The Indianapolis Colts chose to rid themselves of longtime inside linebacker starter Zaire Franklin this offseason. He was an outspoken leader, but maybe not the kind that Indy wanted to help lead a revamped defense moving forward. Franklin's ouster might have also had negative repercussions for veteran Jaylon Carlies.
To replace the traded Franklin and the unsigned Germaine Pratt, general manager Chris Ballard drafted CJ Allen from Georgia and signed Akeem Davis-Gaither in free agency. The team also took Bryce Boettcher in the fourth round.
It isn't Allen or Davis-Gaither that could push Carlies off the 53-man roster once it is announced in late August, but Boettcher. Indy also has Austin Ajiake to back up Allen and Davis-Gaither, assuming those are the two players who end up as starters.
Jaylon Carlies might find himself pushed off the Indianapolis Colts 53-man roster
Keeping more than four inside linebackers would seem like a stretch, though Chris Ballard might just do that. Instead, the team should keep one extra edge rusher, or maybe an extra wide receiver, as the team cannot be too sure of who will be WR3 after trading Michael Pittman Jr.
Off-ball linebacker backups can play a role on special teams, but so can edge rushers. Keeping Carlies around when he has no real path to get many reps at inside linebacker, or at least, he shouldn't have, would be a mistake. He showed promise as a rookie in 2024 after being a fifth-round pick out of Missouri, but last season, he was hurt.
Carlies missed most of last season, suffering from shoulder and ankle issues. He played in only three games, and just one of those was on defense. He played just two snaps after being involved in 242 the season before. He was solid in coverage as a rookie, but not good against the run.
The truth is that the Indianapolis Colts, just like every other NFL team, will have some tough decisions to make for who to keep on the 53-man roster. Chris Ballard, with the help of head coach Shane Steichen, could make decisions based on which positions are more needy. Inside linebacker has depth, even if it is somewhat unproven. The edge rusher spot is more iffy.
If the final decision comes down to the unknown, as far as who will be quality depth behind edge rusher Laiatu Latu and Arden Key, then Jaylon Carlies might need to go. If he can land on the practice squad in early September, great. He might land elsewhere, though, with a better chance of playing on defense.
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