Roster

Notable Browns players cut on Friday include: DT Ronnie Cameron, WR Josh Cooper, CB James Dockery, DE William Green, TE Dan Gronkowski, LB Benjamin Jacobs, TE Evan Moore, DL Ernest Owusu, DL Brian Schaefering, FB Brad Smelley, LB Quinton Spears, RB Adonis Thomas, DL Kiante Tripp, QB Seneca Wallace and WR Rod Windsor.

Indianapolis DL Tyler Brayton tallied his first tackle of the year on Sunday against New Orleans. He now has four tackles on the year. The Colts would lose the game, 62-7.

Colts coach Chuck Pagano said Tuesday at the NFL owners meeting in Phoenix that he continues to be impressed with receiver Reggie Wayne, who just finished his 12th year in the NFL and had 106 catches for 1,355 yards and five touchdowns. "That’s just the type of guy he is -- he’s a pro," Pagano said. "You’re not able to do the things he’s been able to do in Year 12 unless you have great respect for the game and know how to handle your craft. Nobody works harder than Reggie, and his production is a byproduct of that."

The Texans cut a slew of players Monday to get down to 75 on their roster. Among the cuts were linebacker Omar Gaither, wide receiver Bryant Johnson, wide receiver Mario Louis, running back Davin Meggett, defensive end Jimmy Saddler-McQueen, fullback Derrell Smith and cornerback Torri Williams. Both Ra'Shon Harris and Greg Williams were also waived/injured.

Colts DL Ricardo Mathews was promoted from the practice squad to the 53-man roster on Wednesday. He took the roster spot of Eric Foster, who was placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury suffered on Monday night.

The Colts announced Wednesday they signed safety Delano Howell off Buffalo's practice squad.

Vick Ballard has company in the Colts' backfield with Donald Brown, Delone Carter and rookie Kerwynn Williams, but he still stands as the primary rusher heading into training camp according to head coach Chuck Pagano. "It's always nice to have a couple guys, a change of pace guy," he said. "But certainly at the end of the year with Donnie hurt and the way Vick came on and the way he was running, he was getting the lion’s share of the snaps. At this point, yeah, he’s sitting there as the lead guy. ... Can Vick be an every-down guy? Yeah. Can [Donald Brown] be an every-down guy? Yeah. They are different types of runners and are more than capable on third down, knowing the protections and picking up blitzers and being effective once they get out to catch the football and doing those things out of the backfield."

Colts interim coach Bruce Arians said Monday defensive lineman Fili Moala is out for the season with a torn ACL.

Colts linebacker Jerrell Freeman had a big tackling performance in the Week 17 regular-season finale against the Texans. Freeman made 10 stops in the game and seven of them were solo stops.

Cardinals defensive back Greg Toler had three tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown during Arizona's 38-10 win over Detroit in Week 15. Toler intercepted Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford in the fourth quarter and returned it 102 yards -- the longest in franchise history -- for the Cardinals' second pick-six of the game. "I knew Greg was going to make it all the way," teammate Patrick Peterson said. "He had no one in front of him but Matthew Stafford and five Cardinals, so if he didn't make it, that definitely would have been a shame."

The Colts used three Day 3 NFL draft picks on offense and two on defense. The notable names are Tennessee-Martin defensive tackle Montori Hughes, Oregon safety John Boyett, Utah State running back Kerwynn Williams and South Carolina tight end Justice Cunningham, the last player taken in the draft.

The 49ers cut down the roster by 26 on Saturday to get to the league-mandated 53 players on deadline. Among the casualties were WRs Ronald Johnson, Joe Hastings, Lance Long and Chris Hogan, CBs Phillip Adams, Phillip Davis, and Cory Nelms, LB Alex Joseph, TE Nate Lawrie, C Chase Beeler, QB McLeod Bethel-Thomspon, FB Jack Corcoran, DT Brian Bulcke, S Chris Maragos, RB Xavier Omon, TE Konrad Reuland, LB Monte Simmons, LB Kenny Rowe, NT Sealver Siliga, FS Curtis Taylor, and DB Anthony West.

The Colts signed tight end Weslye Saunders on Tuesday. He was waived by the Steelers last week.

Notable Texans players either waived or released Friday include: tight end Logan Brock, defensive end Keith Browner, outside linebacker D.J. Bryant, nose tackle Hebron Fangupo, defensive end David Hunter, wide receiver Juaquin Iglesias, outside linebacker Delano Johnson, defensive end Mitch King, inside linebacker Shawn Loiseau, wide receiver Jeff Maehl, outside linebacker Rennie Moore and tight end Phillip Supernaw.

Colts coach Chuck Pagano confirmed rookie Bjoern Werner will play outside linebacker. Werner played defensive end at Florida State. "(On) first and second down, he’s an edge-setter," Pagano said per the official team website. "We talk about those guys being able to set the edge in the run game. He certainly can do that. He’s a dynamic pass rusher. We knew we needed to address that. It just so happens we addressed that. He was the highest-rated player on the board at the time. We can do a lot of things with this guy."

The Colts placed defensive lineman Brandon McKinney (knee) on injured reserve Monday.

The Indianapolis Star reports the Colts released wide receiver Jabin Sambrano (undisclosed) from injured reserve.

Colts DB Joe Lefeged had one solo tackle and a fourth-quarter interception against Baltimore in Week 14. "We were in cover-2 man coverage, and I was just reading the QB's eyes and I got a good break on the ball. It was a little bit overthrown, and I just made the play on it," Lefeged said.

The Colts have signed Matt Hasselbeck to back up Andrew Luck, the Indianapolis Star confirmed on Monday night.

The Colts used three Day 3 NFL draft picks on offense and two on defense. The notable names are Tennessee-Martin defensive tackle Montori Hughes, Oregon safety John Boyett, Utah State running back Kerwynn Williams and South Carolina tight end Justice Cunningham, the last player taken in the draft.

Colts coach Chuck Pagano said Tuesday at the NFL owners meeting in Phoenix that he is counting on second-year receiver T.Y. Hilton to play a bigger role in 2013 with Donnie Avery now in Kansas City. Pagano considers Hilton to be a significant weapon for the Colts. "He’s a game changer," Pagano said. "He has the ability, as we saw last year, to make huge plays. Whether you throw him a deep ball down the seam in the slot, or you hit him on a short pass across the middle or a screen, he has the ability to take it the distance."

Indianapolis linebacker Kavell Conner posted a season-high seven tackles during the Colts' 22-17 loss to Jacksonville in Week 3. Through three games this season, Conner has generated 17 tackles and a sack for Indianapolis.

Indianapolis placed QB Kerry Collins on season-ending injured reserve as he continues to be hampered by a concussion. Collins, who began the season as the team's starter in place of Peyton Manning, suffered a head injury in Week 3 against Pittsburgh and has not played since. He finished with a lowly 49 percent completion percentage as he failed to top 200 passing yards in either of his three games this season.

Notable players cut by the Bucs Friday include: S Larry Asante, S Sean Baker, WR Landon Cox, LB Rennie Curran, LB Jacob Cutrera, TE Drake Dunsmore, K Kai Forbath, RB Robert Hughes, FB Cody Johnson, RB Mossis Madu, DT Jordan Nix, DT Frank Okam, DT Amobi Okoye (injury settlement), TE Zack Pianalto, QB Brett Ratliff, CB James Rogers, WR Jordan Shipley, WR Tiquan Underwood, DT Teryl White and DL E.J. Wilson.

The Colts used three Day 3 NFL draft picks on offense and two on defense. The notable names are Tennessee-Martin defensive tackle Montori Hughes, Oregon safety John Boyett, Utah State running back Kerwynn Williams and South Carolina tight end Justice Cunningham, the last player taken in the draft.

When asked about his running backs Colts head coach Chuck Pagano conceded that Vick Ballard was the primary option but that Donald Brown would be in the mix. He even went as far as to call him a "home-run hitter" while expressing thankfulness for his health. "Donnie’s in great shape and healthy and looks fantastic to this point in the offseason program," Pagano said. "Can Vick be an every-down guy? Yeah. Can Donnie be an every-down guy? Yeah. They are different types of runners and are more than capable on third down, knowing the protections and picking up blitzers and being effective once they get out to catch the football and doing those things out of the backfield."

Ankle - Probable for start of training camp

The Colts have signed defensive lineman Ricky Jean Francois to a four-year deal, according to TheSidelineView.com.

As anticipated, Colts DL Eric Foster (ankle) was placed on injured reserve on Wednesday, ending his season. Foster underwent surgery on his right ankle after suffering a devastating injury on Monday night at Tampa Bay.

The Cardinals released linebacker Jamaal Westerman Wednesday.

The Colts waived quarterback Chandler Harnish on Tuesday.

The Colts placed defensive lineman Drake Nevis (hand) on injured reserve Monday.

The 49ers continued trimming their roster Friday in preparation for the regular season and released the following players: LB Ikaika Alama-Francis, LB Eric Bakhtiari, RB Rock Cartwright, LB Joe Holland, DT Tony Jerod-Eddie, LB Cam Johnson, QB Josh Johnson, DT Matthew Masifilo, CB Anthony Mosley, TE Kyle Nelson, WR Chris Owusu, WR Nathan Palmer, TE Konrad Reuland, LB Kenny Rowe, WR Brett Swain, S Michael Thomas and LB Michael Wilhoite.

The Indianapolis Star reports that Colts coach Chuck Pagano has plenty of faith in second-year quarterback Andrew Luck to avoid a sophomore slump. “We don’t talk about a sophomore slump at West 56th Street, believe me," Pagano said. "Nobody is harder on themselves than Andrew. This guy’s a tireless, tireless worker." Pagano also added that Luck will change his style a little this season under first-year coordinator Pep Hamilton. “We’re still going to take our shots down the field, calculated," Pagano said. "We don’t want to waste plays. We want to be efficient. The biggest difference might be a little bit more quick-game, if you will. Get the ball out of Andrew’s hands. Three- and quick five-step drops. Get it into our playmakers’ hands. A little bit more catch-and-run type of things."

The Colts continued shaping their roster Saturday in preparation for the regular season and added defensive back Sergio Brown and defensive lineman Martin Tevaseu off waivers. To clear space on the active roster, Indianapolis released defensive backs Jermale Hines and DJ Johnson.

Colts defensive back Cassius Vaughn had a solid game to finish out the regular season Sunday in a win over Houston. Vaughn recorded 10 Week 17 tackles in the game and all 10 were of the solo variety.

In a conference call with Colts season-ticket holders, coach Chuck Pagano talked about what he likes about new receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey. "It's great to have DHB in the fold," he said per the Indianapolis Star. "Big, fast, long, athletic guy that can go up and pluck the football, high-point it. (He) certainly can stretch the defense. (Heyward-Bey) and Luck are starting to build chemistry. I look for great things out of DHB this year."

The Rams traded defensive back Josh Gordy to the Colts on Tuesday for an undisclosed draft pick. Gordy played in 14 games for St. Louis last season, recording 43 tackles with three interceptions.

Indianapolis defensive lineman Cory Redding left in the second half of Week 11 at New England with an apparent hip injury. It's unclear if Redding will miss any playing time, but X-rays came back clean on his hip, coach Bruce Arians said. He had three tackles (two solo) before departing.

The Colts said farewell to the following players on Friday: DE James Aiono, DT Chigbo Anunoby, LB Jerry Brown, RB Darren Evans, LB Tim Fugger, RB Deji Karim, CB Brandon King, LB Greg Lloyd, TE Kyle Miller, WR Kashif Moore, DB Mike Newton, WR Jeremy Ross, DT Jason Shirley, TE Andre Smith, LS Justin Snow and DB Latarrius Thomas.

The Colts promoted defensive back Marshay Green from the practice squad to the 53-man roster Monday.

The Eagles traded fullback Stanley Havili to the Colts for defensive end Clifton Geathers.

In an interesting interview with Sports Illustrated it was revealed that receiver Austin Collie might not run at full speed until October as he makes his way back from a ruptured right patellar tendon suffered in 2012. He's also upset with the stigma that he's concussion prone. "Honestly, it's getting to me. It's getting frustrating to deal with the perception, and this is like the first time I've admitted that," Collie said. "... Obviously from the public's view it's going to take a few years of not having anything go wrong, because if it does, people are going to be like, 'Oh, this kid's fragile again.' ... But when you really look at my career, for three of my four years in the league, I've had over 50 catches and 500 yards, and 2011 was the only year I suffered in the touchdown category, playing with three or four different quarterbacks. People think I've been gone the past three years because of concussions, or that all I've been doing is getting hurt. I can't do anything about the perception. All I'm looking for is a chance, because it's been kind of a perfect storm type of situation I've been dealing with. I'm ready for my luck to change."

Knee - Questionable for start of training camp

The Colts activated nose tackle Josh Chapman off the reserve/non-football injury list Monday.

The Colts used three Day 3 NFL draft picks on offense and two on defense. The notable names are Tennessee-Martin defensive tackle Montori Hughes, Oregon safety John Boyett, Utah State running back Kerwynn Williams and South Carolina tight end Justice Cunningham, the last player taken in the draft.

Colts linebacker Robert Mathis finished the Week 14 win over Tennessee with just two tackles. Neither of his two tackles were of the solo variety. Mathis had one pass defended in the game as well.

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that former Packers linebacker Erik Walden signed a four-year, $16 million contract with the Colts on Tuesday. Walden said he had strong overtures from the Chiefs and Raiders. "Where I come from, it's a blessing," Walden said. "We'll take it and build from it. Indy made the most sense." In Indianapolis, Walden will have a solid chance to start at outside linebacker opposite Robert Mathis in a 3-4 defense. "The Colts gave us the best offer," Walden said. "They want us to come in as the starter. You can't beat that.

The Colts claimed LB Kevin Bentley off waivers on Tuesday. He was released by the Jaguars on Monday.

The Cowboys continued trimming their roster Friday in preparation for the regular season and released the following players: defensive linemen Clifton Geathers, Rob Callaway and Ben Bass; linebackers Baraka Atkins, Orie Lemon and Adrian Hamilton; wide receivers Saalim Hakim and Tim Benford; quarterback Rudy Carpenter; tight end Andrew Szczerba; defensive backs Eddie Whitley, Lionel Smith, Teddy Williams and Akwasi Owusu-Ansah; and running back Shaun Chapas.

The Colts placed receiver Griff Whalen (foot) on injured reserve Monday.

The Colts announced Wednesday they signed defensive end Lawrence Guy off the Packers practice squad.

Falcons DL Lawrence Sidbury, who entered the game with two sacks all season, doubled his total Week 12 against the Vikings. The two sacks were his only two tackles in the contest.

The Colts lost two players to season-ending knee injuries -- linebacker A.J. Edds and offensive lineman Ben Ijalana -- in their opening training camp practice. "Obviously they're done for the year which is really sad," coach Chuck Pagano said. "You hate to lose anybody in camp or at any time during the season especially Ben. The guy came back, had a significant knee injury (last season), same knee, two hip surgeries, busted his rear to get healthy and get back and then unfortunately something like this happens. A.J., the same thing, all the hard work and time and preparation these guys have put in and then to come out here and in basically a non-contact drill and it happens."

The Colts said farewell to the following players on Friday: DE James Aiono, DT Chigbo Anunoby, LB Jerry Brown, RB Darren Evans, LB Tim Fugger, RB Deji Karim, CB Brandon King, LB Greg Lloyd, TE Kyle Miller, WR Kashif Moore, DB Mike Newton, WR Jeremy Ross, DT Jason Shirley, TE Andre Smith, LS Justin Snow and DB Latarrius Thomas.

The Colts placed running back Robert Hughes (knee) on injured reserve Tuesday.

Pro Bowl safety LaRon Landry became the newest addition to the Colts roster by signing a four-year contract. At 6-foot and 220 pounds, Landry should provide a more physical presence in a secondary that has traditionally been undersized.

The Colts re-signed cornerback Darius Butler, keeping him in Indy through 2014.

Colts defensive back Vontae Davis tied for the team lead in tackles in the Week 14 win over the Titans. Davis finished with eight stops and seven of them were solo tackles. He added the only sack for the Colts on the afternoon.

The Bills traded linebacker Kelvin Sheppard to the Colts for pass rusher Jerry Hughes. Sheppard started 15 games for the Bills last year and has at least 70 total tackles in each of his first two seasons. Hughes, a former first-round pick, posted career-highs with four sacks and 41 total tackles last season.

Colts defensive back Antoine Bethea had another solid game in Week 15 against the Texans. He had five tackles -- all solo -- while picking up his second sack of the season in a 29-17 loss.

The Colts official team website reports that new offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton has high expectations for second-year tight end Dwayne Allen. “I think if you just look at the versatility of Dwayne Allen and his ability to line up in the backfield and lead block, or detach and line up in the slot and win the one-on-one matchup, that’s a tremendous weapon that you want to have in any offense,” Hamilton said.

Indianapolis signed TE Anthony Hill on Monday to help the depleted unit that lost Dallas Clark and Brody Eldridge to "significant injuries." Hill was on Philadelphia's practice squad. The Colts have yet to create a roster spot for Hill.

The Indianapolis Star reports that the Colts have cut linebacker Gary Brackett. He missed most of the 2011 season with a shoulder injury.

The Colts official team website reports that running back Delone Carter is hoping to make an impact this season. He dealt with a thumb injury and two ankle injuries in 2012, and he enters this season at best third on the depth chart behind Vick Ballard and Donald Brown. “The thing I want is to stay healthy and not to get lost in the shuffle. I want to maintain my position at the beginning and do everything I can,” said Carter. “I’m definitely looking forward to having a healthy offseason and the chance to work. I’ve been through it before. Last season was a learning experience. I want to be more patient this season and be ready to seize the opportunity.” Chuck Pagano looks for every player to contribute and has high expectations for Carter. “Delone needs to stay healthy. If he can do that, I’ve seen flashes from him,” said Pagano. “He has done some great things. He’s physical. He’s strong lower. If he can take care of the football and stay healthy, we can find a role for him. He can move the chains for an offense. He has some ‘quicks’ to him. He has some jump-cut ability. He has some ‘make-miss.’ The thing for him is to stay healthy and give us an opportunity to find a role for him. As a short-yardage or third-down back, he can be a physical presence. He can do that in pass protection, too. I hope when he comes back he can be a factor.”

New Chargers pass rusher Dwight Freeney told Sports Illustrated he will not only play outside linebacker but also work as a defensive end. "They'll run both (the 3-4 and 4-3)," Freeney said. "They're willing to feature me and free me up to make plays. And they're going to put me in good matchups in the 3-4."

The Colts signed tight end Dominique Jones Wednesday.

Colts receiver LaVon Brazill had a career game Sunday at the Lions in Week 13. Brazill had just one catch, but he made the most of it with a 46-yard touchdown grab, which was his first of the season. He had four targets in the game.

Colts tight end Coby Fleener totaled three catches for 25 yards during a 24-9 Wild Card round loss to the Ravens. Fleener's longest catch went 12 yards and he was targeted five times.

Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri provided all of his team's points during a 24-9 Wild Card round loss to the Ravens. Vinatieri made field goals of 26, 47 and 52 yards. He could have put more points on the board, but he missed a 40-yard field goal in the second half.

Colts linebacker Scott Lutrus suffered a torn ACL during the team's preseason opener against the Rams and is expected to be out for the season following surgery, according to the Indianapolis Star.

The Bills continued trimming their roster Friday in preparation for the regular season and released the following players: wide receivers Derek Hagan, Naaman Roosevelt, Ruvell Martin, Kamar Aiken and Marcus Easley; tight end Kevin Brock; running backs Johnny White and Zach Brown; linebackers Tank Carder and Scott McKillop; defensive linemen Robert Eddins, Jarron Gilbert and Kellen Heard; and defensive backs Nick Saenz and Isaiah Green.

The Steelers released 21 players on Friday, reducing their roster to 58 players. The 21 players released included linebackers Baraka Atkins, Mario Harvey, Chris McCoy and Mortty Ivy, defensive lineman Corbin Bryant, defensive backs Brett Greenwood, Macho Harris, Donovan Warren and Da’Mon Cromartie-Smith, running backs James Johnson and John Clay, offensive linemen Colin Miller, Kyle Jolly, John Malecki, Trevis Turner and Keith Williams, wide receivers Armand Robinson, Wes Lyons and Tyler Grisham, tight end Jamie McCoy and kicker Swayze Waters.

The Colts continued shaping their roster Saturday in preparation for the regular season and added defensive back Sergio Brown and defensive lineman Martin Tevaseu off waivers. To clear space on the active roster, Indianapolis released defensive backs Jermale Hines and DJ Johnson.

The Colts signed running back Mewelde Moore Tuesday.

The Colts have agreed on a contract with free-agent defensive tackle Aubrayo Franklin. Franklin, a fifth-round pick by the Ravens in 2003, has played with Baltimore, San Francisco, New Orleans and San Diego.

Colts linebacker Pat Angerer turned in one of his productive performances of the season in Week 16 against the Chiefs. Angerer finished with a six-high tackles in the 20-13 win with five of those being credited as solo stops.

The Indianapolis Star reports that the Colts have cut safety Melvin Bullitt. He missed most of the 2011 season with a shoulder injury.