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Indianapolis Colts News & Rumors

NFL Teams Showing Interest In Rugby Stars

November 29th, 2016 at 9:10am CST by Zachary Links

Last year, rugby star Jarryd Hayne signed with the 49ers and tried his hand at the NFL. His stay in the league was short, but there are now a pair of rugby standouts that are hoping to follow his footsteps. Australian Rugby League players Valentine Holmes and Jason Taumalolo tried out for teams on Saturday, as Howard Balzer of BalzerFootball.com tweets.

The Bills, Bears, Browns, Packers, Colts, Jaguars, Chiefs, Rams, Jets, Eagles, Chargers, Seahawks, Cardinals, and the 49ers were all in attendance for the workout (Twitter link). Taumalolo, 23, and Holmes, 21, ran passing routes, underwent speed and agility tests, and ran the 40-yard dash, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Taumalolo hears that he could project to fullback, tight end, or linebacker while Holmes was pegged as a wide receiver or safety.

At least four NFL teams expressed interest in taking a second look at the duo, the Australian Associated Press reports. Scouts from the Packers, Eagles, Jets, Chiefs and Cardinals appeared to be the most interested. The AAP writes that both players intend on fulfilling their NRL contracts for 2017, but one has to imagine that they could change their minds if presented with an NFL offer.

Colts To Bring Trent Cole Off IR

November 28th, 2016 at 7:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

Trent Cole returned to practice today, and the Colts are paving a path for the veteran pass-rusher to return from IR. The team designated Cole as its IR-return candidate, Howard Balzer of All22.com reports (via Twitter).

The Colts placed Cole on IR in September with a back injury, and he underwent surgery soon after. Indianapolis will have 21 days to determine whether or not Cole will return to game action after using him in practice Monday. That puts his return in the early- to mid-December range, should this process unfold to the organization’s liking.

Cole is in the second season of a two-year, $14MM deal. Although, he accepted a significant pay cut to reduce his 2016 salary to $7.125MM to $4.875MM. At 34, the former Eagles stalwart end’s career is coming to a close. However, the Colts do not have a plethora of edge-rushing contributors.

Erik Walden leads the team with eight sacks, with 35-year-old veteran Robert Mathis having recorded three — second on the team. Indianapolis also lost Kendall Langford for the season earlier this month. The Colts sit 20th in the league with 22 sacks.

However, no other prominent Colts reside on the team’s IR, so a Cole return is logical. He’s yet to notch a sack this season and matched his career low with three in 2015, but the 12th-year player has 88.5 in his career.

Colts QB Andrew Luck On Track To Return

November 28th, 2016 at 11:20am CST by Zachary Links

Andrew Luck was forced to sit out Thursday night with a concussion, but it looks like he’ll be in uniform for the Colts on Monday. The quarterback was on the practice field today as Indianapolis prepares for Monday’s game against the Jets, as Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star tweets. It’s not immediately clear if Luck has completed the league’s concussion protocol yet, but he can’t be far off. Andrew Luck (vertical)

Without Luck, the Colts were forced to turn to Scott Tolzien under center. Predictably, the offense wasn’t quite the same and the Colts succumbed to the Steelers who were powered by Antonio Brown‘s three touchdown performance.

If Luck is given the green light for this week, the Colts will likely bump Tolzien back to No. 2 and cut Stephen Morris. Throughout the year, the Colts have been using two QBs on the 53-man roster, so Morris figures to be on the chopping block. If Morris clears waivers, he could be re-signed to the practice squad, where he has spent most of the season.

Now at 5-6, the Colts are still in the divisional conversation as they sit behind the Titans (6-6) and the Texans (6-5). So far this year, Luck has completed 62.9% of his passes for 2,827 yards with 19 scores against eight interceptions.

Colts’ Andrew Luck Out Thursday

November 23rd, 2016 at 4:34pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

As expected, the Colts will be without quarterback Andrew Luck when they face the Steelers on Thanksgiving in a battle of 5-5 AFC playoff contenders. Luck suffered a concussion in the fourth quarter of the Colts’ 24-17 win over the Titans last Sunday and hasn’t practiced since.

Andrew Luck

With Luck on the shelf, the Colts will turn to backup Scott Tolzien as their starter and promote Stephen Morris from the practice squad to serve as their No. 2 signal-caller. The 29-year-old Tolzien has two NFL starts under his belt – both with the Packers in 2013 – and has completed 56 of 91 passes (61.5 percent) for 721 yards, one touchdown and five interceptions in his pro career.

Luck, who missed nine games last year with various injuries and posted underwhelming numbers, had bounced back this season prior to his latest ailment. The fifth-year man has hit on 62.9 percent of his attempts (up from 55.3 in 2015), thrown for 2,827 yards and added 19 scores against eight picks. With a Thursday game this week and a Monday night matchup against the Jets in Week 13, Luck will have extra time to work his way back for the Colts’ next contest. In the meantime, the Colts won’t have the face of their franchise against a Steelers team that crushed them, 45-10, a year ago.

Andrew Luck In Concussion Protocol

November 21st, 2016 at 5:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Andrew Luck‘s status for a Thanksgiving-night game against the Steelers is in doubt after the fifth-year quarterback ventured into concussion protocol, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

Right now, the Colts aren’t hopeful that Luck could be cleared in time for the pivotal game, so they are planning for Scott Tolzien to get the nod, Rapoport reports (on Twitter). If the backup is forced into action, it would be the second straight season the Colts will face the Steelers without Luck. Pittsburgh beat Indianapolis 45-10 in Week 13 last year.

Chuck Pagano said the team will prepare Tolzien to be the starter this week, with Luck needing to navigate several stages in hopes of returning by Thursday night. Luck is being evaluated for a concussion by this distinction since going into concussion protocol doesn’t mean the quarterback has one. Luck wasn’t feeling well after Sunday’s win against the Titans, per Pagano.

The Colts sit 5-5 and in second place in the AFC South and two games back in the conference’s wild-card race. Luck has started every game last year after missing nine starts last season, which represent his only games missed since being drafted No. 1 overall.

Formerly Aaron Rodgers‘ backup in Green Bay, Tolzien signed in Indianapolis this offseason but has scant starting experience. A Rodgers 2013 injury left Tolzien in command of the Packers’ offense briefly, but the team signed Matt Flynn after Tolzien made two starts, going 0-1-1. He’s a career 61 percent passer, with 90 of his 91 regular-season attempts coming during that 2013 stretch. The 29-year-old Tolzien has one career touchdown pass and five interceptions.

Luck’s odds at playing Thursday appear slim due to the short time between the Colts’ Week 11 and Week 12 games, with Mike Garafolo of NFL.com noting (on Twitter) Davante Adams doing so earlier this season represents among the few exceptions.

This season, Luck’s completing a career-high 62.9 percent of his throws. The former Stanford prodigy has thrown for 2,827 yards, 19 touchdowns, with eight interceptions.

Colts Move Kendall Langford To IR

November 19th, 2016 at 1:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts placed Kendall Langford on IR after the defensive end played this season with knee pain. Indianapolis promoted cornerback Christopher Milton from its practice squad to take Langford’s place on the roster.

Langford functioned as the Colts’ top defensive lineman last season after signing a free agent deal earlier that year but hasn’t been the same player in 2016. The 30-year-old 3-4 end underwent offseason arthroscopic knee surgery, and although he returned in time for the Colts’ opener and played in seven games, Langford struggled to find his form. The former Dolphins and Rams talent failed to register a sack in those seven games, this coming after he recorded a career-high seven in 2015.

Chuck Pagano announced the Colts were shutting Langford down in late October. He did not return to action, so that shutdown will be an extensive maneuver.

Langford started 16 games for Indianapolis last season after being benched by the Rams a year prior. He’s under contract through the 2018 season after signing a four-year, $22MM deal last March.

The former Dolphins third-round pick all seven of the games he played this season, bringing the ninth-year veteran’s start total to 113 in his career. Indianapolis will now turn to Hassan Ridgeway and Lavar Edwards to supplement starters Henry Anderson and Arthur Jones. Anderson is also dealing with an injury and is questionable for Week 11.

Return Possible For Colts LB Trent Cole?

November 17th, 2016 at 11:33am CST by Zachary Links

The Colts have yet to use their IR-DTR spot this season but there is some reason to believe that Trent Cole could be their one player to come back. Cole was spotted at practice today working with the team’s rehab staff, a first for the season (Twitter link via Stephen Holder of the Indy Star). It’s not immediately clear whether Cole can play again this year, but it is a promising sign.Trent Cole (vertical)

Cole was placed on injured reserve in September with a back injury and he had surgery soon after. Typically, back surgery is the type of procedure that would knock a player out for an entire season. However, it’s possible that Cole’s recovery is ahead of schedule and at 4-5, the season is still alive for Indianapolis.

The 34-year-old signed a two-year, $14MM contract with the Colts in March of 2015. In his first year with the team, Cole had just three sacks. This offseason, he accepted a pay cut that trimmed his cap hit for 2016 from $7.125MM to $4.875M, which is perhaps more in line with his ability at this stage. Eligible for free agency in the spring, a return this season could be Cole’s only chance at keeping his paycheck at the same level.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/16/16

November 16th, 2016 at 5:42pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Wednesday’s practice squad changes:

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: WR Marcus Leak (Twitter link via Mike Chappell of FOX59)
  • Cut: G Adam Redmond

Kansas City Chiefs

New England Patriots

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: WR Kenny Lawler (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times)
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