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Indianapolis Colts News & Rumors

NFL Preseason Rumors: Workout, Injuries

August 17th, 2022 at 7:33pm CST by Ely Allen

The Texans released defensive end Jordan Jenkins this week and there will likely be plenty of interest in the six-year veteran as rosters start to come together. The first bite on the line came rather quickly as Jenkins went to Las Vegas to work out with the Raiders today, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network.

Jenkins was a five-year starter for the Jets after being selected in the third-round of the 2016 NFL Draft. It took some time for Jenkins to find his footing, but he exploded onto the scene over the 2018 & 2019 seasons. After only recording 5.5 sacks, 7.0 tackles for loss, and 12 quarterback hits in his first two seasons, Jenkins broke out with 15.0 sacks, 15.0 tackles for loss, and 28 quarterback hits over the next two years. Jenkins also has a tendency for causing turnovers over his career with seven forced fumbles and five recoveries to date.

The Raiders are strong atop the depth chart with Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones starting and Clelin Ferrell coming off the bench. The depth behind those three, though, could be significantly improved if they can add the best version of Jenkins. Jenkins didn’t start any games for the Texans last year and struggled with injuries during his final year in New York. But if he can bounce back to his 2018-19 form, Jenkins and the Raiders might be a perfect match.

Here are a couple of updates surrounding some injuries from around the NFL this preseason:

  • Panthers center Bradley Bozeman suffered an ankle injury in practice yesterday and may lose out on the starting job because of it. After starting the last three years on Baltimore’s offensive line (the first two at left guard and the third at center), Bozeman was brought in to compete with Pat Elflein for the starting center job in Carolina. It seems he’ll lose some ground in that battle as head coach Matt Rhule announced that Bozeman will likely be out two to three weeks because of the injury, according to Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus.
  • Texans cornerback Tavierre Thomas is out indefinitely after suffering a pulled quadriceps muscle, according to a tweet from Wilson. Thomas started eight games last year for the Texans after coming over from Cleveland. The former special teams ace has begun to carve out a role in the secondary during his time in Houston. When given the opportunity last year, Thomas recorded his first two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, and four passes defensed.
  • A promising rookie season for Colts’ sixth-round pick Andrew Ogletree ended today before it could even begin after the tight end tore his ACL at practice, according to the Indy Star’s Joel A. Erickson. The 24-year-old out of Youngstown State impressed in camp this summer and was hoping to compete for the backup tight end job behind Mo Alie-Cox.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/16/22

August 16th, 2022 at 7:04pm CST by Ben Levine

With the NFL dropping the roster limit to 85 players today, we’ve got a long list of minor moves to pass along:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/15/22

August 15th, 2022 at 5:39pm CST by Adam La Rose

Today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

  • Waived: DE Carson Taylor

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

 Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions 

Green Bay Packers 

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts 

Jacksonville Jaguars 

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins 

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

AFC South Notes: Willis, Funchess, Ngakoue

August 13th, 2022 at 6:49pm CST by Ely Allen

Titans rookie quarterback Malik Willis impressed in limited time during the team’s Thursday night preseason game. Willis ran the offense for the first half against the Ravens and ran one play in the second half before taking his place on the sideline.

The third-round pick completed 6 of 11 pass attempts for 107 yards. Mirroring the playing styles of the quarterbacks on the opposite sideline, Willis added 38 yards rushing with a touchdown on five carries. He was sacked twice but managed not to turn the ball over in just over two quarters of play.

Despite the playing time he’s received so far this preseason, Willis is “very clearly the developmental quarterback” in the eyes of the Titans, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. While Tennessee is happy with his progress and will continue to let him get adjusted to the speed of the game this preseason, the prevailing sense is that Willis will be stashed for a bit of a redshirt year. There doesn’t seem to be any ideas of forcing Willis onto the field in any Wildcat-type packages, as has been done with other dual-threat quarterbacks in the past.

Here are a couple other rumors from the AFC South, both hailing from the Hoosier state:

  • Devin Funchess is attempting to make a strong comeback this year with a slight position shift. After spending the first five years of his career as a wide receiver, Funchess has spent the offseason working with the tight ends in Detroit. Funchess is looking to find his first regular season game action since a broken collarbone sidelined him in his first game with the Colts. Funchess joined Indianapolis on a one-year, $10MM deal in 2019, reportedly, so he could “be the top red zone target” for then-quarterback Andrew Luck. Luck shocked the world, including Funchess, when he retired a few months later. In an interview with Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Funchess remarked, “It was kind of a whirlwind having Andrew Luck retire on me. I went there basically for him. Turned down other opportunities and a lot more money to go play with him, so that was kind of a mental strain on me for that whole year.”
  • After spending time with four different franchises in his first six seasons, defensive end Yannick Ngakoue believes he has found a true home in Indianapolis, according to Zak Keefer of The Athletic. Ngakoue is one of the league’s more prolific pass rushers, accumulating 55.5 sacks in his six years of play and never missing more than one game in a season. Despite his continued success rushing the passer, Ngakoue has had trouble finding a team that will make a long-term commitment to him. Well, after only a couple of months in the state, Ngakoue seems to think he’s found the place he’d most like to stay. “There’s just something about Indiana,” Ngakoue told Keefer. “This is definitely where I want to be. This is where I’d love to retire.” If he continues his dominance over this two-year deal with the Colts, they should be more than willing to fulfill that wish.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/12/22

August 12th, 2022 at 5:40pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor transactions:

Buffalo Bills

  • Activated from active/PUP list: DT Eli Ankou

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

  • Released from IR with injury settlement: LB C.J. Avery

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

New Orleans Saints

  • Released from IR with injury settlement: CB Dylan Mabin

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Shaquille Leonard Uncertain For Week 1?

August 11th, 2022 at 3:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

Throughout the offseason, the health of Colts All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard has been a key talking point. After undergoing back surgery, his availability for training camp was in question. More importantly, the possibility that he could miss regular season action remains. 

As FOX59’s Mike Chappell writes, “there’s no guarantee” that Leonard will be fully recovered in time for Week 1. The 27-year-old remains on the PUP list as he continues to recover, and hasn’t practiced at all this offseason. He expressed optimism about the success of the procedure, but declined to put a firm timetable on his rehab schedule.

“Shaq is preparing like he’s playing Week 1,” head coach Frank Reich said. “He’s doing a lot of extra work, and he’s getting his mind right, ready to play.” 

A healthy Leonard would of course, be massive for the Colts’ defense. The former second-rounder earned Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro honors for the third time in his four-year career last season, totaling 122 tackles, four interceptions and a league-leading eight forced fumbles. The Colts would be well-served to make sure Leonard is back to full health before activating him, considering the fact he played on an injured ankle all of last season.

With more than $78MM on the five-year extension he signed still yet to paid, Indianapolis would also be wise from a financial standpoint to tread carefully. He could be activated by August 30 to remain eligible to play in the season opener, but if he remains on the PUP list beyond that date, he would be sidelined for the first month of the campaign. Much will therefore depend on how he heals in the coming weeks, as the Colts look to undo last season’s disappointing finish.

Colts To Start Brandon Facyson?

August 10th, 2022 at 11:41am CST by Sam Robinson

Colts Targeting August Quenton Nelson Extension; Kenny Moore Deal Tabled To 2023?

August 10th, 2022 at 10:32am CST by Sam Robinson

Ryan Kelly and Braden Smith each signed their extensions during Colts training camp, the former in September 2020 and the latter in July of last year. The team is hoping to have Quenton Nelson follow that path.

The Colts’ goal is to have Nelson signed by the end of this month, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. All other extension business is on hold. This includes Kenny Moore, who lobbied for a new contract this offseason, and Bobby Okereke, whom Fowler adds has emerged on the team’s extension radar. A 2019 third-round pick, Okereke is entering a contract year.

Nelson, who is 4-for-4 in Pro Bowl nods to start his career, is going into his fifth-year option season ($13.75MM). Neither Kelly nor Smith played a game on an expiring contract, with the former signing ahead of his fifth season and the latter before his fourth. This trio forms the core of what has been one of the NFL’s best offensive lines, and Nelson’s looming extension has undoubtedly influenced other Colts moves up front. Eric Fisher is gone, and the team also did not bring back four-year guard starter Mark Glowinski. Low-cost players are now in place at left tackle and right guard, respectively.

[RELATED: Assessing The Colts’ 2022 Offseason]

Colts GM Chris Ballard earmarked this offseason as the point in which a Nelson extension should come to pass, but Nelson’s age (26) and early-career performance do provide some complications here. The Notre Dame product’s second contract should be well north of the current guard salary ceiling (Brandon Scherff‘s $16.5MM-per-year Jaguars deal). Nelson taking the guard market to tackle territory and past $20MM per year should be considered in play.

If the parties cannot agree on a deal this year, the Colts have the option of a 2023 franchise tag. Guards are rarely tagged, as all O-line positions are grouped together on the tag, but the Commanders used this route with Scherff in 2020 and 2021.

With the Colts’ top two skill-position players — Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman Jr. — going into contract years in 2023, the team’s offense could become far more expensive by next year. On defense, Moore’s deal will need to be addressed by then. Under contract for two more seasons, Moore skipped some of Indy’s voluntary offseason program. Offseason reports indicated the sides were well apart on terms. Currently tied to an $8.33MM-per-year deal, Moore should be expected to move the slot cornerback position into eight-figure-AAV territory. But he could well have to play another season on his current pact, with Ballard not expected to consider an extension until next year.

The Broncos and Patriots dealt with underpaid corners with two years of team control left in the recent past. Denver gave Chris Harris an incentive package in 2018, while New England authorized a raise for Stephon Gilmore in 2020. (The Broncos gave Harris a raise in 2019, while the Patriots stood pat with Gilmore to lead him off their roster via trade last year.) The latter is now Moore’s teammate and attached to a bigger contract. Moore, who is coming off a Pro Bowl season, has not opted to stage a hold-in measure at training camp.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/9/22

August 9th, 2022 at 8:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

Today’s minor moves around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • Placed on IR: DL Bryce Rodgers

Cleveland Browns

Indianapolis Colts

  • Released via injury settlement: WR John Hurst

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

  • Signed: OL Chris Glaser
  • Released: DE Hamilcar Rashed and OL Parker Ferguson

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Perry’s interesting post-draft NFL journey continues. Initially slated to join the Eagles as a UDFA, he ended up signing with the Jaguars days later. Then, in July, he was waived (with an injury designation) to make room for Sloter’s addition. Perry has obviously recovered, as the two have now swapped placed once more.

Fenton was one of four Chiefs placed on the PUP list at the start of training camp. That came as little surprise at the time, but his return to practice will be a welcomed sight in Kansas City’s secondary. NFL Network’s James Palmer tweets that Fenton’s preseason availability remains a question mark, but that he is still expected to be fully recovered in time for the regular season.

Jackson was a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft at a position which has been in flux throughout the offseason in New Orleans. The 24-year-old had a highly productive final season in particular at Appalachian State, posting 119 tackles, 20 TFLs and six sacks. He will now have to wait until 2023 to carve out a depth role in the middle of the Saints’ defense.

NFL Workout Updates: 8/7/22

August 7th, 2022 at 10:01pm CST by Ely Allen

Here’s a look at some of the notable workouts from around the league this weekend:

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