Colts Shake Up Roster with Key Signings, Release Offensive Weapon, and Place Key Center on Injured List Ahead of Season

Indianapolis – The Indianapolis Colts have signed free agent center Mike Panasiuk and undrafted linebacker Mike Smith Jr. Additionally, the team has removed defensive tackle Raekwon Davis from the Active/Non-Football Illness list. The Colts also placed center Ryan Coll on Injured Reserve and waived guard Josh Sills with an injury designation. If Sills clears waivers, he will be moved to the Colts Injured Reserve list.

Panasiuk, standing at 6-3 and weighing 294 pounds, played in 10 games for the St. Louis Battlehawks in 2024, earning All-UFL honors. He previously spent time with the Carolina Panthers (2020-21) and Las Vegas Raiders (2020). In college, Panasiuk appeared in 51 games (41 starts) as a defensive lineman for Michigan State (2016-19), recording 100 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 6 passes defensed, 2 interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.

An early breakdown of Colts opponents for the 2024 NFL season
An early breakdown of Colts opponents for the 2024 NFL season

Smith Jr., at 6-1 and 231 pounds, played five games at Baylor in 2023, registering 25 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 1 pass defensed. He started all 12 games at Liberty in 2022, leading the team with 85 tackles and adding 10 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 5 passes defensed, 1 interception, and 3 forced fumbles. Before Liberty, Smith Jr. played three seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast (2019-21), where he earned First Team All-MACCC South honors.

Davis, standing at 6-7 and weighing 325 pounds, joined the Colts as a free agent on March 15, 2024. He played in 63 games (48 starts) over four seasons with the Miami Dolphins (2020-23), accumulating 129 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. He also appeared in two postseason games and was originally drafted by the Dolphins in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Alabama.

Coll, standing at 6-5 and weighing 324 pounds, signed with the Colts as a free agent on August 7, 2024, after participating in the Atlanta Falcons’ offseason program. He played 46 games (39 starts) at Richmond, earning Division I FCS All-ECAC honors in 2023 and First Team All-CAA twice. Coll began his collegiate career as a tight end before transitioning to the offensive line.

Sills, at 6-6 and 325 pounds, was claimed by the Colts off waivers from the Philadelphia Eagles on August 30, 2023. He has played in 18 career games, including all 17 for the Colts in 2023. Sills played one game for the Eagles as a rookie in 2022 after signing with them as an undrafted free agent.

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