Colts trim to 53, waiving kicker Blake Grupe as final roster cuts take shape

The Indianapolis Colts reduced their roster to the 53-player limit on Sunday, finalizing the team’s cutdown plans ahead of the regular-season roster deadline. The most notable transaction reported in the move was the waiver of kicker Blake Grupe, a decision that reshapes the Colts’ special-teams depth entering the season.

In addition to Grupe, Pro Football Rumors reported that the Colts waived or cut several other players as part of the same cutdown window. Among the names included in the Colts’ trimmed group were Cameron Ball, Ulysses Bentley, Austin Brown, Rob Carter Jr., Anderson Castle, Blake Freeland, JJ Galbreath, Anthony Gould, Blake Grupe, Sahmir Hagans, Kenneth Harris, Josh Kreutz, Roy Mbaeteka, Mitchell Melton, Tyler Moore, Jimmy Morrissey, Durrell … and others listed as the team “finalize[s] roster cuts” to reach 53.

The Colts’ roster work reflects a familiar pattern every offseason: coaches must convert a wider training-camp pool into a fixed weekly roster. Beyond the headline waiver, the moves across positions underline how cutdowns typically affect more than one unit, especially when teams sort through depth at offensive line, tight end, defensive line, secondary, and return-capable roles.

For Indianapolis, the Grupe waiver is the most roster-significant item because the kicker spot is one of the few positions with a high frequency of involvement each game. When a team moves on from a kicker at cutdown time, it often indicates that the organization’s evaluation of leg talent, game-day procedures, and consistency has led to a clear separation between the remaining candidate(s). The Colts will now proceed with the kicking option(s) that survived the cutdown.

Special teams decisions can ripple through the rest of roster planning. If the Colts’ kicking plan changes, it can also influence how the coaching staff weights roster flexibility, such as the need for additional holders, the use of depth returners, and how the team manages practice-squad development in the days after the deadline.

The other players named in the reported cutdown list also point to the depth mechanics of the Colts’ roster. Waiving or cutting along the offensive and defensive fronts (including players listed as DT Ulysses Bentley, RB Austin Brown, and DE Tyler Moore) suggests the team narrowed rotation options, while the inclusion of multiple skill-position and secondary names indicates broader trimming beyond the starting-unit bubble.

What to watch next is whether the waived players receive interest from other clubs and whether Indianapolis fills any gaps that emerge before the season begins. Even after the 53-player deadline, teams can adjust via practice squad signings and roster transactions, depending on league rules and positional needs.

Because this report comes from a transaction roundup and not a directly quoted team release, some details may be incomplete or subject to later confirmation. For official clarity, the Colts’ next official roster update and the league’s transaction log are the best places to verify the full list of cut players and the active kicking options that remain on the 53.