Getty Head coach Frank Reich and the Indianapolis Colts made two roster cuts on August 22.
The Indianapolis Colts began their next round of roster cuts on August 22. The team announced they have waived wide receiver D.J. Montgomery and defensive tackle Caeveon Patton.
While the Colts have been looking for more depth at receiver and defensive tackle this offseason, both Montgomery and Patton found themselves buried on the roster when the team released its first unofficial depth chart during Week 1 of the preseason.
Against the Detroit Lions in Week 2, neither player saw a lot of snaps despite the fact Indianapolis sat a majority of their starters. Patton played 26 snaps, which was 35% of Indianapolis’ snaps on defense in the game. That ranked Patton fourth among Colts defensive tackles in snaps for the contest.
Montgomery played even less, garnering just 12 snaps (23% of Indianapolis’ snaps on offense). In that playing time, Montgomery received 2 targets and made 1 catch for 22 yards.
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Colts Depth Chart Following Cuts
Both Montgomery and Patton came into the NFL as undrafted free agents after solid college careers at smaller schools.
Patton shined during five seasons at Texas State, where he posted 4.5 sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss and 179 total tackles in 44 career games. He also had 6 pass defenses, 3 fumble recoveries and a forced fumble.
The Colts signed Patton as an undrafted free agent on June 9. Indianapolis waived him on July 27 and then re-signed him two days later.
Montgomery is entering his fourth season in the NFL. He spent 2019 on injured reserve for the Cleveland Browns and then was with the New York Jets the last two years. Montgomery made 3 catches for 36 yards in 3 games last season.
As a senior at Austin Peay, he posted 42 receptions, 797 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in 2018.
The Colts have questions at wide receiver entering 2022, but even without Montgomery, the team still has a plethora of young wideouts vying for roster spots.
In total, Indianapolis has 10 receivers still on the roster battling for either five or six spots. Four of the 10 wideouts — Michael Pittman Jr., Parris Campbell, Alec Pierce and Ashton Dulin — have very likely already locked up a position on the roster.
Mike Strachan and Dezmon Patmon are the favorites to land the final one or two available spots at receiver behind the top four wideouts on the depth chart. Wide receivers Keke Coutee, Samson Nacua, Ethan Fernea and DeMichael Harris are also still in the mix.
DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart are Indianapolis’ projected starting defensive tackles. Interior defensive linemen Eric Johnson, R.J. McIntosh, Curtis Brooks, Byron Cowart and Chris Williams are competing for playing time behind them.
More Cuts to Come Before August 23
Waiving Montgomery and Patton is just the beginning of the cuts Indianapolis must make before August 23. The roster must be down to 80 players at 4 pm on that date.
Indianapolis now has 83 players, but the team is allowed an extra player because safety Marcel Dabo does not count towards the total. Dabo carries an exemption as part of the NFL International Pathway Program.
Still, the Colts will be cutting two more players in the immediate future.
With plenty of depth still at receiver and defensive tackle, Indianapolis could conceivably make more cuts in those areas. In all likelihood, though, the Colts will trim different positions to get down to 81 players.
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Colts Make Cuts to Wide Receiver, Defensive Line Depth Charts