Colts players on the roster bubble after first preseason game
By Brad Marr
DE Ben Banogu
At no surprise, Ben Banogu is once again on the fence of making the Colts’ roster. A second-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft, Banogu has had the opportunity to showcase his talent but it may be time to finally move on from this draft bust.
It seems year in and year out, Banogu has shown extreme promise during both training camp and preseason game action. This year we’ve entered the revolving door yet again, as Banogu is listed on the second-team defense on Indy’s first depth chart of the preseason.
Chris Ballard spent this 2022 offseason bolstering the defensive line in a number of ways, including trading for Yannick Ngakoue, signing Ifeadi Odenigbo, and drafting a versatile defensive lineman in Curtis Brooks out of Cincinnati. Add on that Tyquan Lewis is returning on a team-friendly deal after an injury brought a promising 2021 campaign to an end.
If the Colts can find a trade partner for Banogu, it would most likely be the Chicago Bears that call asking, since there’s hardly anyone that’s gotten notice of his ability on the field more than Matt Eberflus.
Ultimately, Banogu is currently looking good for Indy but he’s not in the clear yet. Considering his history, if he starts to falter towards the end of camp, the Colts may decide to end the cycle of Bangui being a camp stud, turned in-season dud in Indianapolis.