HEADLINES

Reece Fountain

Colts Sign Charcandrick West

August 19th, 2019 at 2:54pm CST by Zachary Links

Colts placed new running back D’Onta Foreman and wide receiver Daurice Fountain on injured reserve while waiving safety Derrick Kindred, according to a team announcement. To take their spots, the Colts added veteran running back Charcandrick West, safety Kai Nacua, undrafted free agent tailback Marquis Young. 

The nature of Foreman’s injury is not yet known, but it’s a rough break for the former Texans RB as he was looking to reassert himself while getting revenge on his former team twice this season. The 236-pound back took only seven handoffs last season, gaining minus-1 yard. But, as Lamar Miller‘s top backup in 2017, Foreman amassed 327 rushing yards (4.2 per tote) and two touchdowns.

West has been toggled on and off of the Chiefs’ roster as of late and posted negative rushing yards in 2018. However, he’s flashed promise, including the 2015 season in which he ran for 634 yards.

AFC South Rumors: Texans, Colts, Lee, Titans

August 18th, 2019 at 2:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Drafted to be the Texans‘ hopeful left tackle of the future, Tytus Howard has since been relocated to left guard (with Matt Kalil winning the left-edge job) and has now broken a finger. The rookie blocker suffered the break in Houston’s preseason game against Detroit on Saturday night, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Coming from a Division I-FCS program, and tasked with learning one of the most difficult positions at which to acclimate in the NFL, Howard needs all the reps he can get early on in his career. But this malady is not expected to keep him out of the Texans’ Week 1 game against the Saints, Wilson adds. Howard is in line to be the team’s starting left guard. This injury, in theory, could force the team to adjust those plans.

Here is the latest from the AFC South, shifting to perhaps the division’s most important player:

  • Frank Reich does not want to wait much longer on Andrew Luck‘s recovery. The second-year Colts coach wants to name his Week 1 starter shortly after the team’s third preseason game, and while Luck doing pregame drills before Indianapolis’ second August contest was a positive development, this saga may not wrap up in a week. It’s been the side-to-side movements that have bothered Luck’s ankle and calf injuries most, Mike Wells of ESPN.com notes. But Luck not only did some lateral-movement work before Saturday’s game, Wells adds the 29-year-old passer has done workouts like that in private in recent days. The Colts, who will re-evaluate Luck midweek, are cautiously optimistic he will be available for Week 1.
  • Another AFC South talent is uncertain for Week 1, but Marqise Lee returned to Jaguars practice this week. This obviously increases the sixth-year wideout’s chances for being available come September. Doug Marrone expressed doubt about this recently, but Lee — sidelined throughout 2018 due to ACL damage — returned to work Saturday.
  • The Colts‘ injury situation at receiver has helped one of their incumbents. Once thought to be a bubble player, Chester Rogers is headed back to Indy’s 53-man roster. The former Ryan Grigson-era draft choice is the Colts’ top return man, Reich said (via the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson, on Twitter). Parris Campbell remains sidelined because of a hamstring injury, Erickson tweets.
  • Indianapolis’ revamped receiving corps will not include Reece Fountain. Reich confirmed the 2018 fifth-rounder underwent ankle surgery Friday and will miss the season (Twitter links via CBS4’s Mike Chappell).
  • The Titans are still deciding on their right guard. While veteran utility man Kevin Pamphile would seemingly have the inside track to start opposite Rodger Saffold next month, the team drafted Nate Davis in Round 3 and has 2017 sixth-rounder Corey Levin. Although Pamphile started opposite Saffold on Saturday, each of these players are in the mix. Former Dolphins draftee Jamil Douglas may be in the running as well. Mike Vrabel does not plan to name a starter until after the Titans’ dress-rehearsal preseason game next weekend, Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com notes. Douglas has not played in a game since 2016; Levin suited up for all 16 Titan games last season. An injury limited Pamphile to three 2018 contests (two starts).

Colts WR Reece Fountain Fractures Ankle

August 15th, 2019 at 5:10pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Colts wideout Reece Fountain suffered a dislocated and fractured ankle during practice today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Fountain will likely undergo immediate surgery and should be expected to miss the 2019 season.

A fifth-round pick in 2018, Fountain didn’t make it through final cutdowns and was waived just prior to the start of the regular season. The Northern Iowa product was promoted to the Colts’ active roster in December, but played only six total snaps (three offense, three special teams) and didn’t record any statistics.

Fountain was far from a lock to make Indianapolis’ roster this season, as the club boasts receving options such as T.Y. Hilton, Devin Funchess, Parris Campbell, Chester Rogers, and Deon Cain. The 23-year-old Fountain will likely be placed on injured reserve, but could compete for a role in 2020.

Colts Waive TE Clive Walford

December 7th, 2018 at 2:04pm CST by Zachary Links

Clive Walford‘s time with the Colts has come to an end. On Friday, the Colts waived the tight end and promoted wide receiver Daurice Fountain from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. 

Walford, 27, joined the Colts in late November after the loss of Jack Doyle. While Eric Ebron has been heavily involved in the Colts offense, Walford did not see any snaps at tight end during his brief stint in Indianapolis.

Walford’s only career action came with the Raiders, where he made 70 catches for 768 yards and six touchdowns over the course of three seasons. The Jets picked him up after his release in March, but he was unable to make Gang Green’s final cut.

Fountain, a Northern Iowa product, was taken in the fifth round of this year’s draft by the Colts. He didn’t make the final cut, but the Colts stashed him on the practice squad in an effort to hone his athletic potential. Fountain put himself on the NFL radar last year with 66 catches for 943 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior and the Colts feel that he can be a contributor down the road.

The Colts are still clinging to slim odds of making the postseason, but Fountain could see some burn if they fall out of contention in the coming weeks.

Sunday NFL Transactions: AFC South

September 2nd, 2018 at 4:07pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC South teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Texans, Colts, Jaguars, and Titans are noted below.

Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s AFC South transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:

Houston Texans

Claimed:

Cut:

Placed on injured reserve:

Practice squad:

Indianapolis Colts

Claimed:

Cut:

Placed on injured reserve:

Practice squad:

Jacksonville Jaguars

Practice squad:

Tennessee Titans

Practice squad:

* = practice squad exception

Colts Sign First-Round Pick Quenton Nelson

May 11th, 2018 at 9:01am CST by Zachary Links

The Colts have officially signed the bulk of their draft class. On Friday, the team announced deals with the following picks: 

The Colts wound up with an oversized draft class of eleven players, but they have only two rookies left to sign. Once second round linebacker Darius Leonard and second round guard Braden Smith put pen to paper, they’ll be done.

Nelson was widely regarded as one of the best overall talents in this year’s draft, but the early run on quarterbacks helped guide him to the Colts at No. 6. Frankly, that worked out great for the Colts as they desperately need to protect quarterback Andrew Luck this season. The QB fever allowed Chris Ballard to land this year’s top rated offensive lineman in the draft while adding two 2018 second-round picks and a 2019 second-round choice from the Jets as he moved down from No. 3 to No. 6. It’s too early to grade any team’s draft, but everyone can agree that the Colts did well for themselves in terms of value.

Nelson, a 6’5″, 235-pound lineman, boasts tremendous power and the ability to act as a double team blocker. Many feel that Nelson is one of the best bets to succeed out of this year’s top 10.

“He’s so unique because he’s big, but he’s not fat. He’s one of the best run blockers I’ve ever evaluated, but he’s not a liability in pass protection like Mike Iupati is,” one NFC team personnel executive told NFL.com before the draft. “He’s also an alpha who can bring and ass-kicking mindset into your position room.”