Colts Sign Center AQ Shipley, Finalize Practice Squad

The Indianapolis Colts signed a familiar face on Saturday: former center A.Q. Shipley. He was waived by the Baltimore Ravens over the weekend as the team made their cuts to get to the 53-man roster.

Despite the team having questions at center, the Colts traded Shipley to the Ravens in May of 2013. The Colts waived center Austin Thomas to make room for Shipley.

Shipley started five games back in 2012 for the Colts.

By taking three centers into the season, it shows just how shaky the position really is. It also brings into question just how healthy Khaled Holmes‘ ankle is and his availability for the season opener next Sunday. Rookie center Jonotthan Harrison  is also dealing with a sprained thumb on the hand he uses to snap the ball and remains a question mark.

The move brings back a player who should never have been traded in the first place. He was a better option at the position than Samson Satele, and at the very least would have been an asset for the team in 2013.

Shipley still had close ties with the Colts and it appears that Pat McAfee was the best man in his wedding over the weekend.

Colts Finalize Practice Squad Roster

The Colts put together their reserve roster on Sunday, but it likely won’t remain that way for long.

The Colts signed:

OT Tyler Hoover, ILB Andrew Jackson, WR Ryan Lankford, WR Josh Lenz, S Dewey McDonald, DT Nnamdi Obukwelu, CB Sheldon Price, TE Erik Swoope, G Josh Walker and QB Jeff Mathews.

A few notes on the practice squad:

• QB Chandler Harnish didn’t make the roster at all. Last year, he played his way to a spot on this list, but this year he did the exact opposite. His performance against the Bengals in the final preseason game was painful to watch and it wasn’t just related to the offensive line woes.
• Matthews didn’t play for the Colts in the preseason and is the only player in that boat. He holds a number of records in the Ivy League and is a Cornell grad. He is merely insurance in case the unthinkable happens.
• Jackson played well, but spent most of the camp injured and that hurt his chances to make final roster.
• Swoope switched from basketball to football out of college and at times looked very solid. He needs to work on his football skills and become more familiar with the position, something he’s sure to receive by staying with the Colts.
• McDonald is full of potential, but needs a lot more refinement. Like Swoope, he’ll get it on the practice squad.

Expect the practice squad to change over the coming week.