Colts: Roster Cuts and Final 53 Review
By Dave McKee
Aug 29, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams cornerback Imoan Claiborne (45) is unable to prevent Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Griff Whalen (17) from scoring a two-point conversion during the fourth quarter of a football game at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kane-USA TODAY Sports
Beginning with the Colts roster cuts, there were some obvious candidates to be released from the 75-man roster and then there others that were surprising.
The Colts had some news-worthy surprises from this list. Some were positive and others… not so much. The Defensive line suffered the most from roster cuts as Montori Hughes and Josh Chapman were released.
#colts D-line. Kendall Langford 112 games, 90 starts. Other 5: 12 games, 0 starts. Alrighty.
— Mike Chappell (@mchappell51) September 6, 2015
Chapman was seen alongside Hughes getting extra snaps in game 4 of the preseason. When veteran players are playing that late in the game it is never a good sign. Essentially the writing was on the wall, but that was before Art Jones’ injury went from IR-Designate to Return to just Injured reserve. This was especially surprising considering the lack of experienced depth at the position.
Now, they are left with one player in the position group with any meaningful snaps, Kendall Langford. Third-round rookie draft pick Henry Anderson looks to line up at the 5T following the release of Montori Hughes. Anderson’s former Stanford teammate will likely be the starting nose tackle unless the Colts add more to their defensive front from the free agents that did not make the cut.
Perhaps even more of a surprise, but something many #Colts fans will like, RB Vick Ballard and WR Griff Whalen made the cut.
— Phillip B. Wilson (@pwilson24) September 5, 2015
Two fan favorite’s made the roster despite the suspicions that they would not. Running back Vick Ballard, who is returning from two straight season-ending injuries, survived the roster bubble as did wide receiver Griff Whalen. Ballard survived the cut because another fellow running back did not. Boom Herron suffered a season-ending shoulder injury on a meaningless kick return in the fourth preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
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For Whalen, it was not an injury that ensured his future with the organization, instead it was his sure-handed reliability. Whalen was a surprise because he took the spot many fans expected to be for Duron Carter. The Colts, namely Grigson, gambled by waiving Carter in the hopes he would clear waivers.
Running back Tyler Varga was a pleasant surprise throughout the preseason. As an undrafted free agent out of Yale, Varga went from the unknown to a fan – and local media – favorite with his bruising, never-say-die power running style. During the preseason, Varga tallied 69 rushing yards on 18 carries including one rushing touchdown. The way Varga runs, it is no surprise he made the team. The Colts have been looking for physical hard-nosed running backs since 2012. With Varga, they now have three.
Next: Detailing the Roster