INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts open the 2024 NFL regular season against the Houston Texans on Sept. 8 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
There will be a familiar look to the team that takes the field in the opener considering the Colts had one of the more uneventful offseasons you'll see in the NFL. They re-signed a slew of veterans and returned nearly their entire starting lineup. Soon, we'll learn whether that group -- with the very notable addition of now-healthy quarterback Anthony Richardson -- can reach the playoffs in the crowded AFC.
QUARTERBACKS (2): Anthony Richardson, Joe Flacco
The rationale in cutting Sam Ehlinger here would be putting him on the practice squad where, under this year's revised rules, he could be promoted to the active roster an unlimited number of times to serve as an emergency quarterback. If the Colts feel strongly about keeping him on the active roster, then they'd have to trim a roster spot elsewhere.
RUNNING BACKS (4): Jonathan Taylor, Trey Sermon, Evan Hull, Tyler Goodson
The Colts can get by with three of these, but seeing how they believe all the backups behind Taylor have redeeming qualities, maybe they don't have to choose. There is some duplication between the skill sets of Hull and Goodson, which might make keeping both a luxury.
WIDE RECEIVERS (6): Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, Adonai Mitchell, Ashton Dulin, Anthony Gould
This group is coming off an impressive training camp, demonstrating that this unit might now be a strength for the Colts after years of questions. The lone lingering question relates to how long Downs' right ankle injury will sideline him and whether it will impact his availability early in the season. Either way, the assumption here is that he's on the opening-day roster and not injured reserve.
TIGHT ENDS (4): Mo Alie-Cox, Kylen Granson, Will Mallory, Drew Ogletree
It remains to be seen whether the toe injury Jelani Woods is dealing with will end his season, but it's serious enough that he is not expected to be on the active roster at the outset of the season. The rest of this group is good, but not great. Look for a by-committee approach unless someone emerges as a consistent threat.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (9): Bernhard Raimann, Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, Braden Smith, Blake Freeland, Tanor Bortolini, Matt Goncalves, Dalton Tucker
The starting group here is quite strong. Less certain is whether the depth is adequate. The Colts could have three rookies among the backups here, which might come with some risk. Because the tackle depth isn't great, it's imperative that Smith stays healthy this season after missing seven games in 2023.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (9): Kwity Paye, Laiatu Latu, Tyquan Lewis, Dayo Odeyingbo, DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, Adetomiwa Adebawore, Raekwon Davis, Isaiah Land
This unit is the strength of the roster. The Colts had a franchise-record 51 sacks last season. But the linemen will need to produce more consistent pressure than last season. The hope is the addition of edge rusher Latu, the 15th overall pick, helps in that regard. This year's depth might be better than last season's.
LINEBACKERS (5): Zaire Franklin, E.J. Speed, Jaylon Carlies, Segun Olubi, Grant Stuard
Franklin and Speed are a solid duo, with Franklin bringing the physicality and Speed adding the playmaking. The questions start beyond those two, who will play the overwhelming majority of the snaps. Carlies had a great start to training camp before being slowed by an injury, but can a fifth-round pick making a position change secure the third linebacker spot?
CORNERBACKS (6): Kenny Moore II, JuJu Brents, Jaylon Jones, Micah Abraham, Dallis Flowers, Jaylin Simpson
Buckle up: This is going to be a young group of players, much like it was last season. Brents has been consistently bit by the injury bug, so the Colts are still projecting what they think he can be. Jones is progressing, but Flowers is still not where he wants to be after last season's Achilles injury.
SAFETIES (5): Julian Blackmon, Nick Cross, Rodney Thomas II, Ronnie Harrison Jr., Trevor Denbow
Unless the Colts opt to make a waiver claim or some other kind of acquisition, this unit could wind up being the one with the least depth. Blackmon has been a revelation since his selection in 2020, but his injury history and the inexperience of the rest of this group should make the Colts uneasy.
SPECIAL TEAMS (3): Matt Gay (K), Rigoberto Sanchez (P), Luke Rhodes (H)
This is certainly a solid group, but the one concern is Gay's recent stretch of misses that dates back to the end of last season and has continued this preseason. Gay had three misses in the final four games and was, at times, erratic throughout the second half of the season. He finished with the lowest conversion rate of his career (80.5%), not a great look for one of the highest-paid kickers in the game.