On August 29th, the Colts announced their initial 53-man roster and there are certainly a few notable decisions to point out.

Jonathan Taylor is listed on the PUP List:

The elephant in the room is what became of RB Jonathan Taylor, and to that it is confirmed that JT will be Colt to start the season. However, he will be on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list which means that he will be out for at least the first four games of the regular season. The Colts could still try and trade him by the October 31st deadline, but with things not lining up this off-season, it is safe to assume that JT will be a Colt for the 2023 season.

The Colts will start the season with 3 running backs:

Another notable decision is to go with 3 running backs – Evan Hull, Deon Jackson, and Zach Moss.

Now, it is no surprise that these 3 made the cut, but I am surprised that they did not include an additional back for further depth. Veteran RB Kenyan Drake was released earlier this week and my hope was that they would keep the veteran as a depth piece and veteran presence and leadership. Nonetheless, 3 running backs is what it will be and we’ll see what happens if JT comes back healthy.

The Colts list 5 tight ends:

The Colts decide to go with 5 tight ends – Mo Alie-Cox, Kylen Granson, Will Mallory, Drew Ogletree, and Jelani Woods.

This was a surprise as most NFL teams keep only 3 tight ends. However, when the Colts initially had 9 tight ends on their roster at one point, there was heavy speculation as to how the tight end room would shape out. Most notable was what the Colts would do with veteran Mo Alie-Cox who received a contract extension in 2022, but has thus far not lived up to the money. I think from a veteran leadership standpoint, keeping Mo was a good decision. However, a tight end heavy team will be an interesting offense to behold in 2023.

The Colts only list 4 wide receivers:

Another surprise from the roster was only 4 wide receivers – Josh Downs, Isaiah Mckenzie, Michael Pittman Jr., and Alec Pierce.

The offensive structure is certainly a bit abnormal for the Colts with 5 tight ends, 3 running backs, and 4 wide receivers, but if this layout is going to extend the dynamic that Shane Steichen wants to impose, I think the offense will be fine. However, it will be intriguing to see how the offense looks with this setup.

The Offensive Line:

The Colts offensive linemen – Blake Freeland, Wesley French, Will Fries, Arlington Hambright, Ryan Kelly, Quenton Nelson, Carter O’Donnell, Bernhard Raimann, and Braden Smith

Unfortunately, the Colts did not add any depth pieces to the offensive line as the right side is a concern. Braden Smith should hold up fine at right tackle, but it looks like rookie Blake Freeland will be the key depth piece on that right side and that will be a big ask for the Colts to make of him if it comes down to it. The one consolation, though, is that QB Anthony Richardson is an extremely mobile quarterback who can get himself out of sacks and keep plays alive.

The Colts cornerback room:

The Colts cornerbacks – Darrell Baker Jr., JuJu Brents, Tony Brown, Dallis Flowers, Jaylon Jones, and Kenny Moore II.

The one notable decision on the defense was rookie 5th-round CB Darius Rush being waived. Instead, CB Tony Brown made the 53-man roster, a 28-year-old veteran who also plays special teams. Maybe it was the special teams aspect that favored Brown over Rush or maybe just the veteran presence that is needed in this young locker room. Nonetheless, Brown or Rush would’ve served as depth pieces more than anything, but the upside with Rush was definitely more prevalent.

Bottom Line:

The 2023 season for the Colts is going to be a fun one to watch. It is safe to assume that this team is not going to the playoffs based on this roster, but with the way that football goes, we could very well be in for a pleasant 2023 surprise. Even if the Colts win less than 6 games, the dynamic with this team is different than it has been in the last few years. For the first time since Andrew Luck, there is hope for the future with this fan base and security at quarterback for many years to come.