Colts 2016 player preview: Defensive lineman Kelcy Quarles

The Indianapolis Colts will report to training camp on July 26 with their 90-man roster, which will be cut down to 53 players by the end of the preseason. To pass the time until camp, we’re taking a look at every player on the Colts’ 90-man roster. Today, we’re looking at defensive lineman Kelcy Quarles.

Who is he?

Kelcy Quarles originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of South Carolina, where he was a second-team All-American (AP) as a junior in 2013. He was signed as a free agent by the New York Giants, though they waived him after the preseason. Since then, he has spent time with the New England Patriots (twice) and Cleveland Browns in a practice squad role, and with the Colts (twice) on both their active roster and practice squad. Quarles was with the Colts for a couple of months in 2014 and finished out the year on their practice squad, sticking around with the team for training camp and preseason in 2015. Later in the year, the Colts brought him back to their practice squad (December 18) and then their active roster (December 21). Though it’s been an eventful two years in the NFL for Quarles, he has played in just two games – both coming with the Colts in 2014 – and has recorded just one tackle and a pass defensed.

What is his role?

The biggest obstacle that Kelcy Quarles faces with the Colts is the depth along the defensive line. Henry Anderson, Kendall Langford, David Parry, Arthur Jones (if healthy), Hassan Ridgeway, Zach Kerr, and T.Y. McGill all would figure to be ahead of Quarles on the roster, and keeping seven defensive linemen is very much uncertain as it is. That means that it will likely take a very impressive performance in camp and preseason play – or injuries to other linemen – for Quarles to make the roster.

What are his chances?

Considering the other talent on the defensive line for the Colts, Quarles will need to really impress in order to have a shot.