By 6 pm ET on Sunday, August 30, the Indianapolis Colts will have had to trim their bloated roster to just 53 active players. Those who are waived might be re-signed to the practice squad, but they would have limited chances to actually help the team win games.
And the team has to win a lot of games in 2026, one would presume, or the risk of head coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard losing their jobs is real. They don't want to be fired, of course, and that means choosing the correct players to make the team a winner.
That probably won't include veterans like Laquon Treadwell, though. He has never developed after being a first-round selection a decade ago. The team needs to find players who might become the kind of high-end performers Treadwell isn't.
53-man 2026 roster prediction for the Indianapolis Colts ahead of final roster cuts
Quarterback (3)
QB1: Daniel Jones
QB2: Anthony Richardson
QB3: Riley Leonard
The Colts told fans everything they needed to know beginning in training camp as far as which quarterback is likely to be QB2. Richardson always got the first chance to be QB1 when the reps were available. No matter what he did in preseason Week 3, he was almost certain to be Daniel Jones' backup.
Running back (3)
Starter: Jonathan Taylor
Backups: Seth McGowan, Ulysses Bentley IV
Bentley just has a bit more upside in his versatility than DJ Giddens, who can probably land on the practice squad if the team wants him back. McGowan has been a standout since he arrived as a 2026 seventh-round draft pick.
Wide receiver (6)
WR1: Alec Pierce
WR2 : Josh Downs
WR3: Keenan Allen
Backups: Anthony Gould, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Ashton Dulin
Two notable things here. Gone is first-round bust Treadwell, who broke into the league with the Minnesota Vikings in 2016 and never materialized as a valuable receiving threat. He didn't do that in his two previous seasons with Indy either.
Gould could be replaced on this list by Coleman Owen, though Owen was injured early in preseason Week 3, and either would make the team as a returner instead of a presumed producer as a wideout. This will be one of the roster spots to watch when final cuts are made.
Tight ends (4)
Starter: Tyler Warren
Backups: Mo Alie-Cox, Will Mallory, Drew Ogletree
Indianapolis likes to keep four tight ends, though most are simply glorified offensive linemen. Warren will likely lead the team in targets this season, and the team expects him to have a better second half of the year than he did as a rookie.
Offensive line (9)
Starters: LT Bernhard Raimann, LG Quenton Nelson, C Tanor Bortolini, RG Matt Goncalves, RT Jalen Travis
Backups: Dalton Tucker, Blake Freeland, Jalen Farmer, Luke Tenuta
Initially, we had Jimmy Morrissey earning a spot here, but that is simply too many centers to keep. The problem is Tucker hasn't been good either, and was atrocious snapping the ball against Detroit. Freeland could stick as a swing tackle, the same kind of thing that Tenuta is capable of doing.
Defensive end/edge rusher (6)
Starters: Laiatu Latu, Arden Key
Backups: Jaylahn Tuimoloau, Micheal Clemons, Caden Curry, George Gumbs Jr.
Curry and Gumbs stick because they were drafted this year, but it would be nice if one of them became an unexpectedly important producer in 2026. The only sure thing about this group is that Latu is solid. After that, there is a lot to prove.
Defensive tackle (4)
Starters: DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart
Backups: Colby Wooden, Adetomiwa Adebawore
One of the better position groups on the Indianapolis Colts, as long as health doesn't become an issue again. Buckner is entering the final year of his deal and might be motivated to show he can be available for every game. If that happens, he is going to once again be one of the better players at his position in the league.
Inside linebackers (5)
Starters: CJ Allen, Akeem Davis-Gaither
Backups: Bryce Boettcher, Austin Ajiake, Jaylon Carlies
Keeping four at this position would be ideal, but the truth is that Indianapolis simply cannot know what it will get consistently from anyone. CJ Allen was hoped to be the green dot on Lou Anarumo's defense, but he's been hurt twice and not elite when he has played. If anyone, fellow rookie Bryce Boettcher has been the standout, but the position is a real concern.
Cornerback (6)
Outside corner: Sauce Gardner, Charvarius Ward
Nickelback: Justin Walley
Backups: Cam Taylor-Britt, Johnathan Edwards, Jaylon Jones
The possibility certainly exists that the Colts only keep five cornerbacks, but they might be a bit nervous about players staying healthy. Ward is already dealing with a bad back, and Walley hasn't yet played a single down in a regular season game after hurting his knee as a rookie last year.
Safety (4)
Starters: Cam Bynum, AJ Haulcy
Backups: Hunter Wohler, Jonathan Owens
Owens might be the only question here, but he helps quite a bit on special teams, and that is why he sticks. Haulcy and Wohler will be playing their first real downs in the league, but should be solid. Bynum is one of the more underrated safeties in the NFL.
Specialists (3)
Kicker: Spencer Shrader
Punter: Rigoberto Sanchez
Long snapper: Luke Rhodes
Kick returner: Ashton Dulin
Punt returner: Ashton Dulin
The Indianapolis Colts might regret the move, but Shrader probably stays on the roster instead of Blake Grupe because Shrader has been better in the preseason games, including a 60-yarder versus the Lions, while Grupe has been better in practice. Sanchez isn't going anywhere after recently signing an extension for two seasons beyond 2026.
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