Colts move safety Reuben Lowery to reserve/retired list

The Indianapolis Colts have placed safety Reuben Lowery III on the Reserve/Retired list, according to the team. The move effectively takes Lowery off the Colts’ active roster count as the club builds out its defensive depth for the coming NFL season, while also keeping Indianapolis positioned if Lowery decides to return to football.

The Colts’ announcement framed the transaction as a roster decision made Tuesday. Lowery, listed at 5-foot-9 and 204 pounds, joined Indianapolis after being claimed off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens on October 13, 2025. In his time with the Colts and Ravens during the 2025 season, the team reported he appeared in three games, including one start, and recorded five total tackles (one solo).

The reserve/retired designation is different from a release because it does not immediately end a team’s relationship with a player. In practical terms, the Colts can move forward with the rest of their secondary competition for now, but they retain Lowery’s rights in the event he comes back from retirement. In other words, the Colts are not “writing him off” so much as pausing his role on their roster while they proceed with other roster planning.

Lowery entered the league as an undrafted free agent, originally signing with Baltimore on May 5, 2025. Before turning pro, he played college football at Tennessee-Chattanooga, where he appeared in 46 career games and made 29 starts from 2020 through 2024. The Colts said Lowery totaled 166 tackles (109 solo), added 19.0 tackles for loss, recorded 2.0 sacks, defended 15 passes, and intercepted three passes, including two that were returned for touchdowns.

From a Colts perspective, the move reduces one variable in the safety and nickel-safety competition for offseason reps. Even if a player is not an established starter, reserve depth matters in the NFL because injuries, role changes, and special-teams needs can force teams to adjust quickly. With Lowery now removed from the active roster picture, Indianapolis can focus reps and practice-game roles on the safeties and defensive backs that remain in the organization’s active group.

For Lowery, the decision is a clear step back from the immediate pursuit of a roster spot. The Colts’ announcement did not provide details beyond the placement itself, so it leaves room for interpretation around whether Lowery is stepping away permanently or treating the move as a temporary pause with the option to return later.

What to watch next is how Indianapolis reallocates its defensive-back reps and how the team manages its remaining safety depth through training camp. Since reserve/retired placement changes the roster math, any subsequent additions or promotions from within could reveal what kind of roles the Colts are prioritizing, especially on the back end where coverage versatility and special-teams contributions often determine who sticks.