5 Indianapolis Colts Veterans Now on Roster Bubble Following Draft

Now that the 2015 NFL draft is complete, the Indianapolis Colts have a fairly complete view of their roster.

Though the bottom of the roster will churn a little bit from now until August as the team confirms undrafted free-agent signings and tinkers with potential tryout candidates, the vast majority of the team will go unchanged until the first cut day.

That's right, cut day. It's easy to forget that nearly half of the players on the current roster will be let go before the season opener as the team goes from 90 players to 53.

With the new rookies on the roster, which veterans are on the roster bubble now? With eight additions in the NFL draft and 15 more undrafted free agents signed, the Colts will certainly push a few veterans off the roster. Who lost the most potential to make the roster with the recent moves?

RB Vick Ballard

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Honestly, former Mississippi State fifth-round pick Vick Ballard was already in danger of being cut.

After all, he has gone through two season-ending injuries in the last two years, playing in just one game in those two seasons. With a torn ACL in 2013 and a torn Achilles in 2014, these are significant injuries that could, and likely will, have a severe impact on his ability.

Still, prior to the NFL draft, the Colts only had four running backs on the roster, including 2014 undrafted free agent Zurlon Tipton. The Colts generally keep three or four (usually four) backs on the roster, and there was certainly room for Ballard if he proved to be healthy.

But now, there's a bit more of a crowd in the backfield.

Not only did the Colts draft another back out of Mississippi State, ironically enough, in Josh Robinson (sixth round), but the team also signed Yale's Tyler Varga, a priority free agent who can play halfback or fullback. With six backs now in the picture, Ballard's chances of making the roster are shrinking, regardless of whether he suffers another injury.

You figure Frank Gore and Dan Herron are near-locks to make the roster, and Josh Robinson is probably close to that. That leaves the team, really, with just one spot for Tipton, Ballard and Varga. Ballard is a versatile back with talent, but nobody knows how much of that talent will remain after the injuries.

WR Griff Whalen

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Like Ballard, former Stanford wide receiver Griff Whalen was already on the roster bubble.

But you figured that Whalen had a pretty good shot at making the final roster, with Whalen, Duron Carter and Vincent Brown likely battling for the fourth and fifth receiver spots. But after the Colts' shocking pick of Phillip Dorsett in the first round of the draft, things are a bit more difficult for Whalen.

Four receivers are locks to make the roster: T.Y. Hilton, Andre Johnson, Dorsett and Donte Moncrief. The fifth spot is up for grabs, maybe a sixth if the team decides to go that route. 

Whalen will likely beat out Brown and any of the other bottom-feeders on the roster, but Carter is an enigma. If he starts out well, the Colts will likely keep him around because of a much, much better upside. Even if Whalen is better off the bat, the Colts could keep Carter on the roster in order to keep him away from other teams.

OG Lance Louis

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Contrary to popular opinion, the Colts are not paper-thin on the offensive line. Sure, they need upgrades and stability in the starting lineup, but there are plenty of bodies who can play for Indianapolis, especially on the interior.

The team does need more depth at tackle, but that's about it. Unfortunately for Lance Louis, he is not a tackle.

At guard, the Colts have Jack Mewhort, Hugh Thornton, Joe Reitz, Todd Herremans, Donald Thomas and Ben Heenan all competing with Louis for spots. The team didn't draft any guards, but they didn't need to to make Louis' chances of staying on the roster slim.

Louis played 543 snaps for the Colts last season, according to Pro Football Focus, but his spot on the 2015 roster is not guaranteed. Mewhort has a starting spot waiting for him, Thornton and Thomas offer more upside, Reitz and Herremans offer more versatility and Heenan is an unknown (albeit a high-profile one) from the CFL.

While Louis could make the roster, it's going to take a remarkable effort from the 30-year-old in training camp.

S Winston Guy

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Headed into the offseason, Winston Guy was the second safety behind Dewey McDonald. But the Colts have slowly added more and more pieces at safety as the offseason has progressed.

It started with the re-signing of Mike Adams, who should be handed a starting spot after a Pro Bowl season last year. The team then signed Dwight Lowery, who is best as a reserve but started 15 games for the Atlanta Falcons last year.

That put Guy and McDonald as the two backups, but that was before the NFL draft, where the Colts drafted Clayton Geathers in the fourth round. The Colts also signed Clemson's Robert Smith as an undrafted free agent, and he should compete with Guy and McDonald for the fourth safety spot.

Guy has more NFL experience than the other two, starting three games for the Jacksonville Jaguars last year and playing 14 in 2013. However, he was cut by the Jaguars at the end of September last year and spent the rest of the year on the Colts' practice squad. Guy couldn't beat out McDonald for a spot on the 53-man roster last year, but having an offseason to work with the team could make a difference.

LB Henoc Muamba

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The Colts signed former CFL star Henoc Muamba last offseason, and Muamba impressed enough in the preseason to get a job as a depth linebacker.

But when you look at the Colts roster, you figure they will probably keep five outside linebackers in Robert Mathis, Trent Cole, Erik Walden, Jonathan Newsome and Bjoern Werner, likely leaving just four spots for inside linebackers.

The Colts signed Jerrell Freeman to a restricted free-agent tender this offseason and added former Denver Broncos linebacker Nate Irving in free agency. With those two and D'Qwell Jackson likely making the roster, it means Muamba will have to compete with sixth-round draft pick Amarlo Herrera and undrafted free agent Junior Sylvestre for the final inside linebacker spot.

The team could keep five inside linebackers, but it would likely have to keep less than seven defensive linemen or less than five cornerbacks in order to do so.