Among the nine players released by the Colts on Sunday, only one had previously played for Indianapolis during the regular season.
Veteran safety Ronnie Harrison Jr. spent part of the 2023 season adapting to a linebacker role on the practice squad. He was then called up to fill a gap left by Shaquille Leonard’s departure, logging 234 snaps in seven games, initially as a linebacker and later shifting to safety due to Julian Blackmon’s injury.
Harrison was cut in the Colts’ initial round of roster reductions on Sunday. Head coach Shane Steichen did not suggest that the decision was part of a broader strategy involving veteran players.
“We’ll see,” Steichen remarked. “He’s a talented player, so that was a tough call.”
Harrison made an impression last season, registering 20 tackles and two interceptions, including a pick-six, which earned him a chance to stay with the team.
However, his role changed with the Colts using a fifth-round draft pick on Missouri safety Jaylon Carlies, who is being converted to linebacker. Carlies adapted quickly during the team’s organized activities and appears to be the third linebacker heading into the season.
This shift meant Harrison had to return to his original safety position this offseason. Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley noted Harrison’s knack for making impactful plays, but the team had to evaluate whether he had the skill set needed for the role.
Heading into training camp, the safety position was largely unsettled aside from Julian Blackmon. While third-year safety Nick Cross had a slight advantage for the starting spot alongside Blackmon, the Colts experimented with various combinations, including Cross, Harrison, Rodney Thomas II, and Blackmon in both free and strong safety roles.
Harrison had not played free safety since high school, and the team’s brief experiment there didn’t work out. Cross’s flexibility and performance at strong safety led to him and Thomas being featured more on the second-team defense, with Trevor Denbow also expected to play a significant role on special teams.
With these adjustments, Harrison appears to be on the outside looking in.
“Good player,” Steichen said. “That was just a tough decision.”
Further difficult decisions are expected in the coming days, and other players with previous Colts experience might soon find themselves seeking new opportunities.
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