Indianapolis

Colts

He mentions Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and seventh-round pick Deion Burks as possible competition for the spot. We also (our speculation) wouldn’t rule out the Colts picking up one of the several as-of-yet unsigned free agents like Jauan Jennings, Deebo Samuel, or Stefon Diggs. Westbrook-Ikhine has flashed big touchdown upside in the past and would be the most fantasy-useful player in this group if he wins a role.

With Tyler Goodson gone, Giddens is the incumbent and has the higher draft capital, so we’re surprised to see a beat writer giving some leeway to the idea that McGowan could be the backup right away. Neither player figures to play much without a Jonathan Taylor injury, but they could be interesting contingency holds in deeper leagues.

Obviously this was always going to be the case, but it is now officially official. Richardson has languished on the trade block all offseason and may simply not have a real suitor at this point. Perhaps he’ll surface elsewhere once he is released or a team (Packers?) that hasn’t signed a real backup quarterback starts to understand the ramifications of that decision. For now, he’s likely to start the year behind Riley Leonard on Indy’s quarterback depth chart.

Fehoko has played zero snaps since entering the league as a fourth-round pick in 2023. The Colts also waived LB Joseph Vaughn and released OG Bill Murray. OT Jack Wilson was waived as well, though he will revert to the Colts’ injured reserve list if he clears waivers.

Per Chappell, Colts general manager Chris Ballard said on Saturday that he “hadn’t given too much thought” to the fifth-year option that would have paid Richardson $22.483 million in 2027. Apparently, Ballard didn’t need long to pass on an extra year with Richardson. The 23-year-old quarterback received permission from the team to seek a trade, and as of Sunday, the Colts had not received any inquiries. Releasing Richardson at some point currently seems to be the most likely outcome for Indianapolis. The deadline to exercise team options for the 2023 rookie class is tomorrow.

Ball was one of the few Razorbacks who didn’t completely disappoint in 2025, as he started all 11 games while picking up 4.5 tackles for loss in his redshirt senior season. He was much more productive as a junior, however, with 47 tackles and 1.5 sacks over his 13 games. While there are concerns about his ability to shed blocks, Ball (6’3/310) does have the quickness necessary to not allow said blocks to take place, and there’s enough athleticism to believe he someday could help both against the run and the pass. Ball will need to impress over the summer and in the exhibition season to make the roster, but there might be more upside in his game than the typical fifth-year senior prospect.

Per Ballard, both the players and the team just have to “have a little patience here and see what happens.” Ballard adds that he does not know if Richardson and Moore will attend the Colts’ voluntary organized team activities next week. It seems likely that both players will be released at some point in the near future if they don’t want to play with the Colts this season.

After a 57/620/4 receiving line with Oklahama in 2025, Burks (5’10/180) showcased his athleticism at the NFL combine. His 4.30 40-yard dash and 42.5-inch vertical were both top-three at the wide receiver position. He spent his first three college years at Purdue, building up his repertoire as a quick slot receiver before transferring to Oklahoma for his final two seasons. Burks’ production doesn’t pop off the page but he showed the ability to line up both outside and in the slot with versatile usage to show off his shiftiness in space. A shorter frame limits Burks’ ability to be a physical route runner and he lacks downfield targets, seeing an average depth of target of just 8.6 yards his final season. However, speed and athleticism will allow him to be a versatile weapon in space. Burks has the tools to succeed as a shifty slot receiver at the next level.

McGowan was a four-star recruit coming out of high school. He saw work as a backup for Oklahoma in 2020. After his freshman season, McGowan was arrested on charges of robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. He eventually pleaded guilty to a felony charge of larceny of a person at nighttime. McGowan was kicked off the team and ultimately spent three months in jail, followed by a year-long probation. He returned to football at the JUCO level for two seasons before landing on New Mexico State’s roster in 2024, where he ran for 823 yards and three scores. McGowan then transferred to Kentucky and posted a 165-725-12 rushing line. He punctuated his draft profile with a 4.49 40 and strong burst measurables at 6’/223. McGowan is a decisive runner who shows great anticipation when choosing his lanes. On the other hand, he is an average receiver who needs to improve in pass-pro, even if a third-round role isn’t in his future. Fumbles were also an issue, as he coughed the ball up six times across his three seasons of limited FBS action. McGowan ultimately looks like a developmental backup for an NFL team.

Curry (6’2/257) finally got a chance to start in 2025, and he made the most of that opportunity. He was a Third-team All-American and Second-team All-Big Ten Conference performer while leading the loaded Buckeyes’ defense with 16.5 tackles for loss and finishing in the top 10 in all of college football with 11 sacks. While the production was impressive, there are concerns about his overall athleticism and fluidity, and his ability to shed blockers is a work-in-progress, to put it mildly. Still, those numbers in one of -- if not the -- best conference in college football is tough to ignore, and it’s not hard to see Curry developing into at least a situational pass-rusher at the highest level.