Colts Waive Inside Linebacker Shawn Loiseau

The Indianapolis Colts conducted their own version of a Friday afternoon news dump, as shortly after 5:00 p.m. ET they announced that they have waived inside linebacker Shawn Loiseau.

Loiseau has had an interesting tenure with the Colts.  Signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent out of Merrimack in 2012, he ended up being signed to the Colts' practice squad in November of that year.  He stuck around with the team and participated in training camp with the team in 2013 before being cut, and then he headed to the Arena Football League, where he played in five games in 2014 for the LA Kiss - notching 23 tackles (four for loss), a sack, two passes defensed, and a safety.  He was then signed by the Colts as a free agent shortly after training camp began in 2014, but he missed the entire season with an injury, being placed on the team's injured reserve list.  He had stuck around with the team so far this offseason, but today the Colts announced that they have waived him.

This is a minor roster move when it comes to the final 53-man roster, as Loiseau was unlikely to make it anyway.  Jerrell Freeman and D'Qwell Jackson are entrenched as the starters, and Nate Irving - who the team signed as a free agent this offseason - will be a key depth player.  Sixth round draft pick Amarlo Herrera and second-year linebacker Henoc Muamba both stand decent shots at making the final roster as well, leaving Loiseau on the outside.  Of course, they may need to add players at the position to play during training camp and preseason, but this is a relatively minor move when considering the impact on the final 53-man roster.

The move also leaves the Colts with an open roster spot on their offseason roster.  They currently have 87 players on their active roster, and then unsigned draft picks D'Joun Smith and Henry Anderson essentially bring that number to 89 - leaving one spot remaining open on the 90-man roster after Loiseau was waived.  The Colts don't need to be in a rush to fill it, but this could indicate that a corresponding roster move is coming shortly, so stay tuned.