The Indianapolis Colts are already enjoying summer break as most teams wrap up their offseason workout programs this week.
After concluding their workout program last week with a three-day minicamp, the next time we will see the Colts on the field together will be when training camp arrives at the end of July.
While jobs weren’t won in the spring, the foundation for those position battles have been laid out. Whether it was due to performance or injuries, some changes on the depth chart are noteworthy.
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With the workout program concluded, it’s time to take a look at who won and lost the offseason.
Winners and losers from Colts’ offseason workouts
Winner: QB Anthony Richardson
Richardson may have ended the offseason on a questionable note because of the soreness in his shoulder that kept him out of the final week of minicamp. However, the young quarterback is a pretty big winner overall considering the team has shown no signs of concern for the recent ailment.
Not only is Richardson a winner because of the fact that he participated in nearly every practice during the offseason, but he’s also a winner because of what the Colts did around him. They brought back his top target in Michael Pittman Jr. while adding another explosive wideout in Adonai Mitchell.
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The Colts also added some much-needed depth to the offensive line with the additions of Tanor Bortolini and Matt Goncalves. That will go a long way even if the rookie duo doesn’t see the field much in 2024.
Richardson has a lot to prove, and the Colts will go as he goes. But Colts fans should be feeling pretty optimistic about the upcoming season as long as health is on his side.
Loser: WR Alec Pierce
Calling an NFL player a “loser” is a bit harsh, but it has more to do with his stock than anything else. Pierce enters his third season in the league after providing middling production for the Colts during his first two campaigns. Now, he has to compete with an electric rookie who fell to the Colts in the second round of the draft.
Pierce, a former second-round pick himself, was held out of minicamp as a precaution after his foot was stepped on. That opened the doors for Mitchell to work with the first-team offense. He shined in that role, making some impressive catches during the short minicamp week.
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Pierce could still very well get the first shot at earning the X-receiver role when training camp arrives. But unless he drastically improves his game, it seems his days as the starter are numbered.
Winner: TE Jelani Woods
After missing the entire 2023 campaign due to multiple nagging hamstring injuries, Woods is a winner from the offseason simply because he was able to practice. The incredibly athletic tight end made some impressive plays during OTAs and minicamp, which hopefully will lead to a bigger role.
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Woods was a very efficient receiver during his rookie campaign, but he never saw enough consistent playing time to make a true impact. In Shane Steichen’s scheme, there’s a chance he earns a prominent role as a receiver or even as the starting Y if Mo Alie-Cox proves his development has stalled.
Loser: S Daniel Scott
Not meaning to pile on to a player that is already down, but Scott’s career is now in limbo after suffering another season-ending injury during the offseason workouts. During his rookie offseason in 2023, Scott tore his ACL during the final practice at OTAs. After missing his entire rookie season, Scott then tore his Achilles during OTAs at the beginning of June.
It’s an incredibly unfortunate situation. Scott was seemingly headed for a depth role on defense and a prominent role on special teams. Hopefully, Scott will be able to turn this into an incredible story by staying healthy for the rest of his career. But for now, he’ll use his second season working back from another significant injury.
Winner: RB Trey Sermon
There is no question that the backfield belongs to Jonathan Taylor, but there is a front-runner for the backup role coming out of the spring workouts. Sermon has been working ahead of both Evan Hull and Tyler Goodson on the depth chart. It seems the former third-round pick has the inside track to the backup role behind Taylor once training camp starts.
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Things, of course, can change when training camp and the preseason arrive. The Colts love the pass-catching skills that Hull and Goodson bring to the table. But Sermon is probably the better between-the-tackles runner at this point in their respective careers so this will be a fun battle to watch.
Loser: CB Darrell Baker Jr.
The Colts have a competition at the cornerback position opposite Julius Brents on the boundary, and it’s pretty clearly a two-player race. While second-year cornerback Jaylon Jones has the inside track to the starting role, there’s expected to be a lively competition with Dallis Flowers.
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With all that, it seems Baker is falling behind in the competition for the starting role. If that happens, he may be in jeopardy of losing a roster spot altogether if one of the rookies proves to have more upside. Baker had his struggles in 2023 so he’ll need to come into camp ready to prove he belongs in the conversation.
