One of the toughest decisions a front office has to make every year is how to configure their roster at the end of the preseason. This year will be no different for the Indianapolis Colts with all the different things going on in the world.
The Colts will be in an interesting spot, especially with how they’ll cut down their offense. Expectations are they’ll keep three quarterbacks and a fullback on the roster, something most teams don’t do. Although the new rule about a protected practice squad could change things.
The wide receiver position is one that has several questions surrounding it in terms of construction. Let’s look at how many wide receivers the Colts should keep going into the 2020 season:
The Locks
The players that should be a guarantee to make the roster are T.Y. Hilton, Parris Campbell, Michael Pittman, and Zach Pascal. Hilton and Pascal have proven to be solid receivers in the NFL, and Campbell and Pittman are both second-round picks that are still very young and have time to develop. Their skill sets also perfectly matchup with their roles.
These four wide receivers should be considered locks for roster spots, barring an injury that would keep them off of the active roster.
Fighting for a spot
Here is where it gets messy for the Colts. It all depends on whether they keep five or six receivers, but there will be a few guys fighting for those spots.
Marcus Johnson was a player the Colts traded for in 2018. Johnson contributed late last year when injuries hit the group.
Daurice Fountain has one of the longer shots to make the roster. A fifth-round pick in 2018, he was having a solid training camp last year before suffering an ankle injury at the end of camp. Fountain needs to show he’s fully healthy and can contribute now.
Ashton Dulin was on the roster at the end of the 2019 season but spent the majority of the time as the special teams gunner. Dulin has an upper hand on most of these guys because of his strong play as a special teamer.
Dezmon Patmon is the last of the back end receivers that will be fighting for a spot. Patmon also is a long shot to make the roster because, like Fountain, he was a late-round pick by the Colts in the 2020 draft. Coming from Washington State, he wasn’t asked to have a diverse route tree, so he has a ways to develop before truly competing for a spot.
Conclusion
Since Ballard has taken over as GM, the Colts have kept six receivers all three years, and I would expect the same this year. With the injuries the Colts dealt with and the depth of the position, expect six receivers to make the 53-man roster in September.