This week, the Colts will be headed to Philadelphia to participate in a joint practice and then a preseason game against the Eagles.
While this will give the team a chance to compete against the reigning NFC Champions, the week will also be the last chance for players on the bubble to show that they deserve a spot on the on final 53-man roster.
Rather than multiple players being cut each week of the preseason like in the past, this year all 32 teams will have to trim their rosters from 90 to 53 players by Tuesday, Aug. 29.
An unenviable task for front offices, but even more stressful for the players themselves, Colts' head coach Shane Steichen spoke with the media on Sunday and mentioned what he wanted to see from players fighting for a spot on the team.
"[I want to see] competition," Steichen said. "Just competitive nature. It's going to be tough. We're going to have to make some tough decisions here in the next couple of weeks. But just go out and compete, show that you belong every single day."
As the team inches closer and closer to the regular season, there is no shortage of competition for significant roles.
"The corner spot, obviously. The tight end spot, I know some guys are banged up at tight end but always going through that process, seeing where guys are at," Steichen said. "Same with the corners. Who is going to be that fourth, fifth or sixth wide out for us? There's going to be some tough decisions to be made but again, we got another good week and a half to figure that out."
Though it is important for those guys on the fringe to do their jobs on offense and defense, Steichen said that special teams are another area where players could make themselves stand out.
"Yeah, obviously they got to have special teams value," Steichen said. "Those spots – that fourth, fifth or sixth wide out, whether it's five or six, or three or four tight ends. We'll make that decision when it needs to be made but those guys definitely have to have special teams value."
