Guard Hugh Thornton Retires From NFL
Former Colts guard Hugh Thornton is retiring from the NFL. He signed a free agent deal with the Falcons in March, but he has decided to walk away from the game less than two months later. 
Thornton, 26 in June, started 32 games for the Colts from 2013-2015. The former third-round pick was held back by injuries and had not seen regular season action since December 2015. The reason for his retirement is not immediately known, but it’s safe to assume that his recovery has not gone according to plan.
The former third round pick was slated to be one of the top guard backups for Atlanta this year, offering support to Andy Levitre and Ryan Schraeder. Now, the Falcons will look to 2016 sixth round pick Wes Schweitzer and 2017 fourth round pick as the top reserves at the position.
Holder: Darius Butler Likely Will Play CB
- The Colts‘ first-round selection of Malik Hooker looks to halt Darius Butler‘s wishes to play safety, Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star writes. Butler re-signed with the Colts on a one-year, $3MM deal but did so in hopes the team would allow him to transition to safety full-time. But Holder notes that Hooker unexpectedly falling to No. 15 should push Butler back to the nickel role, where he’d work in the slot.
Colts Sign 18 Undrafted Players
The Colts announced the signing of 18 undrafted players, bringing their roster to the 90-man max. Here’s the full list:
- Deyshawn Bond, OG (Cincinnati)
- Dalton Crossan, RB (New Hampshire)
- Darrell Daniels, TE (Washington)
- Trey Griffey, WR (Arizona)
- Thomas Hennessy, LS (Duke):
- Bug Howard, WR (North Carolina)
- Jerome Lane, WR (Akron)
- Chris Lyles, CB (Mississippi College)
- Christopher Muller, G (Rutgers)
- JoJo Natson, WR (Akron)
- Reggie Porter, CB (Utah)
- Brandon Radcliff, RB (Louisville)
- Rigoberto Sanchez, P (Hawaii)
- Garrett Sickels, OLB (Penn State)
- Jhaustin Thomas, DE (Iowa State)
- Jerry Ugokwe, OT (William & Mary)
- P.J. Walker, QB (Temple)
Sanchez has experience in both kicking and punting. Last year at Hawaii, he averaged 44.6 yards per punt and nailed all 13 of his field goal tries. According to Stephen Holder of the Indy Star (on Twitter), Sanchez received a $12K bonus, which is rather high for a kicker.
Griffey is the son of baseball great Ken Griffey Jr. The wide receiver had 23 catches for 382 yards and two scores in his final season at Arizona.
Walker is Temple’s all-time leader in completions, passing yards, and touchdowns. In 2016, he threw for 3,295 yards with 22 touchdowns against 13 interceptions. His yardage and TD totals marked a career high.
Colts Waive Isiah Cage
- The Colts announced today that they’ve waived guard Isiah Cage. Cage, 23, signed with Indianapolis last spring after going undrafted out of Division III Wisconsin Eau-Claire. Less than a month after inking a deal with the Colts, Cage suffered was waived/injured and reverted to the club’s injured reserve list, where he spent the entirety of his rookie campaign. This time around, Cage will become a free agent if he passes through waivers unclaimed.
Former Ravens RB Justin Forsett Retires
Justin Forsett is retiring. The longtime NFL running back is hanging up his cleats after nine seasons. 
“It’s time. I’m officially announcing my retirement from the game I love,” Forsett wrote. “Its been an amazing ride and I’m grateful for every moment. My career has brought so many great people into my life, and I asked some of them to join me in saying goodbye. Against all odds, critics, and naysayers, I accomplished something great. Scouts measured my height and said I was too short. They measured my 40-yard dash and said I was too slow. They looked at my build and said I wouldn’t last. But they couldn’t measure my heart, my faith, and my perseverance. I am living proof that dreams come true and God answers prayers, and I thank God everyday for the opportunity to live out my dream.”
Forsett was a backup for the first six years of his career until 2014 when he got his big opportunity with the Ravens. As Baltimore’s lead back, he ran for 1,266 yards and eight touchdowns en route to his first Pro Bowl selection.
After being held back by injuries in 2015, the Ravens cut him loose early in the 2016 season. In 44 combined carries for the Lions and Ravens in the fall, he posted just over 3.0 yards per rush on 44 tries. When he later hooked on with the Broncos, he averaged a mere 3.6 yards per carry on 43 attempts. Entering what would have been his age-32 season, it was clear that Forsett’s best football was behind him.
Forsett will be fondly remembered for his impressive 2014 campaign and his positive locker room influence. PFR wishes Forsett all the best in retirement.
Bills Claim CB Charles James
The Bills announced on Tuesday that the team has claimed cornerback Charles James off waivers. James was cut by the Colts on Monday. 
[RELATED: Bills Decline Sammy Watkins’ Option]
James, a 5’9″, 186-pound Charleston Southern product, took the field for 12 of the Giants’ contests as a rookie in 2013 and another 21 with the Texans from 2015-16, including 12 last season. While with Houston, James enjoyed some celebrity as the standout star of 2015’s “Hard Knocks.” The hard knocks of the league have caused him to bounce around a bit, but he’ll look to stick with Buffalo.
The Bills added another veteran corner this week with the signing of Shareece Wright.
Colts Fire Jimmy Raye III
- Rookie general manager Chris Ballard‘s restructuring of the Colts’ scouting department has led to the ouster of Jimmy Raye III. The Colts parted with Raye, their former vice president of football operations, on Monday, tweets Albert Breer of The MMQB. The two sides split on “amicable” terms, per Breer. At one point this past winter, Raye looked like the favorite to succeed the fired Ryan Grigson as the Colts’ GM. Now, he’ll presumably look to catch on with another team’s front office.
Colts Cut 10 Players
There was a house cleaning Monday in Indianapolis, which rid itself of 10 players. In addition to releasing long snapper Matt Overton, safety Duke Williams and cornerback Charles James, the Colts waived linebackers Alex Bazzie and Deon King, punter Devon Bell, long snapper Joe Fortunato, safety Stefan McClure, cornerback Larry Scott and wide receiver Devin Street.
Overton was the longest-tenured and most successful Colt of the group, as he became their long snapper in 2012, made the Pro Bowl in 2013 and posted five straight 16-game seasons. After his release, the 31-year-old took to Twitter to express his gratitude toward the Colts and a desire to continue his career.
Williams and James only played one game apiece with the Colts last year, but they previously logged extensive action with other teams. Williams appeared in all 48 of the Bills’ games from 2013-15 and another nine last year, accumulating 10 starts during that span. James took the field for 12 of the Giants’ contests as a rookie in 2013 and another 21 with the Texans from 2015-16, including 12 last season.
Like Overton, Williams and James, King and Street have also accrued NFL experience. King, undrafted from Norfolk State last year, suited up for six games as a rookie – four with the Chargers, two with the Colts – though he managed only one tackle. Street was also involved in six contests last season, all with Indy, and caught one pass on six targets. He hauled in nine throws with the Cowboys from 2014-15.
Colts To Make Personnel Changes
The Colts made a change by ousting GM Ryan Grigson and bringing in Chris Ballard, but with Jim Irsay waiting until a few weeks had transpired in the offseason to fire Grigson and begin a search, the team did not make a sweeping staff overhaul immediately following Ballard’s arrival. After the draft, though, the franchise has more changes planned.
T.J. McCreight will not see a sixth season running the Colts’ scouting department, with ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reporting (via Twitter) the Colts are moving on from their director of college scouting. Schefter adds that others within the department won’t be back under Ballard, who already has some new scouting staffers in mind, according to the Indianapolis Star’s Stephen Holder (on Twitter).
Holder adds that the changes to the franchise’s personnel department will be widespread (Twitter link), but considering Ballard’s late-January hire, letting the scouts continue through the draft isn’t exactly surprising. McCreight spent five seasons working under Grigson after arriving from the Cardinals, with whom he served as the director of pro personnel.
One new staffer the Colts are interested in: Seahawks senior personnel executive Ed Dodds. Both Holder and CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora report (Twitter links) that Dodds is a Ballard target. Dodds has been on the Colts’ radar for more than a month. Ballard decided to make this scouting pivot now rather than have scouts working in a largely lame-duck capacity going forward.
Colts DT David Parry Avoids Jail Time
Colts DT David Parry, who was arrested in late February and charged with theft of a means of transportation and resisting arrest with physical force — both felonies — pleaded guilty to two lesser charges last week, per Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. Holder writes that Parry pleaded guilty to attempted unlawful means of transportation, a low-level felony charge, and disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, which will allow him to avoid jail time. Parry will be put on supervised probation at a sentencing hearing on May 31, but the length of the probation is currently unknown (presumably it will be at the judge’s discretion).
Parry was reportedly one of three passengers in a street-legal golf cart whose driver was ultimately the victim who contacted police. Per the victim, once the other two riders had been dropped off, Parry hit the driver in the head and stole the cart. Police later found the cart crashed into a gate, with Parry, apparently intoxicated, on the sidewalk.
The incident and subsequent court proceedings took place in Arizona, but the probation can be transferred to Indiana and as Holder writes, the guilty plea should have minimal effect on Parry’s ability to play in the NFL (though he could, of course, face a fine and suspension under the NFL’s personal conduct policy). However, Parry still faces a DUI charge as a result of the incident, which will be resolved in a different court.
Parry, 25, was selected by the Colts in the fifth round of the 2015 draft. Over the first two years of his NFL career, Parry has started every game and racked up four sacks. Last year, Parry graded as just the No. 110 interior defender among 127 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. Entering the third year of his rookie deal, Parry is set to make the minimum in 2017, with a cap charge of roughly $670K. And now that the club has added Johnathan Hankins, Margus Hunt, and fourth-round pick Grover Stewart, Parry could be on the outside looking in.
Colts GM Chris Ballard has suggested Parry’s place on the roster will be determined by his on-field performance, but his legal trouble certainly won’t help him.