Indianapolis Colts offensive depth chart projection during OTAs

Cody Manning

Indianapolis Colts offensive depth chart projection during OTAs image

The Indianapolis Colts began organized team activities (OTA) last week to start their process of getting prepared for the 2024 season.

The first week of OTAs gave us a glimpse into what the offense is going to look like in the second season under Shane Steichen.

On the offensive side of the ball for Indy, they have the majority of the starting positions locked in, but there are a few roles that will be up for grabs over the next few months.

Let’s take a look at an early projection on what the Colts offensive depth chart will look like come opening day:

Colts 2024 offensive depth chart projection

Quarterback

1. Anthony Richardson

2. Joe Flacco

3. Sam Ehlinger

Practice squad candidate: Kedon Slovis

There are no question marks for the starting and backup quarterback for Indianapolis. The competition to watch in this group is between Ehlinger and UDFA rookie Slovis. The pair are set to battle it out for the QB3 spot on the depth chart. I give the early edge to Ehlinger because of his experience.

Running Back

1. Jonathan Taylor

2. Evan Hull

3. Trey Sermon

4. Tyler Goodson

Practice Squad Candidates: Zavier Scott and Trent Pennix

This is Jonathan Taylor’s backfield but the question mark for the group is who is RB2? I give the early lean towards second-year player Hull because of his third-down ability which can help him carve out a role in the offense. Sermon and Goodson have the upper hand to make the 53-man roster because of their experience last year but all five backs behind Taylor enter a wide-open competition for a spot on this year’s team.  

Wide Receiver 

Z:

1. Michael Pittman Jr. 

2. Ashton Dulin

Slot:

1. Josh Downs

2. Anthony Gould

X:

1. Alec Pierce

2. Adonai Mitchell

Practice Squad Candidates: D.J. Montgomery, Juwann Winfree, Jason Bean (QB/WR)

The top six receivers on the team are locked to make the 53-man roster barring a very disappointing preseason and one of the six receivers behind them outshines them. The battle to watch is for the X-role between Pierce and Mitchell. My early projection is Pierce gets the opening day start but these two will battle for snaps throughout the season. 

MORE: 8 Colts who could be first-time Pro Bowlers in 2024

Tight End 

1. Jelani Woods

2. Kylen Granson

3. Mo Alie-Cox

4. Will Mallory

5. Drew Ogletree

The position battle in the tight end room is going to be a fierce one this summer. Each player offers their own unique skill set that they bring to the offense. Woods is the most dynamic player in the group so if his health concerns are behind him, he offers the best chance to be the clear-cut TE1 by the end of the summer. 

The question is if Chris Ballard will elect to carry all five on the 53-man roster. One of these five could end up being a trade candidate or a surprise cut. If one is released, I see another team claiming them off the waivers which is why I don’t see any as a practice squad candidate. 

Offensive Line

Left Tackle: Bernhard Raimann

Left Guard: Quenton Nelson

Center: Ryan Kelly

Right Guard: Will Fries

Right Tackle: Braden Smith

Backups: Blake Freeland (LT/RT), Danny Pinter (C/OG), Wesley French (C/OG), Matt Goncalves (OG/RT), Tanor Bortolini (C/OG)

Practice Squad Candidates: Jake Witt, Josh Sills, Arlington Hambright, Jack Anderson

The Colts are set with their starting five returning from the 2023 season. The battle for the backup roles will be something to monitor this summer. Pinter, French, and Bortolini will battle to backup Kelly at center but their versatility to kick out at guard should help their chances of making the 53-man roster. 

Freeland enters as the swing tackle but Goncalves’ experience as a tackle can give the coaching staff some flexibility on how they would handle if Raimann or Smith had to miss any time.

For more Colts coverage, check out Cody Manning's work on Sporting News.

Cody Manning

Cody Manning Photo

Cody Manning is a graduate of the University of Tampa’s Sport Management program. He spent time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Guest and Member Relations Game Day staff where he was a Team Leader and earned Difference Maker of the Year in 2017. During his time with the Bucs, he helped start Blitzalytics, a scouting and analytics media company. After that came to an end, he joined USA Today’s Colts Wire as a contributor in 2021. Outside of football, he is an avid WWE and Batman fan. You can find him on Twitter/X @CodyTalksNFL.