The Colts signed cornerback David Long Jr. to their practice squad on Monday, adding depth to their secondary as injuries pile up.
Long Jr. is a familiar face in Indianapolis, having spent nearly all last season with the organization after joining the practice squad in September 2024. He was elevated to the active roster the following month but played only nine defensive snaps and did not record any statistics.
The Colts beat the Chargers 38-24 on Sunday to improve their record to an NFL-best 6-1.
Injury Sidelined Long in Training Camp
The Colts re-signed Long in March, but he hurt his groin in training camp and was released from injured reserve with an injury settlement.
The 27-year-old brings veteran experience to the Coltsâ secondary and can also fill in special teams. Long has appeared in 79 games with 12 starts over his NFL career.
The 2019 third-round pick (79th overall) won Super Bowl LVI with the Rams and was a key contributor during their playoff run, recording a pick-six in the NFC Wild Card win over the Cardinals.
Long spent his first four seasons with the Rams (2019-22) before splitting 2023 with the Raiders and Panthers. For his career, he has 97 tackles (83 solo) and one interception.
Ward Injury Leaves Colts Thin at Cornerback
The signing comes a day after Justin Herbert picked apart the Colts banged-up secondary, throwing for a career-high 420 yards and three touchdowns. Herbert was also intercepted twice.
Despite their strong start, the Colts rank just 22nd in total defense and 29th against the pass, allowing 255.4 yards per game.
On top of that, injuries are adding up. Cornerback Charvarius Ward Jr. is on IR with a concussion and will miss at least three more games. The Colts have a bye in Week 11, meaning the earliest Ward can return is Week 12 against the Chiefs.
The former All-Pro has nine tackles and three passes defended in four games for the Colts.
Cornerback Kenny Moore II returned Sunday after a three-game absence from an Achilles injury, but fellow cornerbacks Justin Walley and Jaylon Jones are on IR. Additionally, four-time Pro Bowler Xavien Howard unexpectedly retired earlier this month.
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