Seth McGowan has wasted no time making a case that he’s more than just a late-round flier for the Indianapolis Colts.
Jonathan Taylor is still the engine here, and as long as he’s healthy, this remains his offense. But the Colts have been looking for someone who can take some of the load off their star back, bring a different style to the run game, and handle work that doesn’t always show up in the flashiest box score. McGowan, a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, is starting to look like that guy.
He’s been one of the early standouts in training camp, and his preseason usage has only strengthened the sense that he’s moving up the depth chart. His ability to contribute on special teams has helped too, and it appears he has already moved ahead of DJ Giddens in the pecking order.
That kind of rise fits McGowan’s story. His road to the NFL wasn’t smooth, but the raw traits have always been there. He plays with aggression and strength, and those traits helped him earn another chance after off-the-field issues nearly derailed his college career.
Now he’s carrying the kind of edge that often comes with knowing opportunities don’t come around forever. Even special teams coordinator Brian Mason sounded encouraged about what McGowan can bring in that phase of the game, which makes it hard to see him missing the roster.
Still, making the team and carving out a real role are two different things, especially with Taylor ahead of him. McGowan isn’t just trying to stick; he’s trying to claim the goal-line and short-yardage work that can make him more than a depth piece.
He already got a taste of that in Week 1 of the preseason against the New England Patriots, when referees wrongfully overturned his rushing touchdown. The moment served as a lesson, too: don’t reach for the goal line and put the ball in danger, even when the score is there for the taking.
There’s been growth in the passing game as well. McGowan has put in work on his hands and looked better as a receiver, even catching touchdown passes in practice. For a rookie, that kind of progress matters.
The numbers through two preseason games are modest - 44 yards on 13 carries - but they don’t tell the whole story. The tape and the reports from camp have painted a much more promising picture, which is why whether he played in preseason Week 3 didn’t really change the larger outlook.
Giddens is still likely to make the 53-man roster, but unless he shows more bite, the seventh-round back out of Kentucky looks like the one who could end up buried on the bench for most of the season.
In Other News...
Colts Opening Day Roster Just Created One Short-Term Surprise
The Colts opening-day roster brought a little surprise with it, as Luke Tenuta managed to sneak onto the initial 53-man group thanks to Cam Taylor-Britts one-game suspension. Tenuta was not originally projected to be on the roster, so his inclusion gave Indianapolis a short-term extra body heading into the start of the 2026 season.
Luke Tenutas spot may not be built for the long haul, though, because the picture changes once Taylor-Britt is eligible to return. For now, the Colts get an unexpected opening-day reward from the suspension, but the more interesting question is whether Tenuta can do enough in the meantime to make the decision harder when the roster needs to shift again. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Initial Roster Cuts Already Raise One Big Question
The Colts first round of roster trimming arrived with the usual late-August churn, but it also offered an early reminder of how thin the margins can be when the final 53 starts taking shape. Indianapolis placed tight end Will Mallory and wide receivers D.J. Montgomery and Coleman Owen on injured reserve as part of its initial moves, while also parting with several other players as the roster moved closer to its regular-season form.
One of the more notable decisions came along the defensive line, where the Colts released Colby Wooden after acquiring him from the Packers and later signing him to a restructured contract. Moves like that are rarely made in a vacuum, and this one only adds to the bigger question now hanging over the roster: how the Colts intend to balance health, depth and versatility as the final picture comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Still Need Receiver Help But Ballard Can't Miss Here
Chris Ballard is still sorting through a receiver room that looks thinner and less settled than the Colts would like this late in the season. The trade of Michael Pittman Jr. changed the shape of the group, and Alec Pierce is working his way back from ankle surgery, leaving Indianapolis to lean more heavily on a recent addition in Keenan Allen while also scanning the market for help.
Ballard has options, but this is the kind of move that can go wrong quickly if the fit is off or the veteran comes with too much baggage. The Colts need another receiver who can steady the offense without forcing them into a short-term mistake, and with several available names carrying question marks, the decision feels as important for what it says about the front office as for what it does on the field. [Read more 🡒]