The Indianapolis Colts may be staring at an opening for Caden Curry.
Arden Key, brought in this offseason to help ease the burden on Laiatu Latu, got off to a solid start for Indianapolis before a hamstring injury in Week 4 changed the picture. Key has not been placed on injured reserve, but ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported he is expected to miss 3-4 weeks, which puts the situation right on the edge of an IR move. If the Colts do make that move, they would create a roster spot to elevate a practice squad player or bring in a free agent.
Either way, the snaps have to go somewhere, and Curry looks like the cleanest internal candidate to benefit. George Gumbs Jr. should get his first chances as well, while Jaylahn Tuimoloau and Latu were already seeing plenty of work. But the next-man-up opportunity feels like it belongs to Curry.
That’s not just because he’s from Center Grove and carries the hometown angle. Curry earned his way onto the roster after a strong season at Ohio State, and the Colts have already shown enough to suggest they view him as more than a situational body.
Through four games, he has three tackles and two run stuffs. His workload has been split almost evenly between pass rush and run defense, with 17 snaps rushing the passer and 14 against the run.
The production hasn’t jumped off the page yet, but the sample is tiny. Curry has played only 34 defensive snaps, which is barely half a game’s worth of work in the NFL. He hasn’t registered a quarterback pressure, but he has shown enough against the run to hint at a larger role if the opportunity keeps growing.
There’s also the possibility that Chris Ballard could add a veteran edge rusher, with Joey Bosa mentioned as an example. That kind of move would naturally cut into Curry’s chances more than a rookie’s. And if a signing does happen, the player might not be ready in time for Week 5 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, giving Curry at least one game to make his case.
For Indianapolis, the door is open. For Curry, this could be the stretch where he starts walking through it.
In Other News...
Colts Sideline Debate Just Got Bigger At A Delicate Time
Carlie Irsay-Gordons habit of planting herself on the Colts sideline has become one of the more unusual talking points around the team, especially as she continues to work in plain view with a playbook in hand and notes at the ready. The principal owner and CEO has framed her approach as part of being an attentive leader, saying in an interview that listening and understanding matter, which fits the image she has presented during games.
But the conversation around her presence has widened, and not everyone views it as harmless curiosity. Bill Simmons questioned the sideline involvement on his podcast, adding another layer to a discussion that is already unfolding at a delicate point in the season, with Indianapolis sitting at 2-2 and trying to keep its focus on football rather than the attention orbiting above it. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Suddenly Have A Khalil Mack Decision Fans Can't Ignore
The Colts pass rush remains a talking point as the season approaches, and the latest name to surface is a familiar one: Khalil Mack. Indianapolis has been searching for more help off the edge after injuries thinned that group, and Macks track record would instantly change the tone of that conversation if the Colts decide to get aggressive. He is on a one-year contract, which makes him the kind of short-term fix teams often explore when a roster hole becomes too obvious to ignore.
Still, any potential move is not entirely in the Colts hands. Mack also carries a no-trade clause, so he would have to sign off on any deal, and the Chargers would likely want draft compensation in return if they are willing to listen at all. That leaves Indianapolis weighing a familiar NFL dilemma: whether to pay for immediate help now or hold its picks and trust the current rotation to survive the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Add A Familiar Pass Rusher With Anarumo Ties
The Colts added a familiar edge presence to the practice squad on Wednesday, bringing in veteran defensive end Carl Lawson as they continue sorting through their pass-rush depth. Lawson arrives with a clear connection to defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo from their time together in Cincinnati, which gives Indianapolis a built-in level of familiarity as the team looks to fortify the front seven.
Lawson has been around plenty of NFL locker rooms over his eight-year career, with stops in Baltimore, New York, and Dallas in addition to his years with the Bengals. He has 32 sacks to his name, and the question now is whether that experience and Anarumo familiarity can quickly translate into a larger opportunity in Indianapolis. [Read more 🡒]