INDIANAPOLIS - The Colts are trying to make this week feel as much like a regular season stretch as possible, with their preseason finale set for Saturday and roster cuts from 90 to 53 coming on Sunday.
Wednesday marked the second of three straight practices, and the team is planning to get some starters on the field against the preseason finale.
One of the biggest roster moves came before practice even got going. The Colts waived cornerback Mekhi Blackmon, who played the most snaps of any corner on the roster last season.
Blackmon’s preseason had gone badly, and Wednesday’s move sent him out just before practice. To replace him, Indianapolis added undrafted cornerback Kenneth Harris, who had just been waived by the Patriots.
The Colts had already seen Harris during a joint practice with New England earlier this month. With Cam Taylor-Britt suspended for the first week of the season, the cornerback picture is worth watching closely.
That leaves questions about how Johnathan Edwards, Jaylon Jones and Rob Carter Jr. fit into the depth chart.
Mooney Ward was back on the practice field after dealing with back pain again. He is expected to take part in some team reps Wednesday, though not in Saturday’s preseason finale.
Ward said the issue flared up during the team’s August 9 practice, then kept him out for the next three weeks. He also dealt with the same problem last season, and on Wednesday he said he’ll have to “manage” and “deal with” it throughout the year.
Ward, 30, also pointed to Justin Walley as the Colts DB who had the best training camp. The bigger takeaway is what this means for the Colts’ cornerback depth going forward, especially with 2026 in mind.
Reggie Wayne has liked what he’s seen from rookie Deion Burks after a shaky start. Wayne said Burks had a “rough spring” during the offseason program, but he’s been encouraged by how the rookie has handled the mental side of things since then.
That improvement has helped Burks play faster, which showed up Saturday when he led the team with four catches. He also had a 13-yard third-down conversion wiped out by penalty.
Burks remains one of the tougher players on the roster to project, and his path may depend on how the Colts handle kick and punt return duties. If those jobs go to players already on the 53-man roster, such as Seth McGowan and Ashton Dulin, that could free up one more spot at receiver when the cuts come Sunday.
Josh Downs is dealing with what he called a “very minor” calf injury, and he’s currently sidelined. That matters for Anthony Richardson Sr., who looks set to run the “starting” offense Saturday without several key skill players.
Jonathan Taylor is resting, while Alec Pierce is out with an ankle/heel issue, Tyler Warren has a right groin injury, and Downs is out with the calf problem. Downs also said Wednesday that this has been his best training camp in four NFL seasons, helped by the Colts moving him around their offense more than they had before.
The Colts are scheduled to practice Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week before Saturday’s preseason finale at Lucas Oil Stadium.
In Other News...
Former Colts Starter Faces Concerning Injury Scare In Houston
Braden Smiths move from Indianapolis to Houston gave the Texans an experienced starter at right tackle, but his first summer with the team has already hit a nerve. During a joint practice with the Carolina Panthers, Smith suffered an apparent leg injury and had to be carted off the field, a troubling sight for a player brought in to help stabilize one of the leagues most important spots on the line.
There has been no immediate word on the severity of the injury or how long Smith might be sidelined, though any significant absence would be a major concern for Houston. The former Colts starter signed a two-year contract with the Texans after spending several seasons in Indianapolis, and his health now becomes a key storyline for a team hoping to lean on him this season. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Final 53 Still Has Openings For A Few Real Surprises
The Colts are heading into final cutdown day with more questions than clean answers, and that uncertainty has created a lane for a few names that looked like nothing more than camp depth a few weeks ago. Injuries and recent departures have thinned out parts of the roster, while the defense in particular has gone through enough turnover that the back end of the depth chart feels a lot more open than it usually does at this stage.
That is where the intrigue lives for players like Coleman Owen, Jimmy Morrissey and Tim Smith, each of whom has at least hung around long enough to make the conversation interesting. The Colts are still sorting through position-by-position competition and weighing how those pieces fit into the 2026 roster picture, but the final answers have not come yet, which is exactly why the last few spots are worth watching so closely. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Still Have One Big Readiness Question Before Week 1
The Colts are heading into their final preseason game with most of the roster picture getting clearer, and the injury report finally offering some encouraging signs. Wide receiver Alec Pierce has been moving in the right direction after missing training camp because of ankle surgery, while cornerback Charvarius Ward Sr. is back on the field after dealing with a back injury. For a team trying to settle in before the real games begin, those are the kinds of updates that matter.
Still, the last stretch before Week 1 is not without questions. Tyler Warren and Anthony Gould remain sidelined or limited with groin injuries, leaving Indianapolis to keep monitoring how quickly key pieces can get back to full speed. The Colts do not need every issue solved in late August, but they do need enough healthy bodies to enter the season with a workable plan. [Read more 🡒]