The Indianapolis Colts grabbed their first win of the preseason Saturday night in a 24-17 victory over the Chicago Bears at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Despite the starters getting rest after the joint training camp practices, there were still plenty of players grinding for their spots on the roster with cut-down day quickly approaching.
When taking stock of a player’s performance, it’s best to be fluid. A player’s stock will fall and rise throughout the preseason so none of this is set in stone. But it is important to take note of the narratives and storylines taking place as the regular season quickly approaches.
A player’s stock can be impacted by their performance or the type of snaps they receive during the preseason.
Here’s the stock report from the Colts’ preseason win over the Bears:
Stock Up: CB Jaylon Jones
The Colts have had plenty of flashes from their rookie cornerbacks this preseason, and Jones was the latest of the group to put together some strong tape. The seventh-round pick applied sticky coverage for the entire night. Even when he did allow a reception, he stayed physical after the fact and limited the yards after catch. He also recorded a pass break-up and made an awesome special teams stop on a punt.
Look man, I love this rep by Jaylon Jones, he initially gets forced out, but fights his way back to make the play on the return man. #ForTheShoe #Colts pic.twitter.com/WAzRAplHeJ
— CLew 🏈🏀⚾️🥊 (@droppedballspod) August 20, 2023
Stock Down: G Emil Ekiyor
After struggling during the preseason opener as the second-team right guard, Ekiyor is likely heading toward being cut. Despite the starting offensive line sitting, Ekiyor didn’t see a single snap on the offensive side of the ball. He did play two special teams snaps, which tells us the Colts are prioritizing essentially everyone else over the undrafted rookie.
Stock Up: WR James Washington
Despite joining the team Friday afternoon, Washington wound up leading the offense with 42 receiving yards, all of which came on one play. There’s a massive competition for the final roster spots in the room, especially with Ashton Dulin unfortunately suffering a season-ending torn ACL. Washington showing up with a deep catch late in the game gives him a bit of mometum going into the preseason finale.
The #Colts signed James Washington on Friday. A day later he makes a sideline one-handed catch for a 42-yard gain. pic.twitter.com/qIemTOkOlq
— Cody Manning (@CodyTalksNFL) August 20, 2023
Stock Down: Running Backs
Though Jonathan Taylor has little leverage in terms of potentially holding out for a new contract, the fact that the backfield has looked porous does help his case. Working behind the second-team offensive line isn’t doing the running backs any favors, but the lack of juice is apparent. No running back had more than 19 rushing yards, and the entire room combined for 23 carries for 63 rushing yards (2.7 average) and one rushing touchdown. The longest run from the group was a paltry seven yards. It’s a tough look for the group without Taylor.
Stock Up: S Nick Cross
The second-year safety has been extremely impressive since the start of training camp. Cross has been playing at a much faster speed with far less hesitation, and it’s showing up on the game field. He had another strong performance during the Week 2 preseason game both in coverage and against the run. On top of that, Cross has been a versatile piece lining up as a deep safety, in the box and even in the slot.
Just a great read and flow to the ball by Cameron McGrone and Nick Cross to get the TFL to force Chicago into a third-and-long situation. pic.twitter.com/ToqczKm5Wu
— Cody Manning (@CodyTalksNFL) August 20, 2023
Stock Down: OT Dan Skipper
The search for a viable swing tackle continues for the Colts. Skipper is a veteran with plenty of experience so he’s certainly still in play, but it was an up-and-down day at right tackle. Skipper was responsible for at least one quarterback hit and a handful of pressures as he played every snap on the offensive side of the ball. His experience is something the Colts need in that room, and he’ll be looking to instill a bit more confidence in the finale.
Stock Up: DE Titus Leo
The rookie sixth-round pick certainly took advantage of his opportunities with Genard Avery out for the season. He had two pressures, including a sack, a tackle for loss and a batted pass. He also was pretty solid against the run, setting a strong edge on a consistent basis.
Stock Down: G Arlington Hambright
After shining at left tackle with the second-team offense during the preseason opener, Hambright filled in at right guard during the second preseason game. While it wasn’t a disaster, Hambright didn’t look as comfortable working inside. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed two pressures on 21 pass-blocking snaps, which isn’t terrible. But Hambright didn’t make much of an impact in the run game, which is a slight concern due to the struggles the Colts have had in that area. He can still solidify a roster spot in the finale, but this was a slight step back.
Stock Up: DE Khalid Kareem
Despite playing through a rib injury he suffered during the game, Kareem gave a gutsy performance. He led the team with six total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, including a sack and a quarterback hit. He also added four defensive stops. It was a strong case from Kareem as roster cuts approach.
