Colts’ Tight End Race Heats Up Down The Stretch

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The Colts have kept an undrafted free agent on their Week 1 roster for 20 straight seasons, the longest active streak in the NFL. Hentges is doing what he can to extend that streak to 21 years — but he’s not thinking that far ahead just yet.


“You know, I think I’ve just gotta work on the little stuff every day. Just get one percent better each day and not be satisfied with the little success that I’ve had so far and just continue to pound on,” he said after the Browns game. “I think there’s a lot of work to be done, and I’m just going to watch a lot of film, talk to my mentors, talk to the coaches and figure out what I could do better, but there’s a long way to go, for sure.”


As for Travis, the journey back from a torn ACL late in the fourth quarter of last year’s preseason finale against the Cincinnati Bengals has been a long one. At the time, he was all but guaranteed a spot on the 53-man roster, but instead had to undergo surgery and work through intensive recovery and rehab efforts.


It all paid off Saturday against the Browns, in his first game back since that knee injury last year, when he hauled in a 24-yard touchdown from Kelly at the 13:18 mark of the fourth quarter.


“I know my mom, dad and sister are here, so I’m sure my mom’s a little emotional — even I was a little emotional on the sideline, just because how last year went,” Travis said after the game. “And there’s a select few people that know what you’ve got to go through to get back on that field and all the time you put in.


“But ultimately, man, I’m just happy to celebrate with everybody,” he continued. “I told all the trainers, I told everybody I was working with me, ‘Man, this was all of us,’ you know what I’m saying? They were a big part of it.”


That touchdown pass was a perfect example of what Travis brings to the table. A 6-foot-6, 248-pound former collegiate basketball player at Penn State, he originally lined up in a three-point stance off the right edge of the offensive line. While he said he was supposed to keep bringing his man up the seam, Ross bent his route a little sharper than he originally intended.


But Kelly found the athletic tight end perfectly in-between three members of the Browns’ secondary, and after catching the ball around the six-yard line, Ross took on two hits and still was able to cross the goal line for the score.


The play was the latest reminder for Travis and the Colts that he’s not only back, but he can be a legit weapon for their offense.


“Absolutely, that’s the last part of an injury like that is just getting out on the field and feeling yourself making these cuts and visualizing the plays and all that stuff, man,” Travis said. “Just being on your feet, and it’s just all about gaining confidence out there in your leg again. And then you get out here on gameday and just play.”


Hentges and Travis get their next opportunity to show what they can do Saturday, when the Chicago Bears come to town for Week 3 of the preseason. Reich is excited to see this race go all the way to the finish line, which will be 4 p.m. ET next Saturday, Aug. 31, when the team must cut down to its initial 53-man roster.


“You know, there’s no reason to try to decide that right now,” Reich said. “They both have continued to be consistent, steady, good progress. Some of those decisions get made on health of the roster, health of everybody, what we’re planning on doing offensively and what are we planning on emphasizing. And then Chris has to manage all the stuff of everything else; all the other roster considerations.


“They both look good.”