Colts Re-Sign TE Weslye Saunders, Add OT Xavier Nixon To Practice Squad

A familiar face is back on the Colts active roster.

Not long after the NFL’s 4:00 p.m. EST trading deadline came and went with few fireworks, the Indianapolis Colts announced that the team has re-signed tight end Weslye Saunders. The addition of Saunders fills out the rest of their 53-man roster.

Saunders was released by the team back in July, just prior to the start of training camp and just after the NFL had announced that Saunders would be suspended for 8 games to start the 2013 NFL regular season. Saunders was busted by the league for his second violation of the performance enhancement abuse policy, which is a long-winded way of saying he’s kind of a cheater.

At the time of Saunders' release, the Colts and head coach Chuck Pagano portrayed the move as some sort of disciplinary action. Pagano spoke in July about how "disappointed" he was in Saunders and how he failed to represent the Colts' horseshoe.

Like most of you, I saw Pagano's logic at that time. Two busts for using performance enhancers kind of puts Saunders in Rodney Harrison territory. What confuses me is the sudden sense by the Colts brass that Saunders has stopped, you know, cheating. I'm all for second chances, but Saunders had already been given his after his first violation of the policy. He's now working on chance No. 3.

I guess Colts leadership feels as though he's cleaned up his act. We shall see.

For the entirety of camp, preseason, and the first 8 games of the regular season, Saunders was a free agent; unsigned and seemingly unwanted. With the Colts entering Week 9, they could sign Saunders knowing that the 8 games he was out of the league count toward his suspension.

Saunders had 2 catches for 15 yards last season for the Colts.

Indianapolis also announced that recently released offensive tackle Xavier Nixon has been signed to the practice squad. Defensive back Daxton Swanson was released from injured reserve, presumably with an injury settlement.