Colts: 3 players that had no business making the final 2021 roster
By Jerry Trotta
Unlike most teams in the NFL, the Indianapolis Colts made it past last Tuesday’s roster deadline with 57 players on the roster.
At the time, they had four players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, so they had to carry the extra few spots. That led to some surprising cuts, including camp and preseason standout Andre Chachere, who quickly signed with the Eagles.
The Colts also pulled the plug on 2019 fifth-rounder Marvel Tell, who seemed poised to play a role in the secondary after he opted out of last season. Those moves didn’t sit well with some players on the team, as Kenny Moore, Darius Leonard and Julian Blackmon made their frustration heard on social media.
Other than that, most of Indianapolis’ 53-man roster was straightforward. However, like any team, there were some players who made the cut that will struggle for playing time. Let’s highlight some of them, shall we?
Colts: 3 players that had no business making the final roster
3. Taylor Stallworth
The “no business” labeling might be a little harsh on Taylor Stallworth, who appeared in all 16 games for the Colts last season.
However, it might’ve made a little more sense to keep a defensive tackle who’s more adept at rushing the passer (like Andrew Brown) as opposed to defending the run. After all, Grover Stewart is already one of the best run-stuffing DTs in the game.
Is Taylor Stallworth really deserving of a spot on the Colts’ roster?
We haven’t the first clue what it takes to build an NFL roster, but Stallworth only played 253 snaps last season and could be in for a lesser role when second-round pick Dayo Odeyingbo is activated from the reserve/NFI list.
That’s a long way down the road, obviously, and Stallworth certainly adds value as a backup defensive tackle who can pick off running backs in the trenches. However, don’t be surprised if one of Antwuan Woods or Kameron Cline, both of whom are stashed on the practice squad, gets promoted at some point this season.