5 Colts in danger of being cut after first week of training camp

The Indianapolis Colts have gotten through the first week of training camp, and some players need to fight a bit more for their roster spots.

The position battles are well underway at the Grand Park Sports Complex. They won't be concluded until the preseason games come to an end, but we're getting a better idea of what the competitions look like.

With the first preseason game coming up Aug. 11 against the Denver Broncos , the Colts are preparing for the opener, and several Colts players will need to bounce back from a concerning start to training camp.

Here's a look at five players who are in danger of being cut with the first week of camp behind them:

Roster cut candidates after first week of Colts training camp

G Josh Sills

After spending the majority of the 2023 season as one of the main backup guards for the Colts, Sills appears to be trending in the wrong direction. The former Philadelphia Eagle has worked mostly with the third-team offense at right guard, getting reps behind the likes of Danny Pinter and Wesley French.

The Colts have a limited number of spots in the offensive line room considering the return of all five starters along with Blake Freeland and two draft picks — Matt Goncalves and Tanor Bortolini. Sills will need a strong preseason to solidify his spot on the roster.

RB Evan Hull

The second-year back missed all but one game during his rookie season due to a knee injury. He's fighting for the RB3 role with Tyler Goodson behind Jonathan Taylor and Trey Sermon. The Northwestern product has some explosive qualities, especially as a pass-catcher.

The good news for Hull is that he is trending in the right direction after a slow start to camp. His game has been boom-or-bust by most reports so he'll need to have a more consistent showing during the preseason if he's going to keep a roster spot. The main battle is between Hull and Goodson for the RB3 role.

If the Colts keep four running backs, both are likely safe. But there's a chance they only keep three, which would make things interesting.

CB Chris Lammons

Lammons finds himself on the roster bubble for a few reasons. He has yet to practice after starting camp on the PUP list due to an ankle injury so he's missing out on valuable reps, ceding most of them to rookie Micah Abraham, who has been working as one of the backup nickel defenders.

With other rookie Jaylin Simpson worked exclusively at cornerback, the room seems to have gotten a bit tighter when it comes to roster spots. If the Colts can only keep two nickel defenders — Kenny Moore II being one of them — Lammons may find it difficult to earn a roster spot if he doesn't return from his ankle injury soon.

DT Taven Bryan

The Colts re-signed Bryan this offseason on another one-year deal after a quiet campaign in 2023. In Bryan's defense, he played mostly out of position at the one-technique to help replace Grover Stewart. He's a natural three-technique so it didn't bode well for him.

However, the first week of camp hasn't included many highlights from the former first-round pick. Second-year defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore, his main competition, has flashed upside as a pass-rusher. There might be an extra spot open after Samson Ebukam tore his Achilles , but Bryan is up against it going into the preseason.

CB Darrell Baker Jr.

A polarizing cornerback for the Colts, Baker found himself thrust into a larger role than expected in 2023 due to injuries. It didn't go very well as he allowed 16.1 yards per catch, two touchdowns and a 101.7 passer rating on 49 targets.

Baker has gotten off to a slow start to camp, especially in the 1-on-1 drills where he's seemingly struggling to get wins against the Colts receivers. With rookie Jaylin Simpson now taking reps on the outside, Baker will need a strong preseason to make the roster.

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