Predicting first 5 cuts before Tuesday’s deadline

The Indianapolis Colts must reduce their roster from 90 to 85 players before the end of the league day Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. ET, which means five players are getting the unfortunate call.

Sometimes a player will be released simply because they don’t fit in the plans for the Colts. Other times, it may be so that a player can get more reps with another team before the season arrives even if they are a solid player. That was likely the case with veteran offensive lineman Jason Spriggs.

The first five cuts may not be as difficult for the Colts because it’s likely coming down to a numbers game at deeper positions.

Here is a prediction of the Colts’ first five cuts following the preseason opener:

1
TE Nikola Kalinic

AP Photo/Michael Conroy

Kalinic played just four snaps during the preseason opener, which was the fewest on the entire offensive roster among the players who logged snaps. Kalinic signed a futures deal with the Colts this offseason so there’s no investment to keep him around. In addition, the four spots in the tight end room are already locked down so putting Kalinic through waivers isn’t going to impact the depth.

2
DT Caeveon Patton

AP Photo

Patton didn’t log a snap during the preseason opener and considering he was a late addition to the roster this offseason, it’s likely that he’s on the list for the first wave of cuts. Patton was an undrafted rookie out of Texas State and while the Colts may like him for the practice squad, he’s unlikely to factor into the defensive tackle depth leading into the season.

3
WR D.J. Mongtomery

AP Photo/Michael Conroy

Montgomery joined the Colts midway through training camp. The wide receiver room is likely to bring only five or six players to the active roster, and four of those spots are already locked up. The return of Mike Strachan makes this spot a numbers game, and the Colts may want to get a better look at the undrafted rookies before the final cuts.

4
OT Brandon Kemp

AP Photo

Kemp played 11 snaps during the preseason opener, which was the fewest of any offensive lineman that entered the game. There is no denying the Colts need depth at right tackle, but Kemp was likely going to be the fourth-stringer on the depth chart. It’s unlikely he would make the…