Veterans and rookies for the Indianapolis Colts will report for training camp on July 24th, with the first practice taking place on July 25th.
Between now and then I will be previewing the Colts’ 91-man roster with a look back at each player’s 2023 season, along with what’s ahead for 2024.
I’ll be going through the Colts’ roster alphabetically, so up next is linebacker Austin Ajiake.
2023 Season Review
Ajiake went undrafted out of UNLV in 2023 and bounced around the NFL last season. Prior to being signed to the Colts’ practice squad in late December, Ajiake also spent time on the Las Vegas Raiders’ and Green Bay Packers’ practice squads as well. He did not see any regular season snaps in 2023.
Ajiake, a good athlete runninga 4.6 40-yard dash, was an experienced player coming out of UNLV, appearing in 48 games. During that span, he totaled 232 tackles, 12 of which were for a loss, 4.0 sacks, two interceptions, and a pass breakup, according to PFF. Ajiake would also play 671 special teams snaps across five different phases.
In 2022, Ajiake was a first-team All-Mountain West selection and a team captain.
“I just have to be the same person every day,” said Ajiake ahead of his final season at UNLV. “It doesn’t matter if I feel like I didn’t get enough sleep, it doesn’t matter if I feel like I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, or whatever. It doesn’t matter. My teammates don’t really care. They expect me to lead. Not just me — there are others and we all work off each other and we’re trying to get this thing rolling in the right direction.”
2024 Season Preview
Playing time for the third linebacker spot on the depth chart will be up for grabs this summer, providing incoming rookie Jaylon Carlies with the opportunity to carve out a role in coverage.
However, when it comes to available roster spots, at best, there may only be one up for grabs, and that’s if the Colts go heavy and keep six linebackers again.
Zaire Franklin, EJ Speed, and Carlies will account for three roster spots. Presumably, with Grant Stuard and Segun Olubi leading the team in special teams snaps in 2023, they will account for two roster spots as well.
This would leave Ajiake, Liam Anderson, Ronnie Harrison, who could compete with Carlies for that coverage-specific role at linebacker, Cameron McGrone, who played 151 special teams snaps last season, and UDFA Craig Young, battling for the sixth spot.
Special teams will be Ajiake’s path toward carving out a roster spot, but realistically, his ceiling in 2024 will likely be making the practice squad.