It's crunch time for players on the bubble of making the Indianapolis Colts roster, as the team plays its final preseason game against Cincinnati at 7 tonight in Lucas Oil Stadium.
Here are five players whose Colts chances seem to sit in the balance:
1. Chandler Harnish, quarterback
Colts coach Chuck Pagano said Tuesday the team hadn't yet decided whether to keep two or three quarterbacks. Harnish, the former Norwell standout, has been the No.3 man behind Andrew Luck and Drew Stanton throughout the preseason. Harnish has completed 18 of 31 passes for 244 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He has a passer rating of 80.6.
2. Kris Adams, wide receiver
Adams stands out because of his size (6-foot-3) and he's made a number of strong catches during training camp, especially in practice situations. He would give the Colts a different type of wide receiver than the “Smurfs”: smaller, fast rookies T.Y. Hilton and LaVon Brazill. The question is how many wide receivers the Colts will keep. The Colts just picked up Kashif Moore (another 5-9 burner) off waivers.
3. Cassius Vaughn, cornerback
Vaughn was acquired in a trade with the Broncos that sent fullback Chris Gronkowski to Denver. At one point, Vaughn was listed as the starting left cornerback. That job belongs to Vontae Davis, who came in a big trade with Miami. Vaughn is now listed as a No.3 on the depth chart, along with Josh Gordy, and behind Jerraud Powers and D.J. Johnson. Maybe Vaughn is not on the bubble, but he could use a great game tonight.
4. Darren Evans, running back
How many running backs will the Colts keep? They have Donald Brown, rookie Vick Ballard, veteran Mewelde Moore and second-year player Delone Carter, for starters. Is there room for a guy like Evans, who spent last year on and off the practice squad? Evans might need to make a mark on special teams.
5. Jerry Brown, outside linebacker
Brown played in the Arena Football League last season. He has made some noise in a backup role during preseason games. In fact, he's sixth on the team in tackles. The Colts aren't necessarily deep in linebackers, whether inside or outside. Brown is one of those players with potential that make cuts so hard.
