Seth McGowan entered the Indianapolis Colts’ orbit as a seventh-round flier in the 2026 NFL Draft, but the rookie has spent camp and preseason looking like a much bigger deal than that. What started as a low-risk pick has turned into something far more interesting: McGowan now looks like the clear RB2 behind Jonathan Taylor and a real candidate to handle meaningful work right away.
That rise matters because the Colts are hoping Taylor does not have to shoulder quite so much of the offense. McGowan, the rookie out of Kentucky, appears built to help with that. He is powerful, plays faster than his 40 time might suggest, and showed enough in practice and exhibition games to make people wonder whether he belonged much earlier than the seventh round.
The preseason numbers were modest on paper - 17 carries for 65 yards, a 3.8-yard average - but the context matters. Most of those runs came behind backups.
When McGowan got a chance in preseason Week 3 to open the game alongside the starters, he looked far more effective. That matters for a team that expects him to run behind Quenton Nelson and Bernhard Raimann once the games count.
He is not going to replace Taylor, and nobody in Indianapolis is pretending otherwise. But he may be the best backup Taylor has had, and that could show up quickly in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens.
McGowan’s value goes beyond simple rushing production, too. He can pass-protect, he is big and strong enough to handle most pass rushers, and he can catch a few passes out of the backfield.
The real question now is how much trust the Colts are willing to place in him once the season starts. The preseason offered one answer; real snaps will offer another. Still, McGowan has done enough to make his role obvious, and if that carries over, Chris Ballard’s seventh-round selection could end up looking like the steal of the draft.
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 🡒]