Indianapolis Colts Veterans Who Have Been Put on Notice This Offseason

The Indianapolis Colts made a lot of moves this offseason, as the team attempts to make the leap to true Super Bowl contender. 

Have they made enough moves to be a threat to the New England Patriots and the other AFC powers? That remains to be seen. 

Nevertheless, with six key free-agent signings, eight draft picks and 15 undrafted free agents, the Colts have revamped their roster. Those kind of additions have forced numerous veterans into unfavorable positions, or, at least, different positions. 

Last week, we looked at Colts players who have been pushed to the edge of the roster with the new additions. Today, we look at five players who have been put on notice this offseason. These are players that have significant roles threatened by new players, and they must step up in offseason activities and training camp in order to earn snaps. 

WR Donte Moncrief

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The Colts drafted Donte Moncrief out of Ole Miss in the third round last season, and the athletic receiver had a fairly effective rookie year. While Moncrief's effectiveness dwindled as time went on, he still was an additional big-play threat for Indianapolis, and gained 444 receiving yards and three touchdowns in limited snaps. 

It was assumed that Moncrief would be the Colts' next starting receiver next to T.Y. Hilton. 

But Moncrief's path to a starting role was slowed down with the signing of Andre Johnson in free agency. Johnson, signed to take Reggie Wayne's role as a veteran presence in the wide receiver room, doesn't project as a long-term piece for Indianapolis, but he is an immediate starter that limits Moncrief to a third receiver. 

Then, the Colts drafted Phillip Dorsett in the first round of the 2015 draft, another obstacle for Moncrief to overcome. Because of his ability to move around and be effective from the slot, Dorsett likely will take many of Moncrief's potential snaps as a third receiver. 

While Moncrief does still seem to be the Colts' long-term plan as Johnson's replacement in the X-receiver role, he may still be viewed as a project for the Colts. Of course, at just 21 years old with all the athletic ability in the world, that's not a bad thing. But if Moncrief wants to have a bigger role in the 2015 Colts, he'll need to show significant improvement over the offseason.

CB Greg Toler

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The Colts like Greg Toler, all things considered. But the team also knows Toler's injury history, having missed 10 starts over the last two years. They also know that he has limited upside and is inconsistent, especially having seen him struggle when Vontae Davis was forced to miss time last season. 

There was a reason that the Colts drafted a cornerback in the third round of the 2015 NFL draft. Toler's contract is up after this season, and now the Colts have a significant depth piece to give them flexibility going forward. 

According to Chuck Pagano, via Colts.com, D'Joun Smith is a fiery competitor that the team will play both outside and inside. While Darius Butler should continue to fight to keep his slot cornerback spot, he has two years left on his contract. Toler merely has the one, and he has been one of the weaker elements of the Colts' secondary in recent years. 

In 2014, Toler finished with the Colts defense's lowest grade from Pro Football Focus, including a negative 15.0 grade in coverage. While Toler probably isn't as bad as his grade would suggest, there is certainly room for improvement. He'll need a strong season, especially early on, to give the Colts (or another team) reason to offer him a contract next offseason.

NT Josh Chapman

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While third-year nose tackle Josh Chapman should not bear the full weight of responsibility for the Colts' embarrassing 45-7 loss to New England, the team's inability to stop the run in that contest is partially because of the defensive line's struggles. 

Chapman was the anchor of that line, especially in run defense, and he was mediocre at best in 2014. He has his moments, but Chapman simply has not developed into the player that the Colts hoped he could be in 2012. 

As a result, you see the Colts doing things like drafting David Parry out of Stanford in the fifth round of the 2015 draft. On one hand, you'd think that a fifth-round draft pick would provide little threat to an incumbent starter. On the other, Chapman was a fifth-round pick himself, and the Colts don't have to be committed to him. 

This isn't to say that Chapman is done but a reminder that his spot is one where competition will be key in training camp, both from Parry and young returners like Zach Kerr and Montori Hughes.

S Dwight Lowery

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Career journeyman Dwight Lowery wasn't on the Colts roster last season, so his placement on this list stands out. Lowery started 15 games for Atlanta last season, and he was signed in the offseason by the Colts with hopes that he would start next to Mike Adams. 

While Lowery wasn't on last year's team, he was all but handed the starting job prior to the NFL draft. 

But during said draft, the Colts snatched up former University of Central Florida safety Clayton Geathers in the fourth round of the NFL draft. Geathers seems to be more of a developmental prospect, but the Colts had enough faith in his ability to use a fourth-round pick on him. 

Now, Lowery has competition for that starting job. While I still expect him to win the job in training camp, the competition doesn't end after training camp. As Geathers continues to get more and more experience around NFL-caliber athletes learning how to read NFL offenses, he could push Lowery for time, and eventually, the starting spot. 

Lowery isn't just trying to keep his starting spot, mind you. He's also auditioning for next year, as he's on a one-year deal.

DT Montori Hughes

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Like Chapman, Montori Hughes is a developmental player that must show more development if he is to be a part of the Colts' long-term plans. 

Unlike Chapman, his role isn't limited to one position, which can both help and hurt his long-term prospects in Indianapolis. The Colts traded a fourth-round pick for the rights to draft Hughes in the fifth round in 2013, and one of the reasons was his versatility. He has the size (6'4", 350 pounds) to play nose tackle, but the quickness and athleticism to play either end spot as well. 

The Colts added players at both positions this offseason, including a veteran 5-technique in Kendall Langford, a rookie 5 and 3-technique in Henry Anderson of Stanford and a rookie nose tackle in David Parry. 

If the Colts had more faith in Hughes to take that next step next season, so many upgrades may not have been necessary. He'll need to restore that faith with a productive third season if he wants a second contract with the league. The team has plenty of depth. What it needs now is its young players to become its future starters. 

If Hughes can't prove that he is that, then expect the team to start investing in somebody else.