INDIANAPOLIS – The 2024 version of the Indianapolis Colts is quickly taking shape.
Nine draft picks – including edge rusher Laiatu Latu, the first defensive player off the board at No. 15 – were added to a roster that already featured the return of all 22 starters as well as the special teams triumvirate.
More developmental talent will come from a handful of undrafted rookies. A few, according to IndyStar, include quarterbacks Kedon Slovis of BYU and Jason Bean of Kansas, Notre Dame kicker Spencer Shrader, tight end Trent Pennix of North Carolina State and running back-turned-wideout Xavier White of Texas Tech.
By and large, this is what the ’24 Colts will look like, although we still believe they’ll add a veteran safety at the very least. They certainly have flexibility under the salary cap (roughly $28 million of space, according to Overthecap.com).
Coach Shane Steichen gushed over the “dudes’’ he has to work with on offense: Anthony Richardson, Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, Alec Pierce and the rest.
General manager Chris Ballard is confident Latu is a “a natural rusher’’ who is “going to produce pretty quickly as a rusher. I think he knows how to rush.’’ Ballard also is confident the Colts upgraded the top-to-bottom quality of the roster.
“I’m fired up,’’ he said. “Competition makes everybody better.
“When you talk about continuity, everyone coming back on really both sides of the football and then to add these guys, we’re fired up about it.’’
But is it enough? The Colts have missed the playoffs three straight years and have earned a postseason berth just twice since Ballard was named GM in 2017. They’re looking for their first AFC South title since 2014.
As of Monday, the official roster sat at 85, including the nine draft picks. That number will increase as the Colts officially sign a handful of undrafted free agents. The addition of a few of the undrafted rookies probably will result in a few existing Colts being released.
That’s life in the NFL.
We haven’t included undrafted rookies in the roster breakdown, but have mentioned a few. Also, * denotes a rookie.
Quarterback
- Starter: Anthony Richardson.
- Backup: Joe Flacco.
- Depth: Sam Ehlinger.
- Comment: It’s Richardson’s show, and Flacco represents a proven backup (103-82 record as a starter, 43,936 yards, 245 TDs, Super Bowl ring/MVP) if needed. It will be interesting to see if one of the undrafted free agents (Jason Bean or Kedon Slovis) is deemed a more logical developmental prospect than Ehlinger, who’s heading into his fourth season in Indy.
Running back
- Starter: Jonathan Taylor.
- Backup: Trey Sermon.
- Depth: Tyler Goodson, Evan Hull, Zavier Scott.
- Comment: We believe a better backup is required even though we also believe the Colts are going to give Taylor a ton of carries in 2024. Maybe 20 per game? Even with a heavy workload, the NFL’s 2021 rushing champion will require an occasional break, and it would behoove Ballard and his personnel staff to add a Zack Moss-type No. 2 at the position.
Wide receiver
- Starters: Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, Josh Downs.
- Depth: Ashton Dulin, Adonai Mitchell*, Anthony Gould*, D.J. Montgomery, Tyrie Cleveland, Juwann Winfree, Terrell Bynum*, Ethan Fernea.
- Comment: Mitchell brings a sizable chip on his shoulder to the receivers room, but he’ll have to prove he deserves to take snaps away from Pierce. We should discover early on whether the lack of growth in Pierce’s deep-threat game rests on the 2022 second-round pick or the inability of the Colts to utilize him. We think it’s been the latter. Pittman will be Pittman, which means 100-plus catches and 1,210-plus yards. Downs should take another step in year 2. Gould should contribute immediately in the return game and could be an interesting backup to Downs out of the slot.
Tight end
- Starters: Mo Alie-Cox, Jelani Woods.
- Backups: Kylen Granson, Will Mallory, Drew Ogletree, Jordan Murray, Eric Tomlinson.
- Comment: There’s so much unknown with this group. Is this the year Alie-Cox is phased out? He remains the best blocker of the bunch but had just 13 and 19 receptions the last two seasons despite playing every game. Woods possesses impressive traits at 6-7, 253, but missed last season with a pair of hamstring injuries. Ogletree returns after being cleared of domestic violence charges in December. Granson has contributed 67 receptions the last two seasons and Mallory showed promise as an intermediate threat with 18 catches as a rookie.
Offensive line
- Starting tackles: Bernhard Raimann, Braden Smith.
- Tackle depth: Blake Freeland, Matt Goncalves*, Jake Witt.
- Starting interior: LG Quenton Nelson, C Ryan Kelly, RG Will Fries.
- Interior depth: Danny Pinter, Josh Sills, Wesley French, Arlington Hambright, Jack Anderson, Lewis Kidd, Tanor Bortolini*.
- Comment: A strong area got stronger with the addition of Bortolini, who might eventually succeed Kelly whenever he decides to retire, and Goncalves, who could develop into a solid backup swing tackle. We’ve mentioned the return of the starting unit, which enjoyed a solid 2023, and Freeland should benefit from a trial-by-fire rookie season.
Defensive line
- Starting ends: Kwity Paye, Samson Ebukam.
- End depth: Laiatu Latu*, Dayo Odeyingbo, Tyquan Lewis, Isaiah Land, Titus Leo, Genard Avery.
- Starting tackles: DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart.
- Tackle depth: Raekwon Davis, Taven Bryan, Adetomiwa Adebawore, Eric Johnson II, Jonah Laulu*.
- Comment: This is as deep a group as the Colts have had in recent memory. It’s going to be difficult paring the d-linemen on the active roster to nine, even 10. And that’s a very good thing. It’ll be up to coordinator Gus Bradley to work Latu into the edge-rush rotation. The nickel rush package should be loaded. Also, no one should pigeonhole a few of these guys into one spot. The positional flexibility of Lewis and Odeyingbo is invaluable.
Linebacker
- Starters: Zaire Franklin, E.J. Speed, Segun Olubi.
- Depth: Grant Stuard, Liam Anderson, Cameron McGrone, Austin Ajiake, Jaylon Carlies*.
- Comment: There’s not much in terms of proven depth behind Franklin and Speed. That might not be a major problem as long as they stay on the field. The Colts use a ton of sub-package formations. It will be interesting to see how quickly Carlies settles in at the position.
Cornerback
- Outside starters: JuJu Brents, Jaylon Jones.
- Outside depth: Darrell Baker Jr., Dallis Flowers, Ameer Speed, Jaylin Simpson*.
- Nickel starter: Kenny Moore II.
- Nickel depth: Chris Lammons, Micah Abraham*.
- Comment: In a perfect draft, the Colts would have added a starter. That didn’t happen. Maybe they believe a strong pass rush (Latu) will take some of the pressure off the backend. Brents needs to stay healthy and show growth in year 2 while Jones should benefit from a rookie season that saw the seventh-round pick struggle early but settle in. Flowers and Baker offer a modicum of experience, although Flowers is coming off a torn Achilles.
Safety
- Starters: Julian Blackmon, Nick Cross.
- Depth: Ronnie Harrison Jr., Rodney Thomas II, Daniel Scott, Trevor Denbow, Michael Tutsie, Marcel Dabo, Kendall Brooks.
- Comment: This position cries out for a veteran signing. Maybe a one-year deal for Justin Simmons, Eddie Jackson or Quandre Diggs. Jaylin Simpson offers corner-safety flexibility, but Thomas played his way out of the safety rotation last season. The Colts are high on Scott, a 2023 fifth-round pick who missed his rookie season with a knee injury.
Special teams
- Kicker: Matt Gay
- Punter: Rigoberto Sanchez.
- Long snapper: Luke Rhodes.
- Returners: Josh Downs, Dallis Flowers, Anthony Gould*.
- Comment: There will be additions, including someone to ease Gay’s offseason/training camp workload (rookie free agent Spencer Shrader?). But it has to be comforting to know this area is in safe hands, or feet.
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.