Indianapolis Colts Preseason: Week 2 Stock Report

With two weeks remaining, the Indianapolis Colts' preseason is halfway complete.

On a large scale, it hasn't been pretty for Indianapolis, losing 36-10 to the Eagles in Week 1 and 23-11 to the Bears in Week 2. But the preseason isn't about team results. There is no game-planning, the starters play few snaps and key players are often rested if even the slightest ailment is present.

Individually, there have been some positive developments for the Colts. There have also been some disappointments, all of which will contribute to the upcoming roster decisions.

On September 1, the Colts will have to cut the roster down from 90 players to 75. On September 5, they will cut it down to 53 men.

With all that in mind, what have we seen so far this preseason that gets us excited? Whose stock has fallen?

Stock Up: Robert Mathis

Matt Rourke/Associated Press

Colts fans received very positive news on Tuesday, as the Colts moved veteran linebacker Robert Mathis off of the physically unable to perform list. The veteran practiced for the first time since last fall on Tuesday.

What that means is Mathis cannot be placed back on the PUP list, most notably the six-week regular-season list that would leave an empty spot on the roster. So, the Colts must assume that he can be back before Week 6.

Mathis himself is still optimistic that he'll be playing Week 1, according to Mike Wells of ESPN:

"

Coach Chuck Pagano said the Colts will take a cautious approach with Mathis regarding when he'll play in the regular season. When asked whether he plans to play at Buffalo, Mathis said "Yes." But he later softened his words.

"As an athlete, you give yourself a timeline," he said. "You work hard to meet your own personal deadline. When they're ready for me, they're ready for me. I can't control that. I just bump my hump, be ready. So when my number is called I'll be ready."

"

The downside to this news is that there likely won't be room for depth linebackers like Zack Hodges, Daniel Adongo and Cam Johnson. All three had positive moments throughout the offseason but haven't done nearly enough to upset one of the five outside linebacker favorites (Mathis, Trent Cole, Erik Walden, Bjoern Werner, Jonathan Newsome).

Stock Down: Duron Carter

Sam Riche/Associated Press

Just two weeks ago, Duron Carter's hype was rising faster than anybody else's in the Colts' organization.

Four touchdowns in a single practice will do that. A few highlight-worthy catches will do that.

But actually doing that in a game is a much different story, and Carter has learned that over the last two weeks.

In two games, Carter has just one grab for 16 yards while registering two drops and a failed contested-catch opportunity on a back-shoulder throw down the sideline.

Now, it should be noted that Matt Hasselbeck and Bryan Bennett, the two quarterbacks Carter has played with during the preseason, have been awful. It's not like Carter has had the easiest of opportunities presented to him.

Still, the declining performance makes sense, given Carter's strengths. Carter is big and long with a strong ability to play balls in the air. Getting open in a live-action game situation, which relies more on acute awareness of defenses and quick route running, has yet to be seen as a positive attribute for Carter.

To his credit, Carter seems to recognize the difference in a live game situation, telling Gregg Doyel of the Indianapolis Star that "It's more condensed out here."

Unfortunately for Carter, knowing the problem is not enough.

If he doesn't show up and make an impact over the next two weeks, his roster spot will be in serious danger.

Stock Up: Josh Robinson

AJ Mast/Associated Press

For the second week in a row, Josh Robinson was extremely impressive in preseason action.

After running 10 times for 44 yards and a touchdown against the Eagles in Week 1, Robinson ran 13 times for 61 yards in Week 2 against the Bears, and he looked dynamic doing so.

While Frank Gore will be the dependable bell-cow back this season and Dan Herron is his versatile backup, Robinson has the highest upside of the group, and he's continually proving that he deserves a chance to contribute now.

Head coach Chuck Pagano was once again effusive in his praise of the rookie after the Bears game, per Kevin Bowen of Colts.com:

"

He’s played really well.

He’s hard to bring down and he’s pretty elusive. You know he’s got a nice jump cut, he can make the first guy miss on his own and then get positive yards and he’s good without the ball in his hands. He’s a good protector, a good blocker, he does a nice job protecting the ball as well.

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Should he be starting or even on the second string over Herron?

Not quite. He's still a rookie, and Herron is playing well enough to keep his well-earned spot.

But he's quickly proving to be worth the sixth-round draft pick, and if Gore goes down, he'll be an excellent option to pair with Herron.

Stock Down: Starting Offensive Line

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Despite public perception, the Colts have put a lot of resources into the offensive line in recent years.

The Colts have spent second-, third-, fourth- and three seventh-round draft picks on offensive linemen over the last four drafts and have spent significant free-agent dollars on players like Samson Satele, Mike McGlynn, Gosder Cherilus, Donald Thomas and Todd Herremans.

But those spent resources haven't yet yielded positive results.

The free-agent signings have all been busts, and Herremans' play in the preseason suggests he could be headed that way—yes, that's very, very premature, but he hasn't played well.

Third-round pick Hugh Thornton was benched for Lance Louis. Fourth-round pick Khaled Holmes is starting but has struggled. One seventh-round pick has been cut, and the other two are long-term projects who likely won't contribute this year.

Second-round pick Jack Mewhort is the lone pseudo-success story, as of now, but he's been moved to a new position at right tackle. Mewhort showed promise as a rookie, but he's struggled at his new position in the preseason.

On Sunday against the Bears, Mewhort allowed a sack and several other pressures, including single-handedly sabotaging the team's first drive.

The Colts need the offensive line to improve if they are going to reach the lofty heights ascribed to them throughout the offseason.

Stock Up: Defensive Line Depth

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While the defensive line still can't be seen as a strength for Indianapolis, the Colts have added a lot of depth over the last year or two, and it's shown in this year's preseason.

The team's run defense might not reflect that, largely due to the poor play of the inside linebackers, but there have been flashes of impressive talent across the defensive line.

In Week 1, rookies Henry Anderson and David Parry stole the show. The two played well enough that Parry even started to get a few snaps with the starting unit in practice, per Steve Andress of Colts.com. In the game against the Bears, both Parry and Anderson got a few snaps with the first team. The two didn't play quite as well against starters, but the talent is there to be molded.

Zach Kerr and Jeris Pendleton did play well against the Bears. Kerr is returning from last year's team, while Pendleton was signed off the streets this offseason after contributing in Indianapolis in 2013. Both players had two stops in the run game, and Kerr also had a quarterback hit.

The Colts' defensive line isn't going to wow anybody this season, but improved depth could be a critical factor in the playoffs.