Colts add WR Mecole Hardman Jr., P Thomas Morstead to practice squad
Indianapolis brings in a veteran receiver for a thin room and a veteran punter as insurance while Rigoberto Sanchez manages a foot injury
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Indianapolis went shopping for depth on Tuesday, adding two veterans to its practice squad as the club reshapes its roster in the wake of a front-office shakeup.
The two signings answer different problems. Hardman gives the Colts another body in a receiving room that has been short on available options, while Morstead arrives as punting insurance with starter Rigoberto Sanchez working through a foot injury that has the team weighing contingency plans at the position.
Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen): The Colts signed veteran WR Mecole Hardman Jr. and punter Thomas Morstead to the practice squad. Hardman presumably will compete for playing time with a thin WR room. Morstead is insurance given the injury to punter Rigoberto Sanchez.
Morstead is the more purely practical addition. A longtime starter earlier in his career, he gives Indianapolis an experienced leg to elevate on game day if Sanchez cannot go, rather than asking the club to improvise at a spot where a bad week can flip field position immediately.
Hardman's fit is less settled. He lands on the practice squad rather than the active roster, which means the Colts see him first as a competitive option — a look at whether his speed and return ability can help a group that has needed both — not as an immediate starter.
The timing is notable. These are the Colts' first player additions since the team dismissed general manager Chris Ballard on Monday, a move that upended the top of the football operation. Indianapolis has since had to keep the roster functional while the personnel side sorts out who is making decisions, and Tuesday's moves are the kind of low-cost, high-utility signings that fill gaps without committing future money.
Indianapolis heads into Week 7 with both additions on the practice squad, meaning either could be elevated for the upcoming game depending on how Sanchez's foot responds and how quickly Hardman gets up to speed on the offense.