Westfield, Ind. – The Indianapolis Colts today signed free agents defensive end Derek Rivers and wide receiver Greg Ward. The team also waived safety Kendell Brooks and waived-injured wide receiver Ethan Fernea. If Fernea clears waivers, he will revert to the Colts Injured Reserve list.
Rivers, 6-5, 250 pounds, spent time on the practice squads of Indianapolis and Houston last season. He has played in 24 career games (one start) in his time with the Colts (2023), Texans (2021-23), Los Angeles Rams (2020) and New England Patriots (2017-20). Rivers has registered 16 tackles (11 solo), 5.0 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. He has also appeared in three postseason contests and has recorded one special teams tackle. Rivers was originally selected by the Patriots in the third round (83rd overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Youngstown State.
Ward, 5-11, 190 pounds, played in 40 career games (13 starts) in seven seasons (2017-23) with the Philadelphia Eagles and compiled 88 receptions for 768 yards (8.7 avg.) and 10 touchdowns. He also totaled 30 punt returns for 170 yards (5.7 avg.) and one kickoff return for three yards. Ward started two postseason contests and recorded three receptions for 24 yards (8.0 avg.). In 2023, he spent most of the season on the Eagles practice squad.
Brooks, 6-0, 206 pounds, was signed by Indianapolis to a reserve/future contract on January 9, 2024. He participated in the Arizona Cardinals' 2023 offseason program and training camp after originally signing with the team as an undrafted free agent on May 1, 2023. Collegiately, Brooks played in 43 games (20 starts) at Michigan State (2021-22) and North Greenville University (2018-20).
Fernea, 6-0, 195 pounds, has spent time on the team's active roster and practice squad the last two seasons (2022-23). In 2023, he saw action in three games. As a rookie in 2022, Fernea played in one game. He was originally signed by the Colts as an undrafted free agent on May 13, 2022.
