Former Indiana Hoosiers standout Jason Spriggs will receive a chance in his home state. The Indiana native is signing with the Colts, Zak Keefer of The Athletic tweets. The Colts also signed defensive end Bryan Cox Jr., according to ProFootballNetwork.com’s Aaron Wilson (on Twitter).
Although Spriggs has not lived up to his second-round draft slot, he has provided depth for multiple teams since his Packers tenure ended. Spriggs worked as a backup for the Bears in 2020 and the Falcons last season.
The Packers drafted Spriggs 48th overall in 2016, trading up for the ex-Indiana All-American. Spriggs started four seasons, at tackle and guard, finishing his Hoosiers run as their right guard in 2015. He helped the Big Ten team produce two 1,000-yard rushers (Jordan Howard and Devine Redding) during his All-American senior year.
Green Bay used Spriggs as a starter nine times, primarily during a five-start 2017. But that season also featured two IR placements. A 2019 Spriggs back injury led to a season on Green Bay’s injured reserve; he left as a free agent in 2020. He played for the veteran minimum in each of the past two seasons. Spriggs, 28, started one game during his Bears and Falcons stays.
The Elkhart, Indiana, native stands to compete for a backup role in Indianapolis as well. The Colts are in an interesting place on their O-line, having seen longtime guard Mark Glowinski join the Giants in free agency. Left tackle Eric Fisher looks likely to be a Colts one-and-done, leaving two spots open. Danny Pinter and Matt Pryor are the favorites to fill those posts, respectively. The team did draft Central Michigan tackle Bernhard Raimann in Round 3, however.
Cox, 27, has not played since the 2020 season, but he worked out for the Colts at their minicamp this week. The second-generation NFLer has spent time with the Panthers, Browns and Bills — mostly as a backup. The team also waived defensive end Cullen Wickon Friday.
The Bears have agreed to sign offensive tackle Jason Spriggs, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The former second-round pick of the Packers will ink a one-year deal with his new NFC North squad.
Back in 2016, the Packers saw Spriggs as a future starter, so they traded up to land the Indiana product at No. 48 overall. At the pro level, he wasn’t able to stick as a first-stringer. For his three seasons in Green Bay, Spriggs was mostly a part-timer for his 29 games. In between that, in 2017, he was placed on injured reserve twice.
Spriggs’ deal likely doesn’t contain much, or anything, in the way of guaranteed dollars, but he’ll get a shot to crack the team’s 53-man roster. Meanwhile, the Bears are keeping most of their focus on the draft for the next week. With their original No. 19 pick belonging to the Raiders, their first selection won’t come until the second round at No. 43.
The Packers’ second-round investment in Jason Spriggs has not ended up producing much value, and the team may be set to conclude the offensive lineman’s run in Green Bay.
In submitting a successful waiver claim for running back Keith Ford, the Packers waived Spriggs with an injury designation, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The Colts waived Ford on Monday to make room for D’Onta Foreman.
Envisioning a future starting role for the Indiana product, the Packers traded up to land Spriggs at No. 48 in the 2016 draft. He has not been able to crack Green Bay’s starting lineup with consistency, working as a first-stringer in only nine games. Spriggs has been dealing with a trap muscle injury during camp, and given that Spriggs’ contract is up after 2019, this situation will likely be headed toward an injury settlement.
Spriggs suited up as primarily a backup in 29 combined games between the 2016 and ’18 seasons, but in 2017, the Packers placed him on IR twice. He joined Aaron Rodgers in being one of the team’s late-season IR-boomerang players but, like Rodgers, also ended that season back on IR.
The Bills made Ford, a Texas A&M alum, one of their top UDFAs in 2018 but waived him after last year’s preseason run. He caught on with the Colts this offseason. Ford will join a Green Bay backfield housing Aaron Jones, Jamaal Williams and sixth-round rookie Dexter Williams, along with some fellow UDFAs.
The Packers used both of their IR-return designations this season, and each player will end the year back on the injury list.
Following Aaron Rodgers‘ one-game cameo, the Packers made the decision to place tackle Jason Spriggs back on IR as well. While Rodgers did not suffer a new injury, being sent back to IR because of Green Bay’s position in the NFC standings, Spriggs did and will miss the Packers’ Week 17 game against the Lions.
Spriggs suffered a knee injury that required cart transportation against the Vikings. A hamstring malady sent him to IR in September. The Packers made Spriggs their first IR-return player this season, and the second-year tackle returned to action in November.
The former second-round pick played in just seven games this season but made a career-high five starts for a Packers team ravaged by tackle injuries.
December 23rd, 2017 at 8:14pm CST by Zachary Links
Packers right tackle Jason Spriggs was carted off the field in Saturday night’s game against the Vikings after suffering an apparent left knee injury. It’s too early for a diagnosis, but Spriggs’ injury was serious enough to rule him out for the remainder of the game.
Spriggs could be the third member of the Packers placed on injured reserve in a matter of days. Earlier this week, quarterbackAaron Rodgers and cornerbackDemetri Goodson were both benched for the year.
It has been a frustrating season, who missed the bulk of the year with a hamstring issue. In his sixth game back from returning on IR, Spriggs may be headed right back. The Packers are out of playoff contention, so there’s little sense in Spriggs playing through the pain.
Heading into tonight’s game, Spriggs rated as Pro Football Focus’ No. 66 tackle in the NFL out of 85 qualified players. The 2016 second-round pick is under contract with Green Bay through 2019.
