Colts' 53-man roster projection includes surprise trade in latest update

The Indianapolis Colts have just one more preseason game remaining following the 21-13 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night.

Following the joint practices, the Colts felt it best to keep the majority of starters out of the game. Some projected starters such as safety Nick Cross and cornerback JuJu Brents got playing time early in the game, but the majority of starters were held out.

With a quick turnaround ahead of the preseason finale against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night, the Colts are expected to play the starters for an entire half before the regular season arrives.

After that, the Colts will have until Aug. 27 to begin their roster cuts for the 2024 season.

We projected the roster after the preseason opener of training camp. Now, following the second game, we're going to project the roster again — this one includes a surprising trade.

Rookies are marked in italics.

Indianapolis Colts' 53-man roster projection

Quarterback (2)

In: Anthony Richardson, Joe Flacco
Out: Sam Ehlinger, Jason Bean, Kedon Slovis

No surprises here. The battle for QB3 rages on between Sam Ehlinger and Jason Bean. Ehlinger is a potential trade candidate if the Colts are confident enough in Bean's upside as an emergency quarterback.

Running Back (4)

In: Jonathan Taylor, Trey Sermon, Evan Hull, Tyler Goodson
Out: Zavier Scott

Assuming Sermon's hamstring injury won't keep him out to begin the season, the Colts backfield is essentially set. Expect Scott to land a spot on the practice squad — he looked good in the win over the Cardinals.

Wide Receiver (6)

In: Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, Josh Downs, Adonai Mitchell, Ashton Dulin, Anthony Gould
Out: DJ Montgomery, Juwann Winfree, Tyrie Cleveland, Laquon Treadwell, Derek Slywka, Greg Ward

As long as the ankle injury to Downs doesn't linger longer than expected, the wide receiver room is pretty set here. Treadwell has been a nice surprise while Montgomery, Winfree and Ward are all practice squad candidates.

Tight End (4)

In: Mo Alie-Cox, Kylen Granson, Andrew Ogletree, Will Mallory
Out: Jordan Murray, Eric Tomlinson

Trade! In a surprising twist, Jelani Woods has endured an incredible fall from grace. He went from a potential breakout candidate in Shane Steichen's offense to one of the biggest disappointments of the preseason. Despite his struggles, some teams may want to secure their chances to get Woods before he hits the waiver wire. And if the Colts truly are considering parting ways, they should try to get something for him.

At first, I thought a trade with the Carolina Panthers made sense, but why would they make a deal considering they're first in the waiver order? So we landed on the Denver Broncos, who could use some upside behind Adam Trautman and Greg Dulcich. In this proposed trade, the Colts send Woods and a 2025 sixth-round pick to Denver for a 2025 fourth-round pick.

Offensive Line (9)

In: Bernhard Raimann, Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, Braden Smith, Blake Freeland, Matt Goncalves, Tanor Bortolini, Dalton Tucker
Out: Danny Pinter, Josh Sills, Ryan Coll, Jake Witt, Arlington Hambright

The five starters plus the two draft picks in Goncalves and Bortolini are safe. Freeland likely is safe as well, but his struggles during the preseason are cause for some low-key concern at swing tackle. That leaves roughly one or two spots available.

We go with nine offensive linemen here, and the undrafted free-agent rookie in Tucker has impressed enough to warrant a spot. Pinter, Witt and Hambright are all prime practice squad candidates as well.

Defensive Line (9)

In: DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, Kwity Paye, Dayo Odeyingbo, Laiatu Latu, Tyquan Lewis, Taven Bryan, Adetomiwa Adebawore, Isaiah Land
Out: Raekwon Davis, Jonah Laulu, Eric Johnson II, Genard Avery, Levi Bell, Derek Rivers, Titus Leo

The loss of Samson Ebukam to a torn Achilles is a massive blow to what is viewed as the roster's strongest unit. There are likely only two spots remaining in this room. Bryan is probably safe at this point while Adebawore has been one of the biggest standouts throughout camp and the preseason. Meanwhile, Land has come on strong as a depth piece.

It's a shame Raekwon Davis is dealing with blood pressure issues because this leaves the Colts without a viable backup to Grover Stewart. The depth at the one-technique appears to be a concerning hole yet again. He's a potential PUP candidate if the Colts still believe he can make an impact this season.

Linebacker (5)

In: Zaire Franklin, E.J. Speed, Jaylon Carlies, Grant Stuard, Segun Olubi
Out: Craig Young, Liam Anderson, Cameron McGrone, Austin Ajiake

With Franklin and Speed leading the way, Carlies has come on as the third linebacker. Stuard and Olubi are solid depth pieces and special teams staples. In the past, the Colts typically carried six linebackers, but they should be okay with that quintet to begin the season. All four cut candidates are practice squad candidates as well.

Cornerback (6)

In: Julius Brents, Kenny Moore II, Jaylon Jones, Dallis Flowers, Jaylin Simpson, Micah Abraham
Out: Darrell Baker Jr., Ameer Speed, Chris Lammons, Clay Fields III

The Colts would be taking a massive risk with Simpson and Abraham as the depth pieces in the room, but it's more likely the veterans clear waivers. Also, it's not like Baker, Speed or Lammons have truly shown out this preseason. For a team looking to make the playoffs, the lack of depth in the secondary is baffling.

Safety (5)

In: Julian Blackmon, Nick Cross, Rodney Thomas II, Ronnie Harrison Jr., Trevor Denbow
Out: Michael Tutsie, Marcel Dabo

Again, the lack of depth is astounding. The Colts don't know where Cross is going to play as they've worked him at both free and strong safety. They reportedly didn't offer Justin Simmons, which is a move they very well could regret. If the pass rush fails to take the necessary step forward, the secondary is going to be exposed on a weekly basis.