John

Boyett

He’s the second Colts draft pick to sign. Boyett was a productive three-year starter at Oregon before partial tears to both patellar tendons cost him all but one game as a senior. He’ll compete for a special teams and backup role.

Boyett (5-foot-10, 204) recorded 10 interceptions and seven tackles for loss as a three-year starter for Chip Kelly’s Ducks before missing all but one game in 2012 following surgery to repair partial tears in both of his patellar tendons. Boyett was highly regarded pre-injury as a rugged tackler with some cover skills. He held a personal Pro Day on April 10. If Boyett’s health cooperates, he could be a low-risk steal.

OLB Josh McNary was also granted a roster exemption. Boyett’s senior season at Oregon was ended after one game by knee surgeries. He was never expected to contribute early on. Palmer will miss the entire year after injuring his MCL.

Boyett was on the reserve/NFI list due to a knee injury sustained at Oregon last year. That didn’t stop him from getting popped for disorderly conduct, public intoxication, and resisting law enforcement at a downtown Indy bar early Monday morning. “You can’t arrest me; I’m a Colts player,” Boyett reportedly told police. The sixth-round rookie can no longer make that claim.

Boyett, spending his rookie year on the reserve/non-football injury list, “repeatedly” told officers they couldn’t arrest him because “I’m a Colts player.” They obviously didn’t care, describing Boyett’s behavior as “very abusive” in police reports. “I am going to come back and break your jaw,” Boyett threatened. He reportedly also “made fun of an officer’s hair and nose.”