The Colts made a pair of roster moves on Tuesday, and the biggest one came at a spot they could not afford to leave bare. Indianapolis signed offensive tackle Luke Tenuta from the practice squad and waived former starting cornerback Jaylon Jones in the corresponding 53-man roster move.
Tenuta’s elevation was easy to see coming. The Colts were thin behind their two starting tackles, Bernhard Raimann and Jalen Travis, with no natural backup at the position.
In a pinch, starting right guard Matt Goncalves could have shifted outside, and rookie offensive guard Jalen Farmer would have been another emergency option, but that setup would have been far from ideal. The Colts clearly needed another tackle body, and Tenuta fills that gap.
The move costs Jones his roster spot for now. A former 2023 7th round pick, Jones started 29 games for Indianapolis over the past three seasons and once looked like a strong late-round find. But he had been a shaky fit in veteran defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo’s coverage scheme since Anarumo arrived last season, even if Jones could have profited from a more zone-heavy system down the line.
Jones did show reasonably well in preseason, but his usage late in the second half of preseason games hinted that the Colts were still searching for a better answer. There was at least a chance they were waiting for a trade partner, but that never came together before the team had to make room for Tenuta.
Now the Colts are left very thin and inexperienced at backup cornerback for Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens, especially with Cam Taylor-Britt serving his one-game suspension. Indianapolis may need another meaningful addition at corner, or it will be relying heavily on Sauce Gardner, Charvarius Ward, and Justin Walley staying healthy in the opener.
The Colts also added tight end Kenny Fletcher Jr. to the practice squad. Fletcher is a 6,3”, 250 pound tight end out of Rutgers who originally signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted rookie free agent earlier this late offseason before being waived during final 53-man roster cuts.
A converted defensive lineman for the Scarlet Knights, Fletcher caught 46 passes for 373 receiving yards, an 8.1 ypr. average, and two touchdowns across 17 games at the position over the last two seasons.
In Other News...
Colts Just Sent A Clear Message With This Late Roster Shakeup
The Colts made a late roster tweak this week, moving offensive tackle Luke Tenuta from the practice squad onto the 53-man roster and waiving cornerback Jaylon Jones to open the spot. Its the kind of transaction that can get overlooked on a busy roster sheet, but it points to where Indianapolis wanted a little more security heading into the stretch run: the backup tackle group.
Tenuta gives the Colts added depth behind the starting offensive line, while the corresponding practice-squad move brought in tight end Kenny Fletcher Jr. to fill the vacancy. Small as it may seem, the shuffle says plenty about how the team is trying to balance protection up front with the flexibility to keep the rest of the roster stocked. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Just Made A Secondary Decision Fans Didn't See Coming
The Colts kept tweaking the bottom of the roster by moving offensive tackle Luke Tenuta up from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, a shift that opened a spot for the team to make another pass at its depth. To keep the practice squad balanced, Indianapolis also brought in free agent tight end Kenny Fletcher Jr., an undrafted rookie out of Rutgers who made his college move from defensive end to tight end.
The move that stands out most is on the other side of the ball, where the Colts waived cornerback Jaylon Jones, a two-year starter for the team before this latest shake-up. Tenuta brings prior NFL stops with the Bills, Packers and Cardinals, but Jones departure adds a layer of intrigue because it trims from a position group that has mattered for Indianapolis, and it leaves one more roster question hanging as the team sorts out what it wants its secondary to look like next. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Secondary Draws Fresh Scrutiny Right Before The Opener
The Colts secondary is getting a little unwanted attention as the season opener approaches, with two defensive backs landing on the NFLs fine list for preseason infractions. Cam Taylor-Britt was hit for unnecessary roughness on a tackle in the finale against the Lions, while Trey Washington was fined for a facemask in a preseason game against the Falcons, adding a late-week reminder that discipline has been part of the conversation around this group.
The bigger issue for Indianapolis is the timing. Taylor-Britt is already set to miss the opener because of a separate suspension tied to a violation of the leagues personal conduct policy, leaving the Colts to sort out their back end without one of its most recognizable defenders. For a unit trying to settle in before the games start counting, the added fines only underscore how little margin there is for error. [Read more 🡒]