The Colts have their initial 53-man roster in place, but the work for Chris Ballard is just getting started. Once roster cutdowns hit, the waiver wire becomes the next place to hunt for help, and Indianapolis is sitting at No. 16 in waiver priority.
That means if the Colts want to land a player who was waived Sunday, they’ll need to file a claim and hope the order breaks their way. If another team puts in a claim for the same player, the higher-priority team gets him based on the original 2026 draft order before trades.
With that in mind, and using Daniel Popper’s waiver wire big board at The Athletic, there are three names that fit clear needs for Indianapolis.
Christian Jones is the most obvious offensive line target. The Cardinals made him a fifth-round pick in 2024, and he has only 74 career offensive snaps under his belt.
Still, he put together a strong preseason as a run-blocker by PFF’s metrics and allowed one sack across 163 pass-blocking reps. Popper’s read on him was simple: "He has a feel for timing and space when matched up one-on-one with edge rushers.
He has quick feet when moving laterally to mirror rushes." That kind of profile matters for a Colts tackle group that is paper-thin behind the starters, with Luke Tenuta currently the only backup option.
The cornerback room also deserves attention, which is why Doneiko Slaughter is on the list. The source notes him as Dunbar, but the player in question was an undrafted rookie in 2025 out of Arkansas.
He checked boxes in the preseason as a tackler and run defender, and in coverage he gave up eight catches on 10 targets for 9.5 yards per reception while adding a pass breakup. Popper believes he can handle work both inside and outside, and he pointed to enough early tape to keep him in the mix: "He had a down game in Week 3 as the Steelers lost to the Bills.
But there was enough on film over the first two games to show that Slaughter has the potential to land on a 53-man roster after waivers."
Mory Bamba is the other corner worth watching. He went undrafted in April out of BYU and only appeared in the first preseason game, but he made it count, allowing just four receptions on 10 targets with two pass breakups.
Popper highlighted the size and versatility that could make him attractive on waivers: "He is 6-foot-2 and can use that frame to play physically at the line of scrimmage in press alignments. Bamba can play inside and outside."
For Indianapolis, the fit is obvious. Corner depth was a problem throughout the preseason, and the Colts will also be without Cam Taylor-Britt in Week 1 because of a suspension.
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