The Indianapolis Colts are all set to roll out the carpet for the upcoming 2024 NFL season and have made a few major roster moves to complete their team. With the opening game against the Houston Texans a few weeks out, it has been hard decisions all around for the Colts lately. Let’s break down these recent moves and what they mean for the team.
Indianapolis Colts Roster Moves and Their Impact
The Colts announced nine roster changes on their list, including releases and waivers. This means the following players are affected by these moves:
Released Players
WR Tyrie Cleveland
S Ronnie Harrison Jr.
WR Greg Ward
Waived Players
CB Clay Fields III
K Spencer Shrader
QB Kedon Slovis
WR Derek Slywka
LB Mike Smith Jr.
There’s a key distinction between released and waived players. The first four—Cleveland, Harrison, Rivers, and Ward—are all veterans who will now become free agents and be free to sign with any team of their choice. The final five—the waived ones: Fields, Shrader, Slovis, Slywka, and Smith—will pass through waivers. Other teams can claim them before they become free agents.
One of the biggest surprises in these moves is the pending release of safety Ronnie Harrison Jr. He had been an upstanding contributor to the team last season, providing depth at the linebacker and safety positions. After having a strong preseason, he still found himself on the chopping block. This move makes room for Julian Blackmon and Nick Cross to assume more prominent roles.
The Importance of Preseason Performances
The preseason allowed a lot of depth players to shine. However, as the Colts pare down, the attention turns toward those who fared the best. Guys like Quarterback Jason Bean, Running Back Tyler Goodson, and Cornerback Micah Abraham showed promise and could find their way—conceivably, at least—onto the final roster.
The Colts will likely be looking to re-sign some of these waived players to the practice squad if they are not claimed. This step will allow the team to continue the development of such a player while keeping them close at hand. It is a way of managing talent and keeping options open for the future.
Colts Roster Adjustments and Deadline
Currently, the Colts have 82 players on their roster, with the deadline for final cuts on August 27, and they are supposed to reduce the roster to 53 players. So, 29 more cuts should be made before the start of the season.
The Indianapolis Colts are in the thick of intense roster decisions as they head into the 2024 season. Of course, the moves they’ve made to this point, specifically the stunning release of Ronnie Harrison Jr., show that the team is working on finalizing its lineup.
With the roster continuing to take shape, the eyes of fans and analysts are going to be out for how these changes affect the team’s performance. At the moment, the Colts are putting in maximum effort to make sure they have just the right mix of players to open the season in tip-top shape.
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