INDIANAPOLIS —With the Indianapolis Colts set to open the 2017 season on the road Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, it's time to take a look at the team's first unofficial depth chart of the regular season.
But first, a couple notes: these depth charts are, indeed, unofficial. Each NFL team is required to publicly release its depth chart the week leading up to a game, and lots can change over the course of the next few days. Also, the players listed as "starters" aren't necessarily those who will start the upcoming game; case in point: injured players who remain on the 53-man roster are usually listed on the depth chart, too.
So, without further ado, let's take a look at this week's unofficial depth chart:
OFFENSEWR1:T.Y. Hilton, Chester Rogers, Quan Bray
LT:Anthony Castonzo, Le'Raven Clark
LG:Jeremy Vujnovich
C:Ryan Kelly, Deyshawn Bond, Ian Silberman
RG:Jack Mewhort, Joe Haeg
RT:Denzelle Good, Le'Raven Clark
TE1:Jack Doyle
WR2:Donte Moncrief, Kamar Aiken, Matt Hazel
QB:Andrew Luck, Scott Tolzien, Jacoby Brissett
TE2:Brandon Williams, Darrell Daniels
RB:Frank Gore, Robert Turbin, Marlon Mack, Matt JonesNotes:•One primary change from the preseason depth chart is along the offensive line. Previously, the starting five listed in the unofficial depth chart were Castonzo at left tackle, Haeg at left guard, Kelly at center, Mewhort at right guard and Clark at right tackle. As it stands on the Week 1 unofficial depth chart, Vujnovich — who started at left guard the first preseason game this year before starting at right tackle the next two games, and then sitting out the fourth contest — is now listed as the No. 1 left guard, while Denzelle Good — who started at right guard the last two preseason games — is listed as the No. 1 right tackle.
• Staying at the offensive line, general manager Chris Ballard said that although Kelly is "close" to returning from foot surgery, he is still considered week-to-week, meaning the undrafted rookie Bond is in line to start his first-career game on Sunday.
• At quarterback, Ballard announced Monday that Tolzien will start Sunday vs. the Rams, and that Luck will be out as he continues to work his way back to the field after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery. That leaves Jacoby Brissett as the team's backup, eight days after the team acquired him in a trade with the New England Patriots.
• With No. 2 tight end Mo Alie-Cox now on Injured Reserve as he recovers from a knee scope, 2017 free agent pickup Brandon Williams slides into his spot on this week's unofficial depth chart, followed by Daniels.
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DEFENSEDE:Henry Anderson, Margus Hunt
NT:Al Woods, Grover Stewart
DT:Johnathan Hankins, Hassan Ridgeway
SLB:John Simon, Barkevious Mingo
MIKE:Antonio Morrison, Anthony Walker
WILL:Jon Bostic, Jeremiah George
RUSH:Jabaal Sheard, Tarell Basham
LCB:Rashaan Melvin, Quincy Wilson, Chris Milton
SS:Matthias Farley, T.J. Green
FS:Darius Butler, Malik Hooker
RCB:Vontae Davis, Nate Hairston, Pierre Desir, Kenny Moore IINotes:
• No huge surprises with the defense for Week 1's unofficial depth chart. In fact, the starters listed this week are the exact same as the defensive starters listed for the Colts during the preseason.
• With Davis out for the next few weeks with a groin injury, according to Ballard, look for Melvin, Wilson, Hairston and Green — who is learning to play the position after beginning his career at safety — to immediately step in, head coach Chuck Pagano said, with guys like Milton, Desir and Moore II also possibly getting in-game opportunities to show what they can do.
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SPECIALISTSP:Rigoberto Sanchez
K:Adam Vinatieri, Rigoberto Sanchez
H:Rigoberto Sanchez
LS:Luke Rhodes
KR:Quan Bray
PR:Quan BrayNotes:
• Again, no surprises at all here. Sanchez and Rhodes won their position battles in the last week of the preseason, while Bray remains as the team's primary returner — which was also his duty last year before he suffered a season-ending ankle injury.
Colts @ Rams 2017 - PRACTICE 9/4