason after being listed as a potential roster cut during the summer, but Indy still decided to move on.

Simon signed a three-year, $14MM deal with the Colts just last year, but he had no guaranteed money remaining on his deal. The Colts will save $3.28MM against the cap by releasing Simon.

Colts To Release RB Branden Oliver

September 1st, 2018 at 11:15am CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts’ running back room will not feature Branden Oliver. Despite the team bringing in the former Chargers backup this offseason, Oliver will not be a part of its 53-man roster, Stephen Holder of The Athletic tweets.

Indianapolis may or may not have projected starter Marlon Mack for Week 1 because of a hamstring injury but appears to be going with a much younger running back contingent nonetheless.

Jordan Wilkins and Nyheim Hines joined the Colts as rookies, and the team has Christine Michael as well. Robert Turbin is also a factor, although he’s suspended for four games.

Oliver hasn’t surpassed 100 rushing yards in a season since his 2014 rookie year, when the Chargers called upon him to start seven games.

 

Colts’ Austin Howard, Eagles’ Chance Warmack Among OL On Trade Block?

August 31st, 2018 at 7:25pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Colts tackle Austin Howard, Eagles guard Chance Warmack, Bears center Hroniss Grasu, and Raiders tackle Jylan Ware are among the offensive linemen who could be made available via trade this weekend, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com.

Trade candidates are often simply players who will be released if no offer is made, and Howard is a clear case of that principle. The Colts already invested $1.3MM guaranteed in Howard, but he’s not a lock to open as Indianapolis’ starting right tackle or even make the club’s 53-man roster. A veteran of 92 NFL games, Howard wasn’t medically cleared until late July and has struggled in camp and during the preseason.

Warmack, too, looks like a candidate for release, as he hasn’t been included on numerous Eagles roster projections. Philadelphia extended Warmack last September, adding an extra year (2018) to his contract while guaranteeing $500K of his $1MM base salary. A trade would be especially beneficial to the Eagles, then, as an acquiring team would take on that base salary guarantee. Philadelphia could use the cap space, as it ranks a bottom-five team in financial reserves.

Both Grasu and Ware are also on the roster bubble with their respective teams. Neither offers much experience: Grasu, a third-round pick in 2015, has been beset by injuries and appeared in just 14 games, while Ware, a 2017 seventh-rounder, has just one contest under his belt.

Colts To Cut DB T.J. Green

August 31st, 2018 at 3:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

A former second-round pick who’s made 11 starts in his two NFL seasons, T.J. Green posted on social media the Colts are cutting him.

Chuck Pagano pushed hard for Ryan Grigson to draft Green in 2016, per Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). Green suffered a hamstring injury and will be waived with an injury designation, per Stephen Holder of The Athletic (via Twitter), adding an injury settlement may be in the cards if Green goes unclaimed on waivers.

Behind Malik Hooker and Matthias Farley, Indianapolis employs Clayton Geathers, former trade acquisition Ronald Martin and 2018 free agent addition Robinson Therezie. Green started seven games last season and made 42 tackles.

Colts’ Tyquan Lewis To Miss Time

August 30th, 2018 at 12:23pm CST by Zachary Links

Colts second round pick Tyquan Lewis is expected to miss nine weeks with a foot injury, according to Zak Keefer of the Indy Star (on Twitter). The injury complicates the Colts’ roster decisions heading into Saturday’s deadline and may make the defensive lineman a candidate for the injured reserve list. 

The league’s IR rules permit each team to bring two players back from IR each season. The player does not have to be earmarked for return in advance, but the player must spend at least eight weeks on the inactive list. If Lewis is parked on IR, he’d be able to return during the Colts’ Week 9 bye and play in their Week 10 contest against the Jaguars. If left on the 53-man roster, he might not be able to play before the club’s Week 8 game versus the Raiders, so this may be a no-brainer decision for the Colts.

Lewis, a 6’4″ Ohio State product, tallied 23 sacks over the course of his final three seasons in college. When healthy, he figures to see a decent amount of time in the Colts’ defensive end rotation.

The Colts project to start Denico Autry and Jabaal Sheard at defensive end in Week 1 with support from Chris McCain and others.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/27/18

August 27th, 2018 at 3:17pm CST by Zachary Links

NFL teams are making roster moves in advance of Saturday’s 53-man deadline. We’ll keep track of the minor moves here:

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Minnesota Vikings

  • Waived: C Jacob Judd

Oakland Raiders

  • Signed: CB Jarell Carter

New England Patriots

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Signed: S Ironhead Gallon

Tennessee Titans

  • Signed: RB Lenard Tillery
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