- Colts linebacker Sio Moore has a “pretty significant” hamstring injury, according to head coach Chuck Pagano, the fourth-year pro figures to be sidelined for a meaningful amount of time, writes Kevin Bowen of Colts.com. As such, D’Qwell Jackson and Nate Irving will probably serve as Indy’s starting inside linebackers in the club’s 3-4 scheme. As Roster Resource shows, the Colts have several other options on their depth chart, including Josh McNary, Antonio Morrison, and Junior Sylvestre.
The Colts are eyeing available wide receivers after waiving Josh Boyce earlier today, as head coach Chuck Pagano told reporters, including Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star, earlier today. “We have some young guys that we want to focus on a little bit,” Pagano said. “And there’s some guys out there that we’re looking at as well.”
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Indianapolis, of course, was burned by last year’s veteran wide receiver addition, as Andre Johnson posted the worst season of his 13-year career, managing only 41 receptions for just over 500 yards before being released this spring. Reserve option Griff Whalen was also cut this offseason, meaning the Colts have little in the way of depth behind T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief, though 2015 first-round pick Phillip Dorsett will be asked to play a lot more than the 212 snaps he saw last season. As Roster Resource shows, Quan Bray, Chester Rogers, Josh Stangby, and Mekale McKay are next in line behind Indy’s starting trio.
Several veteran wideouts, including Anquan Boldin and James Jones have found new homes this week, but other options such as Roddy White, Devin Hester, Marques Colston, Brian Hartline, and Denarius Moore still remain on the free agent board. Both White and Hester recently reiterated their desire to continue playing in 2016, and Hester claimed seven clubs have already reached out to him. One other intriguing name could be Vincent Brown, who was recently released with an injury settlement by the Saints — Brown spent last summer on the Colts roster before being let go during final cutdowns, so he could be a familiar face for Indianapolis, provided he’s healthy.
After Pagano made his comments regarding the wide receiver market, the Colts made another roster move, replacing pass-catcher Andre Debose with fellow wideout Andrew Opoku. It’s entirely possible that Opoku was the receiver Pagano was referring to, but clearly veteran free agents are also plentiful.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
- The Colts announced that they have waived wide receiver Josh Boyce. Boyce, a former 2013 fourth-round pick of New England, managed just nine catches for his old team. At TCU, he was the program’s all-time leader in receiving touchdowns (22). Indianapolis also announced that it has waived wide receiver Andre Debose and replaced him with fellow WR Andrew Opoku. Opoku, a converted linebacker, had four receptions at Delaware.
- The Colts have claimed guard Donovan Williams off waivers from the Bears and waived punter Michael Palardy, the team announced.
- The Colts signed running back Chase Price and linebacker Anthony Sarao, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
- A sixth-round Colts pick in 2015, linebacker Amarlo Herrera could not stick on Indianapolis’ roster long. The team cut the second-year ‘backer midway through his second training camp and also waived/injured running back Abou Toure, Mike Chappell of IndySportsCentral reports (on Twitter). Toure will revert to the Colts’ IR if unclaimed. Drafted out of Georgia, Herrera played in three games for the Colts last season. The move to cut Herrera served as a football-0nly move despite it coming before Indianapolis’ preseason debut, per Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (on Twitter).
- The Colts signed punter Michael Palardy, tweets ESPN.com’s Mike Wells. The special teamer had previously spent time with the Panthers and Ravens. Palardy will presumably provide some competition for incumbent Pat McAfee, who has spent the past seven seasons in Indianapolis.
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- The Colts have waived-injured tight end Darion Griswold, tweets Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.
- The Colts signed former Houston safety Lee Hightower, an undrafted free agent, as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Hightower participated in the Texans’ rookie minicamp on a tryout basis earlier this year.
- Colts safety Andrew Williamson was waived/injured thanks to his knee issue, Mike Chappell of the Indy Star tweets.