Tag: Isaiah Rodgers

Colts rule Ryan Kelly OUT among several roster moves

Colts make several roster moves.

The Indianapolis Colts made several roster moves on Saturday ahead of the Week 12 game against the Tennessee Titans, including downgrading center Ryan Kelly from questionable to out.

Kelly didn’t practice all week due to a neck injury he seemingly suffered during the Week 11 win over the Green Bay Packers, and now the Colts will be down several starters for this crucial matchup.

Among that were several roster moves including:

  • CB Isaiah Rodgers (knee) downgraded to questionable.
  • C Joey Hunt and DE Cassius Marsh were elevated from the practice squad as COVID-19 replacements.
  • DTs Kameron Cline and Robert Windsor were elevated from the practice squad to the active roster.
  • WR Ashton Dulin (knee) has been activated from the injured reserve list.

The Colts also placed running back Jonathan Taylor on the reserve/COVID-19 list and he will not play against the Titans on Sunday.

The Colts will be extremely short-handed when the host the Titans on Sunday, especially after the several roster moves they made ahead of the game.

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Watch: Colts’ Isaiah Rodgers with 101-yard kickoff return for TD

The kickoff return was one of the most exciting plays in the NFL. All the rules to make the game safer for players have turned them into touchbacks and returns a rarity. That’s why it’s special when there is a kickoff returned for a touchdown as …

The kickoff return was one of the most exciting plays in the NFL. All the rules to make the game safer for players have turned them into touchbacks and returns a rarity.

That’s why it’s special when there is a kickoff returned for a touchdown as happened for the Indianapolis Colts against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

Check out Isaiah Rodgers as he takes the ball coast-to-coast to bring Indy within 27-17 in the third quarter.

Rodgers, in case you were wondering, is a sixth-round pick out of UMass.

WATCH: Isaiah Rodgers returns Browns kickoff for TD

Isaiah Rodgers turned on the Jets

Shortly after Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers threw an interception for a touchdown, rookie cornerback Isaiah Rodgers quickly got those points back from the Cleveland Browns.

The rookie sixth-round pick fielded a kickoff in the third quarter and took it back 101 yards for a touchdown to help cut the Browns lead to 27-17 with 12 minutes left in the third quarter.

Colts hope to accelerate CB Isaiah Rodgers’ adjustment to NFL

The rookie CB could play a big role in 2020.

The Indianapolis Colts have a number of rookies who could have a strong impact in Year 1 and another handful who may need some time to develop. Cornerback Isaiah Rodgers might fall right in the middle of those two categories.

With a thin cornerback room and some intriguing traits, Rodgers has a chance to make an impact during his rookie campaign. However, the UMass product hasn’t been on the field much for training camp after suffering an injury during the team’s first padded practice session on Aug. 16.

Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus told reporters on Wednesday that the Colts will have to accelerate the development of Rodgers with the time he has left in training camp.

“Well we’re just going to accelerate that as best we can. When guys come back from injury they’re always on a pitch count so there’s a little crux there in terms of getting him work,” Eberflus said. “We’ve got to get him the mental work because he’s only allowed so many reps on the field as he ramps up his time coming back from injury. So we have to do a good job with walk-thrus (and) in the meetings.”

Fortunately, the Colts aren’t expected to have to rely on Rodgers for a starting role. He’s competing for the backup slot role behind Kenny Moore and with T.J. Carrie. Though Rodgers could make an impact on special teams as a returner.

Eberflus mentioned that a lot of the development can be accelerated by cornerbacks coach Jonathan Gannon, who appears to be receiving a lot of praise this offseason.

“Jonathan Gannon will do a nice job with that. He does a nice job coaching those guys,” Eberflus said. “It’s going to be part walk-thru, part film study and then as he ramps up we’ll get him all the reps he can. But it’s a concern, no question, when guys miss time. It’s always the mental side of it has to be there. The visualization has to be there and they have to catch it up that way.”

Rodgers has intriguing ball skills and speed despite his smaller stature. The Colts may have to rely on him at some point during the season, which means the rookie is going to have to work extremely hard to make up for the missed time during training camp.

Colts saw ‘exceptional instincts’ in CB Isaiah Rodgers

Despite his size, Isaiah Rodgers wowed the Colts in other areas.

As the Indianapolis Colts prepare for training camp, the cornerback room will have plenty of eyes on it. This is especially true when it comes to the case of sixth-round pick Isaiah Rodgers.

Though he doesn’t quite meet the height and weight requirement that the Colts typically stand by when scouting cornerbacks, Rodgers impressed the organization by excelling in other important areas.

One of those areas is instincts, where Rodgers has proven to be above average. Colts area scout Mike Derice told Colts.com how those instincts translate to his scouting profile.

“So Rodgers has exceptional instincts, so he knows how to put himself in position to get in front of the ball. So he gets a lot of pass breakups, he’ll get the interceptions,” Derice said. “And the added value to him is the return capabilities. He can do that, he’s had success at UMass. And he takes the ball away. He has 11 interceptions, like three for touchdowns, and he has a savvy about him in coverage.”

Rodgers enters the NFL standing at 5-foot-9 and 174 pounds. Those numbers don’t wow scouts by any means. But the Colts see something in Rodgers similarly to what they saw in Kenny Moore, who has become one of the best slot cornerbacks in the NFL.

Rodgers brings incredible speed (reported 4.28 40 at his Pro Day) while his return abilities on special teams makes him a wanted asset on the backend of the roster.

In fact, Derice wasn’t all that happy to see Rodgers post the video of him running a 4.28 in the 40-yard dash.

“So I’m not gonna lie: I was upset that he did that video. Because at that point in time, we were already convinced of what type of player he was, and because he didn’t have a pro day, he’s more liable to slip. But he did the pro day, ran fast, and he was timed by a former NFL scout, so other teams would find it very credible,” Derice said. “So there’s a little bit of a panic, like, ‘OK, how much are other teams going to take stock on this pro day? And is there a chance for someone to take him before we get a chance to get a crack at him?’ It was probably a little bit nerve wracking for us once he put that out there and then it was public to the social media world.”

Rodgers will be battling for a roster spot in the cornerback room this preseason, but there is a solid chance he makes the team given what he brings to the table.

Details on Isaiah Rodgers’ rookie contract with the Colts

Here are the details for Isaiah Rodgers’ rookie deal.

The Indianapolis Colts signed their second of nine draft picks to a rookie deal on Wednesday, the latest coming in the form of cornerback Isaiah Rodgers out of UMass.

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The sixth-round pick signed his four-year deal the day after fifth-round pick Danny Pinter got the ball rolling for the draft class. Rodgers’ deal is very similar to Pinter’s with the exception of a smaller signing bonus.

Per Over the Cap, here are the details of the four-year rookie contract for Rodgers:

Rodgers is likely competing for a roster spot at the slot cornerback position behind starter Kenny Moore II. His competition will be the veteran in T.J. Carrie, who signed a one-year deal with the Colts in free agency.

Rodgers is an intriguing pick for the Colts. Though he is undersized (5’9, 170), he has plenty of traits that could lead to success in the league. He reportedly ran a 4.28 in the 40-yard dash at his pro day while his production includes 11 interceptions and 34 passes defended during his career at UMass.

His ability on special teams will also likely be a factor in whether he makes the roster or not.

Regardless, Rodgers has signed his rookie deal and will be looking to grab that final roster spot in the cornerback room whenever the Colts get together.

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CB Isaiah Rodgers signs rookie deal with Colts

Colts get another rookie contract done.

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers signed his rookie contract, the team announced Wednesday.

The day after fifth-round pick Danny Pinter signed his deal, the Colts get another one under contract. Rodgers was a sixth-round pick with the Colts having come with the selection Indy got in the trade for Quincy Wilson.

A cornerback out of UMass, Rodgers brings intriguing speed, athleticism and ball skills to the cornerback room. He reportedly ran a 4.28 in the 40-yard dash at his pro day.

In four years at UMass, Rodgers recorded 11 interceptions, 34 passes defended and 9.5 tackles for loss. He also worked on special teams as a returner, averaging 10.9 yards per return on punts during his final season.

Rodgers likely is competing for the final spot in the cornerback room with T.J. Carrie in the slot behind Kenny Moore II. While winning that job will help him get a roster spot, the key to him making the roster will also be him impact on special teams.

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Handing out awards for Colts’ 2020 draft class

Who’s the best fit? Biggest reach? Mr. Right?

The biggest weekend of the offseason has come and gone. The Indianapolis Colts brought in nine new faces to the roster in hopes they can find both immediate and future contributors.

We already handed out our grades for the draft class, but now we will be taking a look at handing out some awards for the picks. Yes, it’s rather meaningless because no one truly knows how these picks will turn out. But we can project what these picks will mean for the Colts.

As we enter a unique offseason, here are the awards for Indy’s draft class in 2020:

Mr. Right | Michael Pittman Jr. | WR | 2.34

The big-bodied wide receiver out of USC was the perfect fit for the Colts from the start. With a massive need at the position, Pittman Jr. has the skill set, frame and physicality to make an immediate impact in the passing game. He will work as the X-receiver on the boundary with the Colts hoping he sees a lot of 1v1 action.

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Pittman Jr.’s fit as the X in an offense led by Philip Rivers is a big reason why the Colts targeted him. But it goes further than that. While the 6-foot-4 wide receiver fits the Colts perfectly from a schematic standpoint, he’s also everything they could ask for when it comes to character. He checks the boxes of being both a senior and a team captain, two aspects that Chris Ballard loves to target.

“[Pitttman Jr.] the type of teammate we want. We think he’s got a chance to be a heck of a player,” said Ballard after the draft. “We had Pittman ranked really high on our board. We liked him. I liked him. This kid is going to be a heck of a pro. We are excited about getting him.”

Pittman Jr. brings elite size and physicality to the boundary, but his 4.52 in the 40-yard dash and his 6.96 in the three-cone show he has the movement skills to be a strong route runner while being able to win vertically.

This is a pick that was somewhat foreseen from the start. Pittman Jr. checks every single box the Colts have when it comes to drafting, and that’s why he’s Mr. Right.

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How the quartet of 6th-round picks fit with Colts

How might the 6th-round picks fit with the Colts.

The Indianapolis Colts finished up their 2020 NFL draft with four selections in the sixth round, which also included two trades.

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The majority of the time it is hard for late-round prospects like sixth-rounders to make an NFL roster, but Chris Ballard has found solid players in these later rounds. With the depth that is already on the Colts roster, it will be hard for some of these players to make the 53-man roster in September, but we will have to wait and see.

Here’s how these late-round guys will fit on the Colts’ roster:

Robert Windsor, IDL, Penn State

Reading about Windsor there isn’t a lot to like. He’s undersized for an interior defensive lineman and doesn’t pose much of a threat in the pass rush game. With players like Deforest Buckner, Sheldon Day, Denico Autry, and Grover Stewart ahead of Windsor already on the depth chart, it will be a long shot for Windsor to make the roster. He’s likely competing with Tyquan Lewis for the final defensive tackle spot.

Isaiah Rodgers, CB, UMASS

The Colts traded cornerback Quincy Wilson to the Jets for the 211th pick, and with the pick took Rodgers out of UMASS. To move up in front of yourselves in the draft is interesting, and for Ballard, he loves his big physical corners, well Rodgers isn’t exactly that. He’s only 5’10 and 170 pounds, and while the Colts are pretty loaded at corner already, Rodgers will play mostly as a slot corner or special teams kick return guy.

Dezmon Patton, WR, Washington State

Patton is another big wide receiver for Philip Rivers to work with this season. At 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, Patton ran a 4.48 in the 40-yard dash and jumped a 36-inch vertical at the combine. In 13 games his senior season Patton had 58 catches, 762 yards, and eight touchdowns. With the lack of depth at WR on this Colts roster right now, Patton could come in and push for the WR5 spot, and be a key contributor on special teams.

Jordan Glasgow, LB, Michigan

Glasgow played both linebacker and safety in his few years at Michigan. According to PFF, Glasgow was graded as the highest LB in 2019 in terms of the tackling grade at 90.4. A core special teams player for the Wolverines, playing on all phases during all four years at Michigan, Glasgow has been regarded to have very high football IQ and has been quoted saying he would love to play special teams for an NFL team. It looks like he will do that for the Colts, as Glasgow seems like a guy that will be a featured special teams guy for next season.

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3 things to know about Colts new CB Isaiah Rodgers

Things to know about the Colts new CB.

The Indianapolis Colts traded up to the No. 211 overall pick to draft cornerback Isaiah Rodgers from UMass. This hard-hitting cornerback is great at reading quarterbacks and his timing in the secondary is impeccable.

Here are three things to know about the new Colts CB:

1. Surrounded by good company

Rodgers’ favorite player growing up was Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie who happens to be his cousin. He mirrored his game to Rodgers-Cromartie’s and used his home gym in Tampa to train during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has also been in contact with UMass alumni James Ihedigbo and Victor Cruz.

2. Multi-faceted player

While Rodgers is a very underrated cornerback, he is also a highly skilled kick returner. He was named to the Pro Football Focus All-America First Team as a returner and was an All-ECAC selection as a returner and corner. He ranked No. 1 among all FBS players with 53 returns for 1,295 yards.

3. Does not let size limit abilities

At 5’10” and 170 pounds, Rodgers is somewhat undersized for his position. He uses that as motivation to compete with anybody at a very high level. His speed and ability to make people miss makes up for his lack of size and he should be a nice depth player and special teams weapon for the Colts.