The Indianapolis Colts are being quite deliberate about adding competition to their roster, but another underrated approach they’re taking is to improve their special teams units.
On Monday, the team announced that they re-signed free agent cornerback and core special teamer David Long Jr. On the surface, this is a move to easily skim over, but in taking it for what it is, the Colts are retaining someone who saw quite a bit of action down the stretch last season.
Long (5’11”, 196, 27 years old) was originally drafted in the third round (79th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams, where he played through 2022. He became a journeyman afterward, spending time with the Las Vegas Raiders (2023), Carolina Panthers (2023), Green Bay Packers (2023), New York Giants (2024), and finally the Colts last year. He spent his first month in Indy on the practice squad before being promoted to the active roster.
Long played just nine defensive snaps in 2024, but 106 on special teams, including 64 over the final four games.
In 79 career games (12 starts), Long has totaled 96 tackles, 1 interception, and 8 pass breakups. He’s got six games of postseason experience, including a victory in Super Bowl LVI with the Rams.
The Colts have signed fellow defensive backs Charvarius Ward, Camryn Bynum, and Corey Ballentine this offseason. Ballentine and Long, in particular, specialize on special teams. Along with the pair, the Colts continued to prioritize special teams by re-signing former All-Pro Ashton Dulin, Tyler Goodson, Segun Olubi, and Cameron McGrone.