Colts Make Roster Moves Involving Injured Young Players
The Indianapolis Colts are parting ways with a former third-round pick and placing a promising young defender on Injured Reserve.
The Colts have waived tight end Jelani Woods and are expected to place linebacker Jaylon Carlies on IR, with a designation to return, according to multiple reports. These moves are part of a series of roster adjustments as the team finalizes their 53-man roster ahead of Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline.
Woods, selected in the third round of the 2022 draft, has seen limited action with the Colts. After playing in 15 games during his rookie season, Woods has been sidelined the past two years due to hamstring issues and a season-ending toe injury. The 6-foot-7 tight end was entering the final year of his contract in 2025.
Woods’ most memorable game came in Week 3 of the 2022 season when he caught two touchdowns in a win over the Kansas City Chiefs, helping the Colts defeat the eventual Super Bowl champions. He also had a standout performance that season against the Pittsburgh Steelers, totaling eight receptions for 98 yards.
Carlies, a fifth-round pick in 2024, will miss at least the first four games of the regular season but is expected to return after a short stint on IR, according to Indy Star’s Joel Erickson. The former Missouri linebacker has missed most of the preseason due to a persistent ankle injury. He started six games for the Colts last year, recording 36 tackles and one sack.
In the tight end room, four players remain on the roster: rookie Tyler Warren, along with veterans Mo Alie-Cox, Andrew Ogletree, and Will Mallory. The Colts kept four tight ends on the roster last season, so it’s likely they’ll do the same this year.
At linebacker, the Colts have a thin depth chart. After losing former starter E.J. Speed to the Houston Texans in free agency, Carlies was expected to step into a starting role. With Carlies sidelined, Joe Bachie is now the leading candidate for more playing time.
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