Final roster cuts for the Colts and the rest of the NFL are now just one week away, taking place on August 27th, and defensive end Isaiah Land has positioned himself well to make the team.
In addition to defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore putting together two highly impressive performances in the preseason, Land has done much of the same.
Land has been able to make an impact both as a pass rusher and in the run game. In the two games against Denver and Arizona, he has totaled four pressures, two of which were quarterback hits and another was a sack, in 37 pass rush snaps. In the run game, he’s recorded seven total tackles, six of which were solo.
Isaiah Land's most underrated trait is his run defense. He's flashed a good bit in this department in his time with the Colts. (I know my guy @ColtsFilmRoom has mentioned this before) pic.twitter.com/kKQhmImRwy
— Zach Hicks (@ZachHicks2) August 19, 2024
Land, an undersized defensive end at 6-4 – 235 pounds, would go undrafted in 2023 out of Florida A&M where he was a highly productive pass rusher, totaling 90 pressures and a whopping 27 sacks, according to PFF, during his final two seasons.
Land would sign with the Dallas Cowboys after that draft but was released during roster cutdowns in late August of 2023. The Colts would then claim him off waivers. Defensively, Land would play only 31 snaps with the Colts, and had a red-shirt-like year on the 53-man roster.
Coming into training camp, it didn’t look like there was room on the roster for Land, but the unfortunate injury to Samson Ebukam did open up a potential roster spot. Had no one emerged over the last few weeks, the Colts might have rostered only four defensive ends, but Land’s play coupled with his upside has now made him a prime candidate to make the team.
We often hear about the Year 2 leap for NFL players, which is where their biggest developmental jump can often take place. Now with a full year in Gus Bradley’s defense along with having a full offseason to focus on his craft, Land appears to be in the midst of taking that next step.
