Toughest position battles ahead to make the 2024 Indianpolis Colts roster

The Indianapolis Colts kicked off their first of six OTA offseason workouts on May 20th. 

And with the guys back on the field, it feels like a good time to bring attention to the position groups expected to have some tough position battles to make the team's opening day 53-man roster. 

Toughest Colts position battles ahead: 

Tight End (TE): 

Roster Locks: 

• Kylen Granson

Position battle: 

• Jelani Woods
• Drew Ogletree
• Will Mallory
• Mo Alie-Cox
• Jordan Murray
• Eric Tomlinson

The TE battles during training camp is going to be wild. I only view one player as a lock to make the roster: Kylen Granson. After him, there are most likely three jobs available, with four notable players battling: Jelani Woods, Will Mallory, Drew Ogletree, and Mo Alix-Cox. I think the players with the highest upside in this group are Woods and Mallory. Woods is coming off a fully lost season due to a lingering hamstring injury in 2023. And Mallory had plenty of flashes of what he could become as a pass catcher as a rookie. Then there's Drew Ogletree and Mo Alie-Cox, who have a more balanced skill set to impact the game as a blocker as well as proven production as a pass catcher, though their ceilings as players aren't as high as Woods and Mallory. If fans had the final say, I'm sure they'd keep Woods, Mallory, and Ogletree and cut ties with Alie-Cox. But I don't think the team will be able to make a decision that easily. 

Cornerback (CB):

Roster Locks: 

• Kenny Moore II
• Juju Brents
• Jaylon Jones
• Dallis Flowers

Position Battle: 

• Darrell Baker Jr. 
• Jaylin Simpson 
• Micah Abraham
• Chris Lammons
• Ameer Speed

At CB, I think there are four players whose roster spots feel locked in for 2024 as long as they remain healthy: Kenny Moore II, Juju Brents, Jaylon Jones, and Dallis Flowers. This was the clear best four CBs on the Colts roster a year ago, as well as Flowers offering a lot as a return man if the team needs him there. Behind this group, though, the Colts will have 2-3 more jobs available with five players who were either on the Colts' active roster last season or drafted by the team this offseason. If I had to say who of this group has the best chance to earn a roster spot, I'd say Jaylin Simpson, who the Colts drafted in the 5th round. He will be able to compete as a CB and an FS; in both spots, the team needs more impactful players. 

Linebacker (LB)

Roster Locks: 

• Zaire Franklin
• E.J. Speed
• Grant Stuard

Position Battle: 

• Segun Olubi
• Ronnie Harrison 
• Jaylon Carlies
• Cameron McGrone
• Liam Anderson
• Austin AAjiake
• Craig Young

The last position in this article is LB. The Colts could plan to keep anywhere from six to eight LBs on their initial 53 man roster. I think three players' spots are locked in, with Zaire Franklin and E.J. Speed, the clear leaders of the room, and Grant Stuard, being one of the team's best special teams players. After that group, multiple intriguing players are set to battle for 3-5 spots. I think Segun Olubi is the leader of that next group with a very good chance at making the roster, and I think the team 5th round pick Jaylon Carlies, who is converting to LB from S, is a pretty safe bet as well with the team seeing a lot of upside in his game. That would leave just 1-3 spots remaining, with five players competing for roles on defense and special teams.