5 Colts On Roster Bubble Who Stood Out Against Ravens

Alex Johnson, Cornerback

The biggest winner for the Colts on Thursday was cornerback Alex Johnson. Not only did he have a stellar performance as a starter, but the road for playing time cleared up quite a bit in front of him. Rookie standout Justin Walley tore his ACL in joint practices with the Ravens, while JuJu Brents and Jaylon Jones are still out with hamstring injuries. Johnson had the rare chance in front of him to fly up the depth chart, and he made the most of his opportunity.

Johnson finished the game with an interception and a pass breakup in only a handful of coverage snaps. His interception, on the second play of the game, was a thing of beauty, as he locked up the slot fade perfectly and even made the play while being interfered with. His pass breakup was just as impressive, diving forward to swat the ball away on a third and long.

Johnson came into camp fighting for a chance to make the Colts' practice squad but now, he's looking like a potential rotational player with the injuries at the position.

Isaiah Land, Defensive End

Isaiah Land has been on the Colts for the past two seasons, so he would seem like a roster lock at this point in camp. With the return of Samson Ebukam and the addition of J.T. Tuimoloau, the numbers game could be tough for him to return in 2025. Luckily for him, he put together another strong showing in a preseason game, further making a case for the Colts to keep him.

He logged two run stops and a team-high 21.4% pass rush win rate in the Colts' loss on Thursday. His run defense in particular has always been underrated, and he is becoming more refined as a pass rusher as the years go on. Personally, I'd prefer to play Land over a player like Tyquan Lewis this season, but that's a conversation for another day.

Adetomiwa Adebawore, Defensive Tackles

The Colts' preseason doesn't truly start until Adetomiwa Adebawore logs a few sacks/pressures. Adebawore has been a dominant force in the preseason for the past two preseasons, and he continued that strong play on Thursday night. He was unblockable as a pass rusher, and he even showed some growth as a run defender.

Adebawore also tied with Land with a 21.4% pass rush win rate, while totaling a sack and another hurry on the night. His sack was one of the major highlights from the game, as he bulldozed Daniel Faalele to the ground with relative ease before finding the quarterback. Adebawore is entering a pivotal season with the Colts, so a game like this may bring him one step closer to seeing the field in the regular season.

Duke Shelley, Cornerback

The final standout from this game may be the least likely player to make the roster, but his run defense caught my eye on multiple occasions. Duke Shelley is far from the biggest cornerback, but he played much more physical than his size would suggest on Thursday. Shelley finished the game with four run stops, and his run fits were stout on a defense that struggled to make tackles all night long.

There is more to playing cornerback than making plays in the run game, but this was a good step forward for the veteran cornerback. The Colts are banged up at the position, so they need a few of these bottom of the roster players to step up. If Shelley can build on this strong showing, he could be a sneaky bottom of the roster player for week one.

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