As part of the roster cut, the Colts' two recent draft picks were claimed on waivers by two other teams.
The Colts' 2022 fifth-round pick, defensive tackle Erik Johnson, was acquired by the New England Patriots, while 2024 seventh-round pick Jonah Raul was acquired by the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Colts ended up with five defensive tackles on the 53-man roster, with DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart and Raekwon Davis topping the list as expected.
Adetomiwa Adebawole also made the squad after an impressive summer in which he caused further upsets with refined technique and stronger play.
The No. 5 spot, however, remained vacant. The Colts ultimately selected Taven Bryan, who has experience as a pass rusher. It was a fairly quiet preseason for Bryan, recording only one pressure, but SI's Albert Breer said he would be a “camp surprise” during his training camp visit in Indianapolis this summer.
Johnson played a combined 392 defensive snaps over his first two seasons with the Colts, 265 of which came in 2023. Johnson was tasked with adding depth to the run defense when Stewart was not on the field, but he and Bryan will struggle to fill that role.
Raul, on the other hand, is more of a developmental player, but his versatility and athleticism are why the Colts selected him in the NFL Draft.
