The Colts didn't practice today, but it was a very busy day for the team anyway. They made several notable roster moves. They signed center Thomas Austin, guard Marcus Hall, and wide receiver Nu'Keese Richardson. They also waived-injured outside linebacker Daniel Adongo and defensive lineman Jeris Pendleton, and if they clear waivers they will revert to the team's injured reserve. The Colts also waived cornerback Brandon Burton with an injury settlement.
The three guys the Colts brought back tonight have all spent time with the team before. Thomas Austin was with the Colts in camp last year and then spent time on the practice squad, and he was with the team in offseason work before being waived this summer. He has played in eight career NFL games (one start) in time with the Colts, Panthers, and Texans. Marcus Hall was signed by the Colts earlier this year as an undrafted free agent out of Ohio State but was waived a month later. At Ohio State, he played in 46 career games, starting 31 and playing alongside Colts lineman Jack Mewhort. Nu'Keese Richardson was signed by the Colts last week, waived after only a couple of days, and then now he has been brought back. He most recently played for the University of Pikeville after a tumultuous collegiate career that spanned several years and three different schools, as well as some off-the-field issues. Richardson is a gu with great speed and quickness who is a talented return man as well.
Also, two significant guys were waived-injured tonight. Daniel Adongo has garnered a lot of attention since the Colts signed him last offseason out of Africa where he was a professional rugby player, and they have worked to develop him into an American football player. Last year was spent pretty much as a learning year for him, but this year he was hopefully going to get more time. The Colts really liked him and had hopes to continue to develop him, and they knew that the best thing for his development right now was for him to play. In training camp, I was actually very impressed to see how far he had come, and I was excited to see what he could do. He was likely going to play a lot of special teams, as well as getting in on a few defensive snaps. Last night, however, he was injured (I think it was on a kickoff) and missed the rest of the game before we all even noticed him. It was a bicep injury, and he was seen leaving the field after the game in a sling. Apparently, it was a serious bicep injury (I'm assuming a tear, but that's just a guess) and he will miss the season. It's obviously a huge bummer and while the Colts aren't going to give up on him and he'll be back next offseason, this is a huge hit to his development. A huge one. And it's tough to see.
As far as Jeris Pendleton goes, he was also injured in last night's game with a right knee injury. He played well last year when he got in during the regular season finale and the two preseason games, and he figured to help the Colts as a good depth player along the defensive line. With both Pendleton and Adongo, they were guys who I had making my initial 53-man roster in my pre-camp predictions, bringing the total number of guys lost for the year from that prediction to four guys, and that's not including Fili Moala, who I would have put on it had his injury occurred after I made the list. That's not good. Not at all. With both of these guys tonight, if they clear waivers, they will revert to the team's IR.
Finally, Brandon Burton was waived from the team's injured reserve with an injury settlement.
These injuries are getting really, really annoying and I'm sick of them. The guys the Colts signed today should help out (especially in camp and preseason) and bringing back Austin was a move that needed to happen at center, but the real thing that stands out is the injuries. Adongo and Pendleton waived-injured tonight, and then the reason the linemen were needed was because of injuries to Khaled Holmes and Ulrick John. Injuries suck. And the Colts have had way too many of them by August 8. Way too many.