Colts Address Most Glaring Need on Roster Cutdown Day

So, what do we make of the Colts' latest trade? We break it down below.

Necessary Move by GM Chris Ballard

This is as much a strong move as it is a necessary one.

The Indianapolis Colts have been struggling to replace longtime reserve center Danny Pinter since he signed with the Baltimore Ravens earlier this offseason.

Veteran interior offensive lineman Dalton Tucker was moved inside from guard to become Pinter's replacement, but he never quite found his footing in his new role. Tucker struggled most with snapping the ball with any semblance of consistency, which ultimately led to blown drives in practice for the Colts' second-team offense.

Backup quarterbacks Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard could not establish a consistent operation as a result, but it wasn't solely Tucker's shortcomings that led to the trade for Sedrick Van Pran.

Interior offensive linemen Jimmy Morrissey and Josh Kreutz also filled in from time to time, specifically with the Colts' third-team offense, but like Dalton Tucker, they didn't do enough to suggest they could be relied upon.

This past offseason was snap infractions galore, and although it's too late to afford the Colts' reserve offense with a viable option at center, they can now go into the 2026 regular season with much more confidence in their backup behind starter Tanor Bortolini.

Bortolini is a rising star in his own right, but what lay behind him exiting preseason play was uninspiring, to say the least.

Interior Depth Bolstered

The Colts needed to add Sedrick Van Pran-Granger in the worst way.

So much so that they traded for his services ahead of the roster cutdown deadline at 6 p.m. EST to ensure they secure a viable option to turn to.

Van Pran-Granger brings his 6'4", 315-pound frame to the table, which is intriguing on the surface, but it's his combination of competent play and experience that instills confidence in the move.

Dalton Tucker's inexperience reared its ugly head throughout the preseason, hence the move in question.

Not only does this move immediately improve the Colts' situation at center, but it also opens the door for Tucker to return to his primary, more natural position at guard. If they choose to keep him around, that is.

Van Pran-Granger brings 2 starts and 31 games played over two seasons in the NFL to the mix, and although he's not emerged as a starting option, his consistent snapping is enough to be happy about. He has just 217 regular-season snaps to show for in two seasons, but that's 217 more than Tucker and Co. have.

Being in a secondary role has allowed Van Pran-Granger to thrive, and that's exactly what the Indianapolis Colts needed most.