clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

2012 Colts Training Camp Primer: Guessing the 53-Man Roster

By Brad Wells
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 4: Head coach Chuck Pagano of the Indianapolis Colts looks on during a rookie minicamp at the team facility on May 4, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 4: Head coach Chuck Pagano of the Indianapolis Colts looks on during a rookie minicamp at the team facility on May 4, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Getty Images

Training camp opens Sunday, but already rookies and second year players are at a pre-training camp camp, getting extra work in as allowed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement. During our chat last night, Phil B of the Indianapolis Star said that fans should not be surprised if tight ends Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen catch 40 balls a piece this year.

But what about the rest of the team? Fleener and Allen are high draft picks, along with some no-name kid named Andrew Luck. They will make the 53-man roster. What about some of the other guys? My last attempt at guessing the 53 was on May 7th. Amazingly, several players from that list are already gone!

Nearly three months later, here's my pre-training camp guesstimate of who will play Week One for the Colts against the Bears.

QB: Andrew Luck*, Drew Stanton, Chandler Harnish*

RB: Donald Brown, Delone Carter, Vick Ballard*, Mewelde Moore

WR: Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie, T.Y. Hilton*, Donnie Avery, LaVon Brazill*

TE: Coby Fleener*, Dwayne Allen*, Justin Snow, Dominique Jones

LT: Anthony Castonzo, Justin Anderson*

LG: Mike McGlynn, Hayworth Hicks*, Steven Baker*

OC: Samson Satele, A.Q. Shipley

RG: Ben Ijalana

RT: Winston Justice, Jeff Linkenbach

Defense after jump...

RE: Cory Redding, Ricardo Mathews

NT: Josh Chapman*, Brandon McKinney, Antonio Johnson

LE: Fili Moala, Drake Nevis

OLB: Robert Mathis, Jerry Hughes

ILB: Pat Angerer, A.J. Edds

ILB: Kavell Conner, Larry Lumpkin*

OLB: Dwight Freeney, Tim Fugger*

CB: Jerraud Powers, Chris Rucker, Buddy Jackson*, Korey Lindsey

CB: Cassius Vaughn, Kevin Thomas, D.J. Johnson

FS: Antoine Bethea

SS: Tom Zbikowski, Matt Merletti*

P: Pat McAfee

K: Adam Vinatieri

* Indicates rookies

Notes:

  • 15 rookies on the 53-man roster. Kind of WOW!
  • Rams fans cheer as I leave off CB Justin King
  • A shortage on safety because players like Chris Rucker could switch over, if need be
  • I think Cassius Vaughn will beat out Kevin Thomas, but that's just a hunch on my part
  • No fullback, even though Ryan Grigson said there would be
  • For Joe Reitz fans, I just don't think he makes the team
  • There are, at least, ten players on this list who will not be Colts by the beginning of September. Look for Indianapolis to claim several waiver wire guys after cutdowns and, perhaps, make a trade or two for another corner

More From Stampede Blue