Indianapolis Colts 53-man roster projection after win against Vikings

The Indianapolis Colts will have some tough decisions to make in the coming days, as their roster will have to be trimmed down to the regulation 53 players before they open the season against the Seahawks.

It doesn’t help that the team has hit almost every speed bump imaginable. Injuries to All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson and quarterback Carson Wentz have cast plenty of doubt over how the start of the 2021 season will unfold.

Indy hasn’t looked like the sharpest team ever during the preseason, but a victory over the Minnesota Vikings goes to show that this team is capable of pulling out wins in the clutch thanks to a deep roster.

Which members of that deep roster will make the 53-man group? Frank Reich and Chris Ballard have their work cut out for them with all the talent currently with the organization.

Indianapolis Colts 53-man roster projection

Quarterbacks (3)

Carson Wentz, Jacob Eason, Sam Ehlinger

While Wentz has returned to practice and looks ready to start against Seattle, look for Indy to carry three quarterbacks on the roster for most of the season due to the injury risk associated with Wentz.

While Eason and Ehlinger have both had their moments, Eason appears to have the better NFL arm, and the rookie Ehlinger’s turnover problems in the preseason might hand the backup job to No. 9.

Expect Wentz to end up as the starter, Eason as his backup, and Ehlinger as the inactive third-stringer. While that quarterback room doesn’t sound impressive on paper, the fact that Indy has three players they can feel comfortable with under center is a great luxury they shouldn’t take for granted.

Running Backs (4)

Jonathan Taylor, Marlon Mack, Nyheim Hines, Jordan Wilkins

The Colts have one of the deepest running back rooms in the league, and despite the play of backs like Benny LeMay, it’ll be very hard for any one of these players to be unseated.

Taylor is on track to become one of the best young backs in the game after a fantastic rookie season, and he will be assisted on the offensive end by an elite pass-catching back in Hines starting to come into his own.

When Mack was healthy, he was a 1,000-yard rusher, so there aren’t a ton of better backups in the sport. Wilkins has proven to be an NFL-caliber back when given the chance. Other franchises would absolutely kill for this type of depth.

Wide Receivers (7)

TY Hilton, Michael Pittman Jr., Parris Campbell, Zach Pascal, Mike Strachan, Dezmon Patmon, Ashton Dulin

Even at his advanced age, Hilton can reel off big plays at the drop of a hat. With the speedy Hilton and a physical receiver like Pittman, Indianapolis appears set at the top of the depth chart.

Campbell and Pascal will be the third and fourth receivers, and a pair of physical young players in Patmon and training camp darling Strachan will be behind them.

Dulin is on the roster as a returner and special teamer, meaning that undrafted free agent receivers like Tarik Black and Tyler Vaughns might need to be signed to the practice squad. While they lack star power at the top, this receiver room is laden with depth and potential.

Tight Ends (3)

Kylen Granson, Jack Doyle, Mo Alie-Cox

Carrying three tight ends seems like a bit of a risk, but the Colts should feel more than confident in the group that they have here.

Granson hasn’t blown the doors off of opponents in the preseason, but everything about his player profile and production in college seems to hint at the fact that he could be a genuinely dominant player in the future.

Doyle will see plenty of snaps with the starters assuming that his health is there, and Alie-Cox is getting better every year. Players like Farrod Green and Jordan Thomas could be stashed on the practice squad.

Offensive Line (9)

Eric Fisher, Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly, Mark Glowinski, Braden Smith, Will Holden, Julién Davenport, Danny Pinter, Chris Reed

Offensive line depth is critical to Indianapolis’ success in 2021, which is why they carry a total of four tackles here. One notable omission is Sam Tevi, as he has done little to overtake Holden or deter Davenport.

Nelson, Kelly, and Glowinski appear to be healthy on the interior, but keeping Pinter and Reed along in order to supplement them isn’t the worst idea ever.

Another casualty of these decisions is seventh-round pick Will Fries, who could be retained as a practice squad candidate. There are some shocking moves here, particularly as it relates to Tevi, but this makes sure the best nine linemen are on the roster come Week 1.

Defensive Line (8)

DeForest Buckner, Kwity Paye, Grover Stewart, Tyquan Lewis, Dayo Odeyingbo, Kemoko Turay, Antwuan Woods, Al-Quadin Muhammad

Buckner and Stewart will form one of the best defensive tackle tandems in the sport once again, and they will be backed up by Antwuan Woods. Altogether, that’s not the worst arrangement.

With Odeyingbo on the mend, Paye and Lewis will likely make up the starting tandem on the outside. Turay and Muhammad have flashed enough to warrant another season on the roster as backups.

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Two of the more noticeable cuts in this group are former second-round pick Ben Banogu and free agent signing Isaac Rochell. Tough decisions will need to be made, and the defensive line rotation is not exempt.

Linebackers (5)

Darius Leonard, Bobby Okereke, Zaire Franklin, EJ Speed, Malik Jefferson

Leonard and Okereke are the starters, and with the Stanford product ready to take the next step alongside one of the best players at his position in the sport in the South Carolina State alum, the duo should be in for a marvelous season.

With how often Indy deploys nickel and dime sets, they can afford to only carry five linebackers. While names like Jordan Glasgow will make things tough, this is the best alignment.

Franklin is a solid backup, Speed has potential, and Jefferson might finally put it all together. There are no glaring holes here … yet.

Cornerbacks (6)

Kenny Moore, Xavier Rhodes, TJ Carrie, Marvel Tell, Isaiah Rodgers, Andre Chachere

The two big names in this alignment are Moore and Rhodes, the former of whom is one of the best slot cornerbacks in the game and the latter of whom proved that his one down season in Minnesota was a fluke. Reich should feel comfortable with those veterans leading the pack.

Carrie might be banged up right now, but his veteran savvy is worth keeping around. Tell, who missed all of last season as a COVID-19 opt-out, is ready to do some damage now that he has returned.

Rodgers remains a solid returner and worthwhile depth piece, while Chachere might finally find a permanent home thanks to some strong practices. While not a showstopping group, they are certainly worth watching.

Safties (5)

Julian Blackmon, Khari Willis, Sean Davis, Shawn Davis, George Odum

Go ahead and bet the house on Blackmon and Willis making the roster, as they are both projected starters. While Indy will have several players fighting for space as a backup, both of their phonetically similar backups will likely have spots on this roster.

The elder Davis has proven enough after a rocky start to his career in Pittsburgh and Washington, while the younger Davis was picked in the fifth round due to his versatility and how he might fit in Matt Eberflus’ scheme.

Odum is an All-Pro thanks to his contributions as a special teams player, so his spot on this roster is locked in.

Specialists (3)

Rodrigo Blankenship, Rigoberto Sanchez, Luke Rhodes

The only somewhat surprising thing here is Blankenship winning the kicker competition against Eddy Pineiro. Rhodes appears to have the long snapper job locked in, and Sanchez will continue to show that he is one of the best punters in the game.

4 Colts tumbling down depth charts during the preseason

With training camp and the preseason in full swing, these four Indianapolis Colts players seem to be tumbling down the depth chart.