A final projection of a possible Indianapolis Colts 2009 season-opening roster

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With the final 2009 preseason game finally over, and with cut-down day at hand, Indy Football Report Editor John Oehser examines a likely Indianapolis Colts roster . . .

The NFL's cut-down day is Saturday, and actually, some of the Indianapolis Colts' decisions already have been made.

The Indianapolis Star reported on Friday that not only CB Dante Hughes, but also OL Steve Justice and CB Nick Graham will be among 22 players released or otherwise moved from the active roster by the Colts by Saturday afternoon's deadline for NFL teams to trim rosters to 53 players.

That leaves 19 more.

Who stay and who will go?

In keeping with my predictions on Examiner in recent weeks, I'll preface what I write below by saying there certainly will be errors, but with the deadline approaching, here's my best guess at what the roster will look like Saturday evening.

THE PROJECTED ROSTER . . .

QB (2): *Peyton Manning, Jim Sorgi. Released: As I wrote last week, I'm not exactly confident not having rookie QB Curtis Painter on the roster. He may not quite be ready for an active roster, but he has played well enough it's not ridiculous to think a team might claim him. I keep thinking this on Painter -- that he accomplished pretty much what he wanted in the preseason. By that I mean he's played his way into having a chance at an NFL future. If he's not on the Colts' 53-man roster, he'll either be on their practice squad as a guy with a very legitimate chance to earn a roster spot next season or he'll be somewhere with a chance to be on the roster next year or develop. For a sixth-round quarterback, that's a job well done for the first few months in the NFL.

RB (4): *Joseph Addai, Donald Brown, Mike Hart, Chad Simpson. Comment: I had Simpson on the roster a few weeks back, off it last week and on it this week. He may have played his way onto the roster with his performance on kickoffs the other night, but the Colts also could keep CB T.J. Rushing for the role. What may keep Simpson around for now is the uncertain nature of Hart's ankle injury. The guess here is first-year RB Lance Ball spends a bit more time on the practice squad.

WR (4): *Reggie Wayne, *Anthony Gonzalez, Austin Collie, Pierre Garcon. Comment: As I've written before, It's just hard to imagine a scenario under which these aren't the Colts' four receivers. Taj Smith was impressive in the preseason, but the Colts can probably keep him on the practice squad. Look for either Brett McDermott or John Matthews to get a chance on the practice squad, too.

TE (4): *Dallas Clark, *Gijon Robinson, Tom Santi, Jacob Tamme. Comment: Colts President Bill Polian indicated Thursday night Santi could return soon from an ankle injury. If so, these are probably the four tight ends.

OL (8): *Charlie Johnson (LT), *Ryan Lilja (LG), *Jeff Saturday (C), *Mike Pollak (RG), *Ryan Diem (RT), Jamey Richard, Tony Ugoh, Dan Federkeil. Comment: I still like interior OL Kyle DeVan, but if the Colts think they can keep him on the practice squad, they may see him as a player who can develop from there into a contributor soon. Johnson apparently will open the season as the starting left tackle. I'm assuming Ugoh makes the roster, and it would be a shock if he didn't, but he has been playing a lot late in late preseason games and that's not usually a good sign.

DL (10): *Robert Mathis (DE), *Ed Johnson (DT), *Antonio Johnson (DT), *Dwight Freeney (DE), Raheem Brock (DE), Eric Foster (DT), Fili Moala (DT), Marcus Howard (DE), Keyunta Dawson (DE), Adrian Grady (DT). Comment: I keep wavering here, but I actually dug my head out of my laptop Thursday enough to see Grady make play after play after play. At 290 pounds, he's big enough to give the Colts some size inside to go with ins athleticism. It would shock me to the see the Colts keep Dan Muir, at least until Ed Johnson comes back from a one-week suspension.

LB (7): *Philip Wheeler (SLB), *Gary Brackett (MLB), *Clint Session (WLB), Tyjuan Hagler, Jordan Senn, Ramon Humber, Freddie Keiaho. Comment: Let me be up front: I have less of a feel here than any other position. Is Wheeler ready to make an impact? Is Mike Tauiliili pushing for a spot? Is Humber playing so well on special teams the Colts keep him here? And if so, can they keep Senn? Is Keiaho playing as poorly defensively as seemingly every observer seems to think? Who knows, but I know I wrote these seven as making the team last week, so we'll stick with that.

DB (11): *Kelvin Hayden (CB), *Marlin Jackson (CB), *Bob Sanders (S), *Antoine Bethea (S), Tim Jennings (CB), Jerraud Powers (CB), Melvin Bullitt (S), Matt Giordano (S), Jamie Silva (S), Jacob Lacey (CB), T.J. Rushing (CB/S/KR). Comment: Injuries are obviously a factor here. Will Sanders go on Physically Unable to Perform? Is Hayden ready. This roster assumes Sanders will be on the active roster. Lavey has eight pass breakups and an interception in three preseason games, and it's hard to imagine what else he needed to do to make the team. This remains one of the Colts' deepest areas, and so far this preseason, it has needed to be.

Special teams (3): Adam Vinatieri (K), Pat McAfee (P), Justin Snow (long snapper).

*-Denotes starter

Projected to be Released

QB Curtis Painter, PS

RB Lance Ball, PS

WR Taj Smith, PS

WR John Matthews

LB Mike Tauiliili, PS

K Shane Andrus

OL Kyle DeVan, PS

OL Steve Justice

DT Dan Muir

CB Dante Hughes

CB Nick Graham

WR Sam Giguere, PS

DT/DE John Gill, PS

DE Josh Thomas

DB Travis Key

WR Brett McDermott

RB Walter Mendenhall

OT Tom Pestock

OG Jaimie Thomas, PS

OT Michael Toudouze

TE Jamie Petrowski

DT Terrance Taylor

PS-Denotes Practice Squad possibility.

READ "COFFEE WITH THE COLTS: A NEXT-DAY GLANCE AT THE COLTS-BENGALS GAME WITH PRE-CUT DAY COMMENTS FROM INDIANAPOLIS COLTS PRESIDENT BILL POLIAN . . .

*** READ IFR EDITOR JOHN OEHSER'S LIVE IN-GAME BLOG ON COLTS-BENGALS . . .

*** READ IFR EDITOR JOHN OEHSER'S BENGALS-COLTS PREVIEW . . .

*** GAME REPORT: BENGALS 38, COLTS 7

THIS WEEK'S COLTS NEWS

* QB Jim Sorgi to remain backup behind QB Peyton Manning

* Colts place CB Michael Coe, two others, on waived-injured

* CB Kelvin Hayden says he'll return for regular-season opener

* K Adam Vinatieri taken off PUP list

* Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell finds the positives in loss to Cincinnati

MAGNIFICENT SEVENS, 2009 PRESEASON COLTS THOUGHTS

Magnificent Seven I: Seven training camp thoughts and observations

Magnificent Seven II: On the Colts' defensive tackle position and WR Reggie Wayne