The Colts got through preseason Week 3, but not every player walked away with momentum. For a team that didn’t need to lean on most of its starters, the exhibition slate still mattered plenty for young players trying to earn roles and veterans trying to hold off challengers.
A few names came out of the final preseason game against the Detroit Lions looking worse than they did going in. And for four Colts in particular, the stock chart is pointing straight down.
CJ Allen has had a rough couple of weeks. The rookie linebacker was again part of the wrong conversation after failing to register a tackle in the first half against Detroit. He had trouble shedding blocks, and too often he looked out of place when the play developed around him.
The Colts are obviously not going to give up on their second-round pick, especially after the time he missed in camp because of injuries. But right now, he does not look ready to help Lou Anarumo’s defense, and it may take longer than expected before he gets there.
Riley Leonard also missed a chance to make this backup quarterback race feel settled. With Anthony Richardson’s very public trade request and the situation around him, the job looked there for the taking. Instead, Leonard did little to separate himself.
Against the Lions, he completed only three of seven passes for 48 yards and threw one ugly interception. He did show the arm talent on a 25-yard dime on 4th-and-6, but that was the clear high point of his day.
Blake Grupe didn’t have a disastrous finale, but he still looks like the odd man out in the kicker competition. He made two field goals and one PAT against Detroit, yet the bigger picture has already turned against him.
Grupe finished the preseason with two misses, including one from 61 yards. Spencer Shrader, meanwhile, went five-for-five on field goals and capped it with a 60-yarder in the finale. That kind of finish makes the decision look pretty straightforward.
Then there’s Jaylahn Tuimoloau, who entered the summer as a player many expected to step into a bigger defensive role. Instead, his most notable work may have come on special teams, where he had two solid kickoff-coverage reps.
Outside of that, there just wasn’t much. Through camp and three preseason games, he struggled to create pressure, had a hard time working past backup linemen, and watched rookies Caden Curry and George Gumbs Jr. outplay him. He’s not going anywhere, but he didn’t do much to strengthen his case either.
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Colts Change Course Fast After Surprising Backfield Cut
The Colts moved quickly to reshape the bottom of their roster after waiving running back Ulysses Bentley IV during preseason cuts, then releasing him from the practice squad to open spots for a pair of additions. Running back Davon Booth and guard Reid Holskey were both signed to the practice squad as Indianapolis continued sorting out the depth chart behind a roster that already includes Jonathan Taylor, Seth McGowan and DJ Giddens in the backfield.
Booth arrives after a stint with the Browns, while Holskey comes in as a lineman with time spent around several NFL teams. The additions give the Colts some extra flexibility as they keep adjusting the practice squad around needs at running back and guard, where the active roster already features Quenton Nelson, Matt Goncalves, Jalen Farmer and Dalton Tucker. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Still Have Two Big Opener Concerns Before Baltimore
Alec Pierces return to practice is one of the more encouraging signs for the Colts as they keep turning toward their opener against Baltimore. The receiver has been working his way back from offseason ankle surgery, and his availability remains one of the bigger early questions for a team that wants its passing game settled before the games start counting.
General manager Chris Ballard said he is hopeful the injured players can be ready for Week 1, with Pierce and rookie safety A.J. Haulcy among the names to watch. Pierce joined Tyler Warren and Josh Downs on the field, while Haulcy and some others were still out, leaving Indianapolis with a little more optimism than clarity as the final days before kickoff continue to tick away. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Kept A Recent Draft Pick For A Reason
Anthony Gould survived the final roster cut in Indianapolis, and the move fits with the kind of value the Colts have been trying to preserve as they sort out the back end of the roster. The 2024 fifth-round pick out of Oregon State has mostly made his mark as a return specialist, with only limited work on offense so far, but that versatility is part of why the organization kept him in the mix and then brought him back on the practice squad for the 2026 season.
For a Colts team that is trying to climb beyond its recent records and push back into the playoffs with key players returning, keeping a player like Gould around is a small but meaningful decision. He may not be an every-down contributor yet, but the Colts are clearly still interested in what he can offer on special teams and in a depth role as the season develops. [Read more 🡒]