A series of roster moves has now come full circle for the Indianapolis Colts with guard Atonio Mafi being signed back to the team’s practice squad.
On Monday, the Colts announced that they had waived Mafi from the 53-man roster. The reason this move was made was because the team needed a roster spot available to sign Mark Glowinski from the practice squad to the active roster with him being out of gameday elevations following the Tennessee game.
That transaction was officially completed on Tuesday. Then once Mafi went unclaimed on waivers and became a free agent, able to sign wherever he pleased, the Colts brought him back to the practice squad.
Mafi joined the Colts’ practice squad during roster cutdowns back in August after being released by New England. He spent the season there until Indianapolis’ Week 13 matchup against the Patriots when the team signed Mafi to the active roster.
This was during a stretch where the Colts found themselves shorthanded along the interior offensive line with Ryan Kelly still on injured reserve at that point and Tanor Bortolini out that week with a concussion.
In addition to appearing in that Week 13 game on special teams, Mafi also played on teams in Weeks 11 and 12 when elevated from the practice squad–seeing nine total special teams snaps during that span.
Over the last two weeks, however, against Denver and Tennessee, Mafi was inactive.
Mafi is a former fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft out of UCLA by New England, Mafi had a fairly big role during his rookie season with the Patriots, playing 458 regular season snaps over 12 games, mostly at left guard.
Even with Mafi back on the practice squad, the Colts still have an opening there with Tre Flowers on the practice squad injured list.