INDIANAPOLIS – The evaluation process is never easy. Not when it involves informing more than three dozen players who’ve spent the past four months doing everything you’ve asked that they didn’t do quite enough.
This is the third summer Shane Steichen has been part of the Indianapolis Colts’ paring-down process – rosters that sit at 90 must be trimmed to 53 by 4 p.m. Tuesday – and it hasn’t gotten any easier.
“Obviously, a tough time of year for a lot of those guys,” Steichen said Monday afternoon. “It’s part of the business. You’ve gotta make some tough decisions.”
Players who’ll be waived or released within the next 24 hours, “worked their tail off,” he added. “We had a lot of good guys in camp that did it the right way.”
Complicating the internal discussions is the readiness of a handful of players for the Sept. 7 opener against the Miami Dolphins at Lucas Oil Stadium.
“Yeah, a little bit,” Steichen conceded. “We’ve got another 24 hours here. We’re working through it tonight and tomorrow.
“Obviously, some tough decisions need to be made in the next 24 hours. But we’ll get it finalized.”
Wideout Josh Downs (hamstring), starting strong safety Nick Cross (hip flexor), cornerback Jaylon Jones (hamstring), running backs Tyler Goodson (left elbow) and Khalil Herbert (hamstring) and linebacker Jaylon Carlies (ankle) missed extended practice time at the end of training camp.
Ashton Dulin, whose value as a backup wideout and special teams player is undeniable, sustained a concussion in practice and is in the NFL’s concussion protocol.
“He’s progressing well,” Steichen said. “He should be ready to roll.”
Steichen expects a few of the injured Colts to be available when preparation for the Dolphins ramps up next Monday. That probably includes Downs and Cross. Players are on the practice field Wednesday and Thursday before having a three-day weekend.
Where each player is in his rehab impacts the cut to 53.
Players placed on the injured reserve list during training camp – rookie cornerback Justin Walley, rookie safety Hunter Wohler, offensive tackle Blake Freeland, etc. – are out for the season. However, a team is allowed to place two players on IR as part of the cut to 53 and designate them to return, which means the individual must miss a minimum of four games.
Another option is carrying a player on the 53 even though he won’t be ready for the first couple of weeks. That was the case last season with Downs. He sustained a high sprain to his right ankle Aug. 7 in camp that forced him to miss weeks 1-2.
Fluid roster
When the Colts trim their roster to 53, keep in mind it’s hardly final. It’s final for Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline.
One of crueler aspects of a team getting to 53 is a so-called bubble player surviving the cut and enjoying the individual achievement only to be informed 24 hours later he’s being replaced by a player claimed off waivers.
Since taking over as general manager in 2017, Chris Ballard has been active with post-cut moves.
There have been a few trades: linebacker Grant Stuard from Tampa Bay in 2022, offensive tackle Matt Pryor (Philadelphia) in 2021 and quarterback Jacoby Brissett from New England in 2017 for 2015 first-round pick Phillip Dorsett.
And there has been a slew of waiver claims. The Colts have been awarded at least one player waived on cut day in each of Ballard’s eight seasons and at least two on five occasions.
Last summer, the Colts were awarded cornerback Samuel Womack III, who was waived by San Francisco. He appeared in all 17 games with eight starts. In 2023, they added defensive end Isaiah Land (Dallas), guard Josh Sills (Philly) and offensive tackle Ryan Hayes (Miami).
Not surprisingly, Ballard’s busy post-cut summer was his first in 2017.
Along with acquiring Brissett to start for injured Andrew Luck, he came away with five waiver claims. The bounty included cornerbacks Kenny Moore II (New England) and Pierre Desir (Seattle).
Areas Ballard might target with waiver claims include the offensive line, safety, defensive tackle, linebacker and running back, if Goodson and Herbert are expected to miss a game or two.
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.