Colts Sign Akeem Ayers
The Colts have signed outside linebacker Akeem Ayers, as Mike Chappell of CBS4 tweets. In related moves, the team has waived cornerback Neiko Thorpe and added cornerback Frankie Williams to the practice squad. The team has confirmed the moves via press release. 
Ayers, a second-round pick of the Titans in 2011, was cut by the Rams over the weekend. That move surprised a lot of people since Ayers started eleven games for the club last season. Los Angeles cleared his entire $3.3MM of his cap charge from the books by dropping him and they hoped to re-sign him to a cheaper deal after the 53-man cutdowns were through. Unfortunately, for L.A. the Colts have spoiled those plans.
The release of Thorpe could mean that Darius Butler will be ready to go for Week 1. The Colts, of course, are thin at CB following Vontae Davis‘ injury.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Sunday NFL Transactions: AFC South
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. All links go to Twitter unless otherwise noted:
Houston Texans
- Signed to practice squad:
- LB Eric Lee (Link via Wilson)
- LB Shakeel Rashad (Link via Wilson)
- WR Quenton Bundrage (Link via Wilson)
- OL Chad Slade (link via Wilson)
- CB Robert Nelson (Twitter link via Mark Berman)
- TE Eric Tomlinson (link via Berman)
- RB Akeem Hunt (Link via Wilson)
- OL Joseph Cheek (Link via Wilson)
- DT Brandon Dunn (Link via Wilson)
Indianapolis Colts
- Claimed:
- DB Matthias Farley (Link via Pro Football Talk)
- DB Neiko Thorpe
- Waived:
- CB Jalil Brown
- Te Chase Coffman
- Signed to practice squad:
- OL Adam Redmond (link via his agent)
- DE Sterling Bailey
- LB Trevor Bates
- S Lee Hightower
- TE Mike Miller
- CB Christopher Milton
- DT Kelcy Quarles
- WR Tevaun Smith
- T Jeremy Vujnovich
- Waived:
- CB Jalil Brown
- TE Chase Coffman
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Claimed:
- LB Arthur Brown (Link via Pro Football Talk)
- DB Maqueston Huff
- Waived:
- RB Joe Banyard
- Placed on IR:
- T Josh Wells (Link via Ryan O’Halloran)
- Signed:
- WR Arrelious Benn (Link via O’Halloran)
- Signed to practice squad:
- OL Jeremiah Poutasi (Post via NFL.com)
- OL Rashod Hill (link via Ryan O’Halloran)
- TE Alex Ellis (Link via Terry McCormick)
- DT Richard Ash
- WR Shaq Evans
- WR Rashad Lawrence
- CB Nick Marshall
- WR Shane Wynn
- OL Jeremiah Poutasi (Link via Adam Caplan)
- LB Sean Porter (Link via Caplan)
Tennessee Titans
- Claimed:
- TE Jace Amaro (Link via ESPN’s Adam Schefter)
- Waived:
- Signed to practice squad:
- C/G Ronald Patrick (link via Adam Caplan of ESPN.com)
- T Taylor Marz (Link via Terry McCormick)
- RB David Fluellen (Link via McCormick)
- DT Antwaun Woods
- TE Jerome Cunningham
- LB Justin Staples
- DB Curtis Riley
- WR Ben Roberts
- CB Kalan Reed
- DE Mehdi Abdesmad (Link via Jim Wyatt)
Colts Sign Darryl Morris
With the Colts’ secondary battling through injury issues, the team’s front office has brought in a veteran cornerback. According to Zak Keefer of The Indianapolis Star (via Twitter), the Colts have signed cornerback Darryl Morris. To make room on the roster, the team has cut rookie Frankie Williams.
Morris, 25, joined the Jets this offseason after having spent the past two seasons with the Texans. The former Texas State standout played in 23 games between 2014 and 2015, compiling 46 tackles and six passes defended. The Jets were hoping that Morris would provide some depth to their aging cornerback corps, but the defensive back was ultimately cut by the team on Saturday.
Williams, an undrafted free agent out of Purdue, will now seek work elsewhere, although Mike Chappell of IndySportsCentral.com tweets that the Colts are hoping he’ll land back on their practice squad. The team was seeking some reinforcement at cornerback, as Vontae Davis is expected to miss some time. Patrick Robinson and Darius Butler are also currently battling injuries.
Waiver Wire Priority For All 32 NFL Teams
Yesterday was the 53-man roster deadline, but the madness will continue today as teams pick through the waiver pile for talented discards. Priority is dictated by the reverse standings with tiebreakers where necessary, which is to say that it will be the same as the 2016 draft order before all the trades. Unlike your fantasy league’s waiver wire, a team does not go to the back of the list upon making a successful claim. That means that the league’s worst teams from 2015 have a significant advantage today as they make late roster additions.
Here is the complete waiver priority order:
1. Titans
2. Browns
3. Chargers
4. Cowboys
5. Jaguars
6. Ravens
7. 49ers
8. Dolphins
9. Buccaneers
10. Giants
11. Bears
12. Saints
13. Eagles
14. Raiders
15. Rams
16. Lions
17. Falcons
18. Colts
19. Bills
20. Jets
21. Redskins
22. Texans
23. Vikings
24. Bengals
25. Seahawks
26. Packers
27. Steelers
28. Chiefs
29. Patriots
30. Cardinals
31. Panthers
32. Broncos
Colts Cut Stevan Ridley, Others
The Colts are cutting running back Stevan Ridley, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
Ridley was signed by the Colts just days ago after he was cut by Detroit. The Colts have spoken at length about their plan to preserve Frank Gore‘s legs by lightening his workload and Ridley figured to be a part of that. Alas, the Colts didn’t see enough from Ridley in the last few days to keep him on the 53-man roster.
After spending his first four years in the NFL with the Patriots, Ridley signed with the Jets last season, but didn’t see the field all that much after coming off the PUP list. With Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell handling the majority of the workload out of the backfield, Ridley took over for Zac Stacy as the No. 3 back and earned just 36 carries, totaling only 90 yards for a career-worst 2.5 yards per attempt. His stint with Indianapolis could represent his best opportunity to reestablish himself as a quality back.
Here’s the running list of the Colts’ cuts so far today (links via Mike Wells of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified):
- RB Stevan Ridley
- WR Tevaun Smith (Twitter link via Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star)
- DE Ronald Thompson
- DL Sterling Bailey (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
- DT Kelcy Quarles (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com)
- ILB Trevor Bates (link)
- ILB Nate Irving (via Holder)
- OLB Earl Okine
- CB Tay-Glover Wright
- CB Christopher Milton
- S Alden Darby
- S Lee Hightower
- WR MeKale McKay
- OG Kitt O’Brien
- OG Adam Redmond
- OT Mitchell Van Dyk
- OT Jeremy Vujnovich
The team has also placed offensive guard Hugh Thornton, cornerback Tevin Mitchel and linebacker Ron Thompson on the injured reserve, according to Holder and Alex Marvez of SiriusXM (Twitter link). The 25-year-old has started 32 of his 37 games through his three seasons in the league.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Colts Waive D'Joun Smith
- The Colts waived defensive back D’Joun Smith with an injury designation, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Smith was a third-round pick in 2015.
Colts Sign Alden Darby
- The Colts had one open roster spot, and they’ve filled by signing safety Alden Darby, per a team announcement.
Colts Move Roster To 74
The Colts announced that they’ve trimmed their roster to 74 players, one below the league-mandated maximum. Indy could potentially add another player between now and Saturday, if it so chooses.
Waived:
- LB Anthony Sarao
- CB Darius White
Placed on injured reserve:
Colts Release Four Players
The Colts have released four players as they continue to trim their way down to a 75-man roster. On Monday morning, the Colts announced that they have released tight end Konrad Reuland while waiving wide receiver Daniel Anthrop, tackle Keith Lumpkin, and running back Trey Williams. 
Reuland was at the bottom of the Colts’ tight end depth chart with Dwayne Allen, Jack Doyle, Erik Swoope, and Darion Griswold all ahead of him. The well-traveled 29-year-old appeared in 26 games for the Jets between 2012 and 2013 and also appeared in four games for the Ravens last season.
The Colts’ roster now stands at 77 thanks to the wave of cuts made over the weekend. They must drop two more players between now and the 75-man deadline.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Colts’ Roster Sits At 81 Following 10 Cuts
The Colts announced that they’ve moved a bit closer to the 75-man deadline, as they’ve cut 10 players today. Indianapolis will still need to release/waive six more players before 3pm CT Tuesday.
[RELATED: Colts Sign Stevan Ridley]
The Colts have cut the following players:
- Justin Berger, WR
- Alden Darby, S
- Eric Herman, G
- Ricky Lumpkin, DL
- Mike Miller, TE
- Chase Price, RB
- Winston Rose, CB
- Delvon Simmons, DE
- Josh Stangby, WR
- Junior Sylvestre, LB
Lumpkin, 28 next week, is the only member of this group with any NFL experience. In three season, he’s appeared in seven games with the Cardinals and Raiders, though he was out of the league in 2015.