The Indianapolis Colts have roughly one month until the arrival of training camp, which is when the real competition for the final roster spots will take place.
Though we should be careful about how much information we take seriously during the spring practices, it never hurts to monitor the players who stand out in OTAs and minicamp. Jobs are not won in the spring, but the foundation for the competitions is being laid out.
Here are 11 winners from the Colts offseason workout program in 2023:
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It will be interesting to see what the order of the backfield rotation will be once training camp arrives, but there was a noteworthy development during minicamp. While Jonathan Taylor (ankle) and Zack Moss (personal) were not participating, it was Funk who worked with the first-team offense over Deon Jackson and rookie Evan Hull. We’ll see if that stays true in camp, but he’s obviously done something to catch the attention of the coaching staff.
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This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise considering most analysts have Dulin as the WR4 on the depth chart. With Michael Pittman Jr. (hip) and rookie Josh Downs (knee) sidelined for minicamp, Dulin was working with the first-team offense alongside Alec Pierce. His main contribution will be on special teams, but Dulin could be a bit more involved as the WR4 in Shane Steichen’s offense.
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It will be difficult for multiple undrafted rookie free agents to crack the 53-man roster, but Scott is one who stood out during the spring practices. He has immense versatility as the Colts used him at both wide receiver and running back so he will be someone to keep an eye on as a final depth piece on the offensive side of the ball.
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It was Mo Alie-Cox who saw the first-team reps with the offense this spring, but Granson impressed the coaching staff plenty. His route running and YAC ability certainly caught the eye of his new head coach, and there’s a good chance he solidifies the F tight end spot early in camp. His main competition will be rookie Will Mallory, who suffered a foot injury during rookie minicamp.
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Though it’s a bit by default because the Colts didn’t add any competition for the starting right guard position this offseason, but Fries is currently in line to start at the spot between center Ryan Kelly and right tackle Braden Smith. He worked with the first-team offense all spring so it appears to be his job to lose entering training camp.
(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The fact that Raimann added 15 pounds to his frame this offseason is a major win in itself. Between the flashes of potential during his rookie campaign, Raimann struggled with an inconsistent anchor, likely due to the fact that he’s on the lighter side of starting left tackles. But if he can keep that weight on without sacrificing too much of his athleticism, the Colts may have a sleeper breakout candidate on their hands.
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The fourth-round pick seems to already have a solidified role as the swing tackle behind Braden Smith and Bernhard Raimann. Whether he can provide strong enough depth remains to be seen, but Freeland hopped right in with the first-team offense at right tackle when Smith missed some time during OTAs so the Colts are confident in his abilities already.
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It wasn’t exactly clear what kind of role Ebukam was heading for when the Colts signed him to a three-year deal in free agency. We knew it would be as the replacement at LEO for Yannick Ngakoue, but the potential snap counts were the question mark. However, it appears Ebukam is lined up for a starting role in a similar fashion to Ngakoue’s from 2022.
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The Colts dealt with some issues at cornerback this spring. Projected starter and rookie Julius Brents was out recovering from wrist surgery while Isaiah Rodgers Sr. was away from the team likely due to the NFL’s investigation for potential gambling violations. Baker stepped up as a starter during the spring practices, getting reps with the first-team defense on the boundary.
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In a similar light to Baker, Brown benefitted from the available reps during the spring workouts. This will be his second season working in Gus Bradley’s defense, which gives him a bit of a bump in terms of the roster competition. The fact that he was among the leaders in special teams snaps in 2022 also helps his case entering training camp.
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
It’s a bit unfortunate why Denbow is a winner here. The second-year safety out of SMU now has a much stronger chance to make the roster because rookie Daniel Scott tore his ACL on the final play of OTAs. The Colts haven’t made a significant addition to the safety room, despite some intriguing options, so the fourth safety spot appears to be Denbow’s to lose.