The Indianapolis Colts just fired General Manager Chris Ballard on Monday, and barely skipped a beat before making a couple of roster moves. They’ve officially added receiver Mecole Hardman and punter Thomas Morstead to their practice squad, a quick pivot after a major front office change.
Hardman’s Arrival: A Champ Joins the Practice Squad
Let’s talk about Hardman first. This dude’s a three-time Super Bowl champion from his time with the Chiefs! That’s serious hardware. He was most recently with the Bills, but they cut him loose at roster cuts back in August. Can you believe it? A guy with that kind of championship pedigree getting released before the season even really started. He only played two games for Buffalo last season, mainly on special teams, returning two punts and one kickoff. It’ll be interesting to see what the Colts have in mind for a player with that kind of speed and a championship ring on his finger, even if it’s just on the practice squad for now.
Morstead Steps In: Emergency Punt Duty
The Morstead signing feels a lot more like an immediate need for Indy. Their regular punter, Rigoberto Sanchez, had to leave Sunday’s loss against Tennessee because of a foot injury. And get this: he got hurt on a *blocked punt*. That’s rough. So, Morstead’s coming in to fill that void. He’s no slouch either, appearing in all 17 games for San Francisco just last season. He put up solid numbers, averaging 43.6 yards on his 44 punts. You gotta have a reliable punter, especially when your starter goes down like that.
The Colts are heading on the road next, squaring off against the Vikings in Week 7. These practice squad moves might not scream “season changer,” but when you’re making moves right after firing your GM, every pick-up counts. Gotta keep an eye on how these guys fit in and if they get called up to the active roster.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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