Colts Claim Pair of Players, Waive Herron and Herrera
The Indianapolis Colts announced today that the team has added defensive tackle T.Y. McGill and offensive guard Robert Myers to their 53-man roster and waived running back Dan “Boom” Herron and inside linebacker Amarlo Herrera in a corresponding move.
Aug 29, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Dan Herron (36) carries the ball past St. Louis Rams middle linebacker James Laurinaitis (55) during the first quarter of a football game at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kane-USA TODAY Sports
It’s really surprising to see Herron’s name as a roster release, but his shoulder injury suffered in last Thursday night’s preseason finale must be fairly significant. If healthy, he was widely thought to be the primary backup to starting running back Frank Gore. Even as of Sunday, he was listed as the 2nd running back on the Colts official depth chart, which shows how quickly things can change in the NFL.
Once he recovers, it’s possible that Herron could rejoin the Colts again, as he’s coming off a productive season for the team in which he rushed for 351 rushing yards on 78 carries (4.5 ypc) and 1 rushing touchdown. After Trent Richardson once again disappointed last season, it was Herron who kept the Colts ground game afloat, starting in the team’s final 5 games including playoffs while showing considerable burst and explosion.
Herrera was a 6th round pick of the Colts in this year’s draft out of Georgia. The rookie was respectable in preseason, but didn’t necessarily stand out either. It’s possible that the Colts could look to add him to their practice squad if he clears waivers.
Regarding newly added T.Y. McGill, he’s a 6’0″, 299 pound defensive tackle, who played his collegiate football at North Carolina State. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks after participating in their rookie minicamp on a tryout basis. However, he was among their final roster cuts yesterday, before being subsequently claimed by the Colts.
According to The Seattle Times, McGill was among the Seattle Seahawks most surprising 53-man roster cuts:
"Jenks:DT T.Y. McGill. I’ll be honest: I didn’t know much about McGill, an undrafted free agent from North Carolina State, when the preseason started. But McGill had a solid preseason, and he kept showing up in games. He moved quickly laterally, which the Seahawks like, and had a knack for disrupting in the backfield. I can’t say that I’m shocked that he didn’t make the roster, but I thought he had done enough to get on the roster."
The Colts also added offensive guard Robert Myers, who was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the 5th round of this year’s NFL Draft. The 6’5″, 326 pound Myers played in 46 games at Tennessee State, starting in 35 games. In his senior season, he was named 2nd-Team All-Ohio Valley Conference. He was among the prospects, who really stood out at this year’s Senior Bowl heading into the draft.
However, Myers was among the Ravens final 53-man roster cuts, and was subsequently claimed by the Colts where he figures to provide additional depth along the offensive line.
Here’s his NFL.com Draft Profile:
"BOTTOM LINEMyers is already above average from a technical standpoint and is a quick processor when the game speeds up. Myers is a guard prospect who can pull and play in a power scheme. He has the pass protection traits of an NFL starter. The ceiling is higher for Myers than many guard prospects in this draft, and with more coaching and work in the weight room, he should be an NFL starter."
Overall, hearing Herron’s name as a roster release is pretty shocking all things considered, but it’s not a surprise to see the Colts claim a standout defensive tackle like McGill.
Specifically, when the team just lost Arthur Jones to a season-ending injury and waived two “would-be” rotational defensive lineman in Josh Chapman and Montori Hughes as part of some surprising cuts yesterday.
Hopefully, both him and Myers can provide a boost to the team on both sides of the trenches.
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