After being listed as a non-participant on Wednesday, Colts’ LB Jaylon Carlies was back on the practice field Thursday for Week 17.
Indianapolis Colts’ linebacker Jaylon Carlies returned to the practice field on Thursday ahead of the team’s Week 17 matchup against the New York Giants. He was a limited participant.
On Wednesday, the team held a walkthrough, so the first injury report was a designation of each player’s practice status, but Carlies was listed as a non-participant with a shoulder injury. When Carlies was designated to return from injured reserve, he was on the injury report with a fibula/shoulder injury.
This past week’s game against Tennessee was Carlies’ first since Week 7, when he exited the game early and was then placed on injured reserve later that week.
Upon his return on Sunday, Carlies immediately stepped into a big role, starting next to Zaire Franklin while EJ Speed was out with a knee injury.
Carlies would make a quick impact, leading the defense in tackles with 10, which included six that were solo. In coverage, while he allowed six receptions, according to PFF, Carlies was close by to make a play, limiting those pass catchers to just 6.2 yards per catch.
As a former college safety, Carlies brings added coverage ability to the linebacker position.
With Speed still not having practiced this week, it could end up being quite important that Carlies is available, as he again may be called upon to start this Sunday against the Giants. Carlies’ practice status on Friday and how he looks on the field will be important.
Ahead of their Week 15 matchup with the Broncos, the Colts are designating LB Jaylon Carlies to return from injured reserve.
The Indianapolis Colts are designating linebacker Jaylon Carlies to return from injured reserve, announced head coach Shane Steichen on Wednesday.
Carlies was placed on injured reserve before the Colts’ Week 8 matchup with Houston. He was listed on the injury report that week with having a fibula injury that he sustained against Miami in Week 7.
Once designated to return, there is a 21 day window for Carlies to be activated back to the 53-man roster, at which point a corresponding cut will have to be made to make room for him.
Carlies can be activated on Day 1 or Day 21, it’s just all dependent upon his health and availability. Once activated, he can play on Sundays.
Carlies, a 2024 fifth-round pick by the Colts, emerged as the team’s third linebacker, seeing playing time this season next to Zaire Franklin and EJ Speed when Indianapolis is lined up in their base 4-3 defense. When the Colts were without Speed versus Miami, Carlies was the other nickel linebacker next to Franklin that week.
A former college safety, Carlies brings added coverage ability to the linebacker position, holding pass-catchers to just 6.6 yards per catch with a pass breakup. He’s also shown to be a reliable tackler and has one sack, while being a special teams contributor as well.
Going into that Week 7 game with the Dolphins, Carlies was one of Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded rookies through six games.
In Carlies’ place, Grant Stuard has filled that third linebacker role.
At this point, it still remains to be seen if Carlies will be available against Denver.
Colts’ rookie linebacker Jaylon Carlies is making an early impact and seems to have the attention of the coaching staff.
After intercepting a pass during OTAs, Colts’ rookie linebacker Jaylon Carlies came away with another one during the team’s second training camp practice.
According to Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan, Carlies’ pick came during 7-on-7 off a pass from Sam Ehlinger that cornerback Ameer Speed was able to breakup and Carlies was able to come down with. He would take it the other way for a “touchdown.”
A former college safety at Missouri, Carlies has a real opportunity to carve out a role on this Colts’ defense this season with his coverage abilities.
Joel Erickson of the Indy Star would note that along with Carlies’ takeaway, he was taking starting defensive reps next to Zaire Franklin and EJ Speed as the Will linebacker when the Colts are in their base 4-3 defense.
Carlies is a very good athlete and the Colts really like the length he brings to the linebacker position, in addition to his experience as a coverage defender.
“In our scheme, what we can’t coach up is speed or change of direction, things like that,” said Bradley after Saturday’s practice.
“So you’ve seen us evolve to where a little bit like we’re willing to go, hey, let’s take a safety and maybe he hasn’t had a lot of opportunity to use his hands and strike and shed, but we feel like, alright, we can coach that part up. That’s JC. He’s a safety that’s playing linebacker, but he’s got really good length and he has that mindset, he just has to develop the skill set.”
Not only is Carlies making the jump from college to the NFL, but he’s in the midst of a position change as well, however, it’s one that the Colts are very well equipped to handle.
Helping Carlies with this transition will be assistant linebackers coach Cato June, who made a similar switch during his own playing career, and linebackers coach Richard Smith, who was a part of Gus Bradley’s staff in Las Vegas that worked with Divine Deablo make the move from safety to linebacker.
“Generally speaking,” said Bradley, “knowing our linebacker coach Richard Smith, he is a really good fundamental teacher, and toughness, hand placement, strike and shed, all those things. Both him and Cato do a great job coaching that up.”
With Ronnie Harrison, who can fill a similar role as Carlies, taking snaps at free safety, Carlies seems to be the early front-runner for the coverage specific role at the linebacker position.
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 rookie linebacker Jaylon Carlies. To stay up to date with our other previews, be sure to head over to Colts Wire.
2023 Season Review
Jaylon Carlies was the Colts’ second fifth-round selection in this year’s draft. Carlies played safety at Missouri, but his size (6-3), weight (227 pounds), length, with a nearly 81-inch wingspan, and athleticism, posting a RAS of 8.26, were all factors in the Colts’ decision to move him to linebacker.
“He’s very good with his hands,” said Colts area scout Tyler Hughes. “He knows how to use his length. He’s good at locating the ball. I think personally, he was at his best when he was closer to the line of scrimmage. He just saw things quicker. Things kind of shrunk down for a little and he was able to utilize his strengths to his game there.”
Carlies played a career-high 317 snaps (or about 50%) from either the box or slot in 2023. He ranked 43rd in PFF’s run-stop rate among his position group while recording two interceptions and three pass breakups in coverage, holding opponents to 11.9 yards per catch.
For more on Carlies, here is what NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein had to say in his pre-draft scouting report:
“Carlies likely needs to make the transition from safety to linebacker to have an opportunity in the NFL. He’s very tight in his hips and plays with a debilitating lack of change of direction that causes problems for him in coverage and as an open-field tackler. As a linear mover, he needs to be able to play forward and near the line, where he’s less likely to make mistakes with his angles of pursuit. Carlies has pretty good ball skills but will have a hard time sticking with pass-catching tight ends, so it could be challenging for teams to lock in on a role for him.”
2024 Season Preview
As I wrote about recently, Carlies’ experience in coverage could put him in a position to carve out a role this season. Although the Colts’ utilize a 4-3 scheme under Gus Bradley, the majority of defensive snaps are played in nickel with only two linebackers on the field. This means that Zaire Franklin and EJ Speed will dominate the linebacker snaps.
However, the third linebacker spot on the depth chart appears to be up for grabs this summer, and Carlies brings a different skill set to the position. Where he could potentially make an immediate impact is in a coveage-first role, playing on obvious passing downs or as the Will linebacker when the Colts are lined up in their base defense.
Also on the roster who could fill a similar role is Ronnie Harrison. The Colts also have Segun Olubi, Cameron McGrone, Grant Stuard, and Liam Anderson at linebacker. As is always the case at this position, special teams play will play a key role in determining those back-end roster spots.
With that said, there is still likely going to be a learning curve for Carlies, who is not only making the transition from college to the NFL but also switching positions, with Hughes noting there be a “jump” for Carlies in being a primary box defender, particularly against the run.
But the Colts are very well-equipped to help Carlies with that transition. Bradley and linebackers coach Richard Smith were both with the Raiders when helping Divine Deablo make the move from safety to linebacker, while Colts’ assistant linebackers coach Cato June made a similar jump during his playing career.
“Those coaches have a good plan in place of how they’re going to utilize him and how they’re going to develop him,” said Hughes. “You got guys like Divine Deablo, who our defensive staff had, so (Carlies has) got a lot of versatility to him and definitely the figure to see what we want at a linebacker at our level.”
Colts’ rookie linebacker Jaylon Carlies’ experience in coverage will give him an opportunity to carve out a role on defense.
The majority of the Colts’ linebacker snaps this season will be played by Zaire Franklin and EJ Speed, but rookie Jaylon Carlies will have the opportunity to carve out a role with his coverage ability.
Although the Colts play a 4-3 defense under Gus Bradley, in today’s NFL, nickel is the true base defense for every team. Realistically, the Colts will only have three linebackers on the field for perhaps 10-20 percent of their defensive snaps.
However, as a former college safety at Missouri, Carlies’ skill set, with his length, athleticism, and experience in coverage, can add a complementary element to what Franklin and Speed already provide.
“We always think guys with length that can run have an advantage,” said GM Chris Ballard about Carlies. “It’s going to fit him well inside.”
During his final three seasons at Missouri, Carlies recorded nine interceptions as a safety, along with five pass breakups. Joey Van Zummeren, who covers Missouri Football for SI’s Fan Nation, noted that tackling was where Carlies made a big impact, an ability that can help him limit yards after the catch while in coverage.
Colts’ area scout Tyler Hughes mentioned following the draft that in Carlies’ transition from playing safety to linebacker, there will be a learning curve for him, particularly in run defense.
Assisting Carlies with this position change will be an experienced staff that includes assistant linebackers coach Cato June, who made a similar switch when he was in the NFL, along with linebackers coach Richard Smith, who was part of Gus Bradley’s staff in Las Vegas that worked with Divine Deable transition from safety to linebacker.
“Those coaches have a good plan in place of how they’re going to utilize him and how they’re going to develop him,” said Hughes. “You got guys like Divine Deablo, who our defensive staff had, so (Carlies has) got a lot of versatility to him and definitely the figure to see what we want at a linebacker at our level.”
So early on in Carlies’ career, with the emphasis being on putting him in positions to be successful, his playing time will more likely come on obvious passing downs or as the Will linebacker when the Colts are in their base 4-3 defense.
This playing time will, of course, have to be earned. The competition for that third linebacker role is one of the more under-the-radar positional battles taking place this summer for the Colts.
Competing with Carlies for those snaps will be Ronnie Harrison, who can fill a very similar coverage-first role. Also, at linebacker, the Colts have Segun Olubi, Cameron McGrone, and Grant Stuard.
The Colts announced on Thursday that they signed fifth-round pick Jaylon Carlies. Here are the specifics of his contract from Over the Cap.
The Indianapolis Colts announced on Thursday that they officially signed fifth-round pick Jaylon Carlies. Over the Cap now has the details on what Carlies’ rookie deal will look like.
In total, Carlies’ rookie deal will be worth $4.36 million, which includes a $336,240 signing bonus.
That $336,240 signing bonus is paid to Carlies upfront, but for salary cap purposes, it will be pro-rated over the four-year life of the contract, so the cap hit from it in 2024 is just $84,060.
So, from a salary cap perspective, for the 2024 season, Carlies will receive a base salary of $795,000, with that pro-rated portion of the signing bonus accounting for $84,060 against this year’s cap. In short, Carlies’ cap hit for this season is just $879,060.
Moving forward, the cap hit from the signing bonus will remain the same, but Carlies’ base salary will increase each year. In 2025, his base salary will be $960,000. In 2026, it will be $1.075 million, and then $1.190 million in 2027.
Here is a look at what Carlies’ cap hit will be each season:
2024: $879,060 2025: $1.04 million 2026: $1.159 million 2027: $1.274 million
As a former college safety, Carlies brings added coverage abilities to the linebacker position for the Colts. With Zaire Franklin, EJ Speed, and Ronnie Harrison, the Colts won’t need to rely heavily on Carlies right away as he transitions to the linebacker position full-time.
Special teams could end up being where he makes the biggest impact as a rookie, but looking ahead to 2025, both Speed and Harrison are set to be free agents.
Former Missouri safety Jaylon Carlies will bring added versatility to the Colts LB room with his coverage experience.
The addition of Missouri’s Jaylon Carlies in the fifth round of the NFL draft will add some versatility to the Colts’ linebacker room, along with bolstering the overall depth.
Carlies was recruited out of high school by a number of schools to play receiver. Initially at Mizzou, he began his career at cornerback but ended up making the move to safety.
While Carlies spent the majority of his college career on the back end of the Missouri defense, he has linebacker size at 6-3 and nearly 230 pounds. After the third day of the draft, GM Chris Ballard mentioned that linebacker is the position group Carlies will be working with as a member of the Colts.
Carlies’ length, with a nearly 81-inch wingspan, and athleticism, posting a Relative Athletic Score of 8.26, were key factors in the Colts’ decision to have him play linebacker. But on film, they also really liked what Carlies showcased when tasked with playing closer to the line of scrimmage.
“Carlies’ biggest impact for Missouri’s defense came from his tackling,” said Joey Van Zummeren, who covers Missouri Football for SI’s Fan Nation. “He was a really solid run defender and could also blow up screen passes. He’s able to wrap up running backs really well, even if they have the size advantage on him. He’d play close to the line often and disrupted runners pretty quickly.”
Out of 200 eligible safeties in 2023, Carlies ranked 43rd in PFF’s run-stop rate metric. During his three seasons at Missouri playing the position, he would total at least 65 tackles each year.
Colts area scout Tyler Hughes would note that there will be a “jump” for Carlies as he transitions to being a primary box defender, but his experience lining up there at Missouri will help.
On the flip side, coverage responsibilities at the linebacker position are more imporant than they’ve ever been, and Carlies’ experience as a coverage defender from his time in college brings a bit of a different element to the Colts’ linebacker room.
“As Carlies mentioned in his post-draft conference call,” said Van Zummeren, “Blake Baker’s 4-2-5 defensive scheme at Missouri put him in a few different positions. I don’t think he’ll have too much difficulty making the transition.”
As a linebacker, Carlies will primarily be tasked with covering running backs and tight ends, which Hughes points out he did well with at Missouri. In three seasons, Carlies would record nine interceptions and five pass breakups.
Assisting Carlies with this transition from safety to linebacker will be a Colts’ coaching staff that is very well-equipped to do so.
Assistant linebackers coach Cato June went through a similar transition during his own playing career. Meanwhile, linebackers coach Richard Smith was a part of Gus Bradley’s staff in Las Vegas that helped Divine Deablo make the switch from college safety to NFL linebacker.
“Carlies is a very mature and intelligent player,” added Van Zummeren. “He often broke down plays in press conferences, and he almost has a photographic memory. He’s patient to let plays develop because he trusts what he’s seeing.”
With Zaire Franklin and EJ Speed already on the roster, the Colts won’t need to rely on Carlies heavily as he transitions not only to the NFL but also to the linebacker position. The Colts also have Ronnie Harrison, another former safety, who can handle dime or big nickel lineups.
Linebacker certainly didn’t garner as much attention prior to the draft as other positions, but it was a need that did have to be tackled. There are some unknowns on the depth chart behind Speed and Franklin–not to mention that Speed and Harrison are only under contract through the 2024 season.
For a closer look at Jaylon Carlies and what he brings to the Colts, here are some of his top highlights.
With their second selection in the fifth round, the Colts picked safety Jaylon Carlies out of Missouri–adding versatility to the middle of their defense.
Although Carlies is listed as a safety, and that’s where the majority of his snaps at Mizzou were played, he has linebacker size, measuring in at just under 6-3 and weighing 227 pounds.
Carlies will be playing linebacker for the Colts and could fill a similar role as Ronnie Harrison with his experience as a safety and his ability in space. The linebacker position was a low-key need for the Colts entering the draft with an inexperienced group behind EJ Speed and Zaire Franklin.
“I’m comfortable playing either spot and I feel like that’s another reason they took that chance on me as well,” Carlies said via Colts.com. “Just knowing I’m somebody who will be able to be comfortable showing my versatility playing linebacker as well.”
For a closer look at Carlies and what he brings to the Colts, here are some of his top highlights:
For more on Jaylon Carlies, here is what three draft experts had to say about the Colts’ fifth-round pick in their pre-draft scouting reports.
With their second selection in the fifth-round, the Colts selected Missouri’s Jaylon Carlies, who is listed as a safety but as linebacker size.
Carlies measures in at just under 6-3 and weighs 227 pounds. He posted a Relative Athletic Score of 8.26, which included a 4.5-second 40-yard dash.
Carlies played 1,345 snaps as a free safety at Missouri but has ample experience playing closer to the line of scrimmage in the box and some slot experience as well. Last season, he forced three pass breakups and came away with two interceptions in coverage.
Carlies can make an instant impact on special teams, and defensively, could fill a role similar to that of Ronnie Harrison, who is only under contract through the 2024 season.
GM Chris Ballard did say following Day 3 of the draft that Carlies would be playing linebacker for them–an under-the-radar need for the Colts entering the draft, with unknowns on the depth chart behind Zaire Franklin and EJ Speed.
For a closer look at Carlies and what he brings to the Colts, here are what a few draft experts had to say about him in their pre-draft reports:
“Carlies likely needs to make the transition from safety to linebacker to have an opportunity in the NFL. He’s very tight in his hips and plays with a debilitating lack of change of direction that causes problems for him in coverage and as an open-field tackler. As a linear mover, he needs to be able to play forward and near the line, where he’s less likely to make mistakes with his angles of pursuit. Carlies has pretty good ball skills but will have a hard time sticking with pass-catching tight ends, so it could be challenging for teams to lock in on a role for him.”
“Carlies’ combination of explosiveness, length, play strength, and physicality makes him a dangerous threat in the box, with teeth-rattling solo tackles coming downhill on tape. But Carlies also has the versatility to play overhang slot, two-high, or even single-high. He has enough explosiveness and speed, paired with his size, to play just about anywhere. He’s flashed the necessary processing and feel for positioning to move across the board, and as a former WR, has the ball skills to convert when he’s in place to make a play. Carlies needs to keep refining his game as a processor and be more consistent with his angles. He must also keep chipping away at his technique, to more efficiently carry his taller frame in space. In the meantime, he shouldn’t play man coverage too often. But projecting into the future, Carlies has the tools to be a superb box safety, with enhanced versatility and numerous coverage capabilities beyond that.”
“In an NFL where big nickel is becoming more prevalent, Carlies’ physical and athletic traits profile may well fit that personnel package (think: Dan Quinn with his heavy emphasis on big nickel with the Dallas Cowboys and now as the head coach of the Washington Commanders). I believe Carlies can play a more conventional safety position, especially for defenses whose foundational structure is quarters (think: the way Brandon Jones was deployed with the Miami Dolphins in 2021 and 2022 or how Kam Curl was deployed with the Commanders in recent years).”
Here is a quick breakdown with what you need to know about S/LB Jaylon Carlies, the Colts selection at pick 151 overall.
With the 151st overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts selected S/LB Jaylon Carlies from Missouri. Here is a quick breakdown of the pick.
Height: 6-3
Weight: 227
RAS: 8.26
Stats to know: As you can tell, Carlies has excellent size for a safety–at nearly linebacker size. Carlies is an experienced player with 2,479 career snaps, with 1,345 coming as a free safety, 507 in the box, and 320 in the slot. During his career, he generated nine interceptions and five pass breakups, allowing 12.5 yards per catch. This past season, he ranked 43rd out of 200 safeties in PFF’s run-stop rate. Carlies is also a fairly experienced special teams player.
Fit with Colts: With Ronnie Harrison only signed through the 2024 season, Carlies could provide the Colts with a long-term option at that safety/linebacker hybrid role. He will be at his best playing closer to the line of scrimmage but he does have the athleticism to handle some coverage responsibilities that can still come in the box.
What Lance Zierlein had to say: “Carlies likely needs to make the transition from safety to linebacker to have an opportunity in the NFL. He’s very tight in his hips and plays with a debilitating lack of change of direction that causes problems for him in coverage and as an open-field tackler. As a linear mover, he needs to be able to play forward and near the line, where he’s less likely to make mistakes with his angles of pursuit. Carlies has pretty good ball skills but will have a hard time sticking with pass-catching tight ends, so it could be challenging for teams to lock in on a role for him.”
