The Indianapolis Colts open the preseason on Thursday against the Baltimore Ravens. And with it will come a round of roster cuts as teams slowly work their way to a 53-man roster. The quarterback room is pretty locked down with Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones competing for the starting job. Sure, the Colts could be interested in adding a third quarterback, but that would be more for emergency purposes.
While there may be more clarity with the quarterback, the Colts still have some questions around the field. Here’s who needs to make a big impact in the first preseason game if they hope to stick around. The last thing you want to do is give a team a reason to part ways with you.
Jacob Phillips
The Colts signed Phillips at the end of last season and he’s probably on his last chance to prove he deserves to be in the NFL. He hasn’t recorded an NFL snap in two seasons after being drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He also hasn’t recorded a full NFL season since he was drafted.
The last team he played for was the Browns. He has just 57 tackles and three sacks. The Colts got him for depth and now he’ll have one final chance to earn a roster spot. The one thing is the numerous injuries in the Colts linebacker room. If they look to add depth, maybe Phillips sneaks onto the team.
But if Phillips doesn’t make a good enough impression against the Ravens, it won’t matter anyway. He was signed to a reserve/future contract in January last year, meaning the Colts probably don’t plan on keeping him around. This preseason game could be what determines if he’s played his final NFL snap or gets a shot at proving he belongs.
Khalil Herbert
USA Today believes Khalil Herbert will stick around for the Week 1 debut, but after he’s quickly been forgotten about in the NFL, it’s likely he has one chance to prove the Colts should keep him around. His only saving grace is that Salvon Ahmed suffered a severe leg injury, most likely meaning his 2025 season is over or at the very least, won’t make the 53-man roster.
Herbert may stick around for depth reasons with Ahmed’s injury, but they still have Jonathan Taylor, DJ Giddens and Tyler Goodson. It’s not uncommon for teams to bring four running backs onto the active roster so he could get bailed out. But if the rookies make a bigger impact than him, it could cost him a roster spot in Indianapolis.
Last season, Herber was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals and didn’t really have an impact on a team that desperately needed help in the run game. He finished the 2024 season with 130 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown with the Bears before he was traded.
Though he didn't have a massive impact in the run game, Herbert’s first three seasons in the NFL were somewhat productive, compared to last year. The Bears ended up signing DeAndre Swift, signaling they were ready to move on from him. The Colts are a chance for him to either prove he’s still good or his better days are behind him.
Isaiah Land
Isaiah Land played most of his snaps last season after Tyquan Lewis suffered an injury and Samson Ebukam suffering an Achilles injury, Land’s usage went up. That said, the Colts were active this offseason, drafting JT Tuimoloau out of Ohio State to get some depth on the edge. That’s one more player in Land’s way of a roster spot.
He has to prove he deserves to stick around on Thursday or it could be his last with the Colts. He’s played in 17 games across two seasons in Indianapolis. It’s more likely he’s a roster cut casualty, even with a big game against the Ravens.
Then again, if the Colts decide to load up on depth in the pass rush with recent injuries, they might be interested in keeping Lands with a big game. If there’s ever a player that needed a breakout to earn a roster spot, it’s Land.