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 quarterback Sam Ehlinger. To stay up to date with our other previews, be sure to head over to Colts Wire.
2023 Season Review
With Gardner Minshew as the Colts’ backup behind Anthony Richardson to start last season, Sam Ehlinger was on the roster as the team’s third quarterback. He would end up playing just three snaps in 2023, all of which came in Week 14 against Cincinnati.
Ehlinger, a 2021 sixth-round pick by the Colts out of Texas, has played 242 snaps in his career, with 221 of them coming in 2022. In those four games, Ehlinger would complete 64 of his 101 pass attempts at 5.7 yards per catch with three touchdowns to three interceptions.
2024 Season Preview
Ehlinger is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is scheduled to be a free agent next offseason. Whether or not he makes the roster again could very well depend on if the Colts want to keep two or three quarterbacks.
Last season, they would keep three, but many teams around the NFL roster only two and utilize that roster spot on a different position, where there can be more impact, particularly on special teams. With Anthony Richardson starting and Joe Flacco as the established backup, perhaps the Colts will look to go that route this season.
However, if Shane Steichen again wants to roster three, then Ehlinger will be the front-runner for that role over incoming UDFA’s Kedon Slovis and Jason Bean. Heading into his fourth NFL season, plus having a year of experience in Steichen’s system, Ehlinger will have the clear advantage over the undrafted rookies.
But, having said that, if the competition is close, in these instances teams will often opt to go with the younger, higher upside player on the back-end of their depth chart.