The Indianapolis Colts are not going to stop trying to be better. That's the good news. The team is this close to being a true Super Bowl threat, and if there is a chance a player can help, then general manager Chris Ballard has shown he will do his best to add that person.
He did so with former All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner, as Indy shockingly traded for the New York Jets player and gave up two first-round picks to do so. Maybe those first-round selections turn out to be great. Gardner has solidified his status as a great player already.
The truth is, though, that Gardner and the secondary cannot be forced to be great in the postseason, which Indy should get to. The overall defense needs to be excellent, and maybe the most important part of that is the pass rush. So far in 2025, only Laiatu Lati has shown he can be consistently good.
The Indianapolis Colts reportedly sign veteran Chris Wormley to the practice squad
Now that defensive lineman DeForest Buckner is out for at least four games, the Colts' pass rush is struggling even more. This is where we enter Chris Wormley. Indianapolis reportedly signed the 2017 Baltimore Ravens draft pick to the practice squad during the bye week.
Sure, Wormley might only be a practice squad guy, but the NFL works differently now than it did before. Teams might be limited to an active 53-man roster, but practice squads are 16 players, and players can be elevated from the squad each week, up to three times. This means teams' rosters are truly 69 players.
Even though Wormley is a practice squad signee, he could be activated for real games immediately. Is he going to help? Unlikely.
He hasn't played in 2025, of course, but the 6'5" and 300-pound defensive lineman hasn't had a quarterback hit since 2022, and only had one that season. Over the course of his career, he has been solid against the run; however, so maybe that is where Ballard thinks Wormley could help the most.
The player cannot replace Buckner's versatility, but few plays could. Maybe the Indianapolis Colts simply see Chris Wormley as a rotational player who can be stout against the run and will sub him out in obvious passing situations. That could work, and for Colts fans' sakes, let's hope it does.