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The Indianapolis Colts entered training camp relatively healthy, and among the players dealing with ailments, the team has one ready to return.
The Colts announced on July 28 that rookie defensive tackle Eric Johnson has been removed from the Active/Non-Football Injury list (NFI).
Johnson started training camp on the list. General manager Chris Ballard said in his first training press conference on July 26 that Johnson “tweaked his back training” but then added that the team “didn’t think that’ll be a long issue.”
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Johnson to Compete in Training Camp Position Battle
There’s obviously still a lot of time for any injured player to get healthy before the season, but Johnson’s quick return was important for the Colts. Johnson is expected to be involved in one of the key position battles of training camp for Indianapolis.
Ballard didn’t name Johnson specifically, but he mentioned defensive tackle depth as an area to watch in training camp.
“Interior defensive line after Grover [Stewart] and [DeForest] Buckner — finding some depth there,” Ballard said. “Those are going to be big.”
The Colts made edge rusher an offseason priority. Yannick Ngakoue is set to start opposite second-year defensive end Kwity Paye, who lots of experts have predicted to experience a breakout season. The Colts also signed edge Ifeadi Odenigbo and Bryan Cox Jr. in free agency.
But Indianapolis isn’t as set at defensive tackle. Stewart and Buckner will make up a formidable pair of starters, but the Colts have question marks behind them on the theoretical depth chart. Johnson should compete with Dayo Odeyingbo and Byron Cowart for snaps. The Colts claimed Cowart off waivers from the New England Patriots on July 23.
What Johnson Could Bring for Colts
It’s possible that the Indianapolis defensive line rotation will include more snaps for defensive ends — some of which could play inside — than defensive tackles. Still, now back healthy, Johnson will have the opportunity to carve out a role.
Indianapolis drafted Johnson in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft. Odeyingbo, a 2021 second-round pick, played 27% of Indianapolis’ defensive snaps as a rookie. If Johnson impresses during camp, there appears to be the chance that he plays as much as Odeyingbo did last year.
But obviously, Johnson is far from a finished product. He played college at Missouri State, so the jump in competition is significant. Johnson posted 43 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 2 pass breakups and 3 blocked kicks last season while earning second-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors.
NFL draft expert Lance Zierlein of NFL.com projected Johnson as a sixth-round pick during the draft process.
“He has the build, strength and length to play as a defensive tackle or odd-front end,” Zierlein wrote. “He flashes recovery strength to battle back against early disadvantages, but needs to get off the ball and into opponents more aggressively to create early advantages of his own.”
Indianapolis also has rookie sixth-round pick Curtis Brooks, 2021 undrafted free agent Chris Williams and RJ McIntosh on the roster at defensive tackle. The New York Giants selected McIntosh in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL draft, but he hasn’t appeared in a regular season game since 2019.
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