Top players the Colts should consider claiming via waivers

By Brett Mock@bamock Sep 2, 2018, 11:42am EDT

NFL: New England Patriots at Houston Texans

Waiver wire claims are just around the corner. Claims can be submitted at noon today. Teams will receive players based upon their record last year, meaning the Colts will be third in line behind the Browns and the Giants.

This will all happen quickly but it is worth taking a look at which players are available at positions that could intrigue the Colts. Even after the Colts end up with none of these players, it’s reasonable to know who they could have claimed to help bolster the roster at certain positions.

Running Back

Charcandrick West

NFL: AFC Wild Card-Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs

West is 27 years old and has been used primarily in a rotational role in his NFL career — meaning he could have reasonable mileage left. He has only been asked to carry the load due to injury and offers a skill-set like the one Ballard and Reich intended for Nyheim Hines. There is certainly a chance the Hines will improve significantly in his first season but if Ballard thought he could get Hines to the practice squad, a veteran running back who is very familiar to him could step right in.

Wide Receiver

Corey Coleman

The obvious reason Coleman would not be on Chris Ballard’s list is that he has earned a reputation for having a bad attitude and being lazy. This isn’t the kind of personality that the Colts are looking for in their young locker room. However, Coleman hasn’t played with a legitimate starting quarterback since he entered the league. Perhaps he will settle down if he is surrounded by other players who have a positive influence and realizes that he has the opportunity to catch passes from a quarterback who can help him have a productive career.

Simmie Cobbs Jr.

NFL: Washington Redskins at Baltimore Ravens

One popular wide receiver heading into the 2018 NFL Draft was Indiana University product Simmie Cobbs Jr. He is a big target at receiver but does not have blazing speed. He earned a reputation in Washington as an excellent and willing blocker and made some possession-style catches for short yardage when he had the opportunity. It is quite likely that the Colts are familiar with his skill-set if they are interested.

Defensive Tackle

Carl Davis

Davis is still only 26 years old and could fit nicely into one of the defensive tackle roles in Indianapolis. The defensive line is already very crowded but adding him and dropping Woods isn’t outside of the question. Davis would have a longer career projection with the chance for continued improvement in a 4-3 scheme change and Woods will almost certainly not be on the team in 2019. He was a third round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft out of Iowa.

Defensive End

Charles Tapper

NFL: Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys

Charles Tapper is still a young NFL prospect who has flashed ability for the Dallas Cowboys. It is quite certain that Matt Eberflus would be familiar with his skills and potential. At only 25 years old, he could be worth grabbing. He was a fourth round pick by the Cowboys during Eberflus’ tenure out of Oklahoma.

Steven Means

At 27 years old, Steven Means has bounced around the NFL after he was originally drafted in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. During his travels, he has developed into a team leader that is respected in the locker room and as a player-coach of sort for pass rushers. He has been productive as a rotational option and should be familiar to Frank Reich from his time in Philadelphia.

Linebacker

Kevin Minter

NFL: Chicago Bears at Cincinnati Bengals

Kevin Minter was a surprise cut by the New York Jets. A lot of their fans thought he was destined for the team in at least a rotational role or as a backup. Now, at only age 27, he is available for teams who might be interested in his services. There is a ton of youth in Indianapolis and a lot of inexperience at inside linebacker so, while he wouldn’t be used in nickel packages, he could certainly provide something the Colts currently don’t have at the position.

Marquis Flowers

NFL: New England Patriots at Carolina Panthers

If you’re looking for young potential at linebacker, raiding the Patriots trash isn’t a bad place to start. Flowers is a rangy linebacker who once clocked a 4.51 40-yard dash. He has the length to be disruptive if he is asked to rush the quarterback and the range to go sideline-to-sideline. He could be one of the most talented young players with development potential to hit the wire after cuts. Chris Ballard isn’t afraid of poaching talented former Patriots, look no further than Kenny Moore.

Tegray Scales

If the Colts are looking for the future of the SAM position in their new defense, they could do a lot worse than Tegray Scales. At this point, the team has veteran Najee Goode — who will likely only be a stop-gap, and seventh round pick Matthew Adams listed at SAM on their depth chart. It has become quite clear that Ballard is not afraid to dismiss veterans for youth and Scales is another Indiana product who the Colts likely have a lot of tape on.

While we certainly acknowledge that it is far more likely that the Colts won’t acquire any of these players, it helps to at least get an idea of who is out there at positions where Chris Ballard may have some interest. While it is far more likely that he will bring in players who are not on our radar, as has been the case at wide receiver and defensive back to this point, he has a high waiver priority and could get some easy work done with some of the players we listed.