Team news: Indianapolis Colts | Page 21

We have elevated K Michael Badgley to the 53-man roster from the practice squad and activated QB Sam Ehlinger from IR.

We have placed WR Parris Campbell on IR and waived QB Jacob Eason and DT Chris Williams.

Related players: Zach Pascal, Brett Hundley

Pascal should see an increased role with Campbell out for a while, and potentially for the season. He'll slide in behind Michael Pittman and T.Y. Hilton. Hilton's status for this week is a bit in doubt but isn't considered long-term. The team also made a QB move and eventually Ehlinger could end up being the team's QB2 behind Carson Wentz. It's worth noting because Wentz hasn't exactly been a pillar of health over the last couple of years. For now, it looks like Hundley is still the team's backup, at least until Ehlinger gets up to speed. Ehlinger was the team's sixth round pick and is a rookie.

Veteran wide receiver T.Y. Hilton provided a spark on Sunday but suffered a quadriceps injury on his final catch of the game.

Related players: Zach Pascal, Mike Strachan, Ashton Dulin

The Colts are suddenly banged up at WR yet again as Parris Campbell is expected to miss time. Pascal could stand to benefit the most with Strachan perhaps seeing more time as well if Hilton can't play. The story did say if Hilton misses time, it would be minimal.

As part of a mailbag question, someone asked what the game plan would look like with Trey Lance under center.

I expect it will be a “Back to the Future”-type situation for Kyle Shanahan and Mike McDaniel, who had rookies at quarterback (Robert Griffin III) and running back (Alfred Morris) when they were assistants in Washington in 2012. That team led the NFL in rushing and went to the playoffs. Morris finished with 1,613 rushing yards and Griffin with 815 yards.

Related players: Elijah Mitchell, Trey Sermon, Jimmy Garoppolo

The story said the one big difference is Lance attempted 318 passes at North Dakota State while Griffin attempted 1,192 throws at Baylor, which points more to a run-heavy attack. Anther issue is Sermon has only been OK as a runner over two games, and even if Mitchell returns from a shoulder injury, he's a rookie as well, so there are a lot of questions with the run game. The Niners do have the luxury of a bye in Week 6.

Kyle Shanahan also hopes that Elijah Mitchell will be able to take the blue no-contact jersey off this week. A speedy RB would be another welcome return for the 49ers.

Related players: Trey Sermon

Sermon has been OK over the last two weeks but the feeling is he didn't take control of the RB1 job. At this point, if anything, the 49ers could really use Mitchell on third down or passing downs. It may take a week or so to figure out how the workload will be split up when Mitchell returns with Sermon, but it looks like Mitchell could be back on track for Week 5. The Niners do have a bye in Week 6.

Trey Sermon had two fewer snaps than he did against Green Bay, but it was clear he was more comfortable and that Shanahan and his assistants trusted him more. Still, the team hasn’t had a true third-down back after JaMycal Hasty went down with a high ankle sprain in Week 2.

For the second straight game, Kyle Juszczyk was the running back of choice on third downs or when the 49ers were in a hurry-up mode. Or the 49ers had a running back split out wide with no one in the backfield in those situations. The last two games have been heavier in three-receiver formations (56 percent of plays) than the first two (32 percent) when the 49ers had their full (or at least fuller) complement of tailbacks.

Related players: Elijah Mitchell

With Mitchell out with a shoulder injury, Sermon ran 19 times for 89 yards on the day. Meanwhile it was Juszczyk who was targeted four times and had four catches for 41 yards. Sermon was targeted once on the day. There will be some workload and role questions in this backfield when Mitchell is able to play again.

Colts RB Jonathan Taylor (knee) and TE Jack Doyle (back) are questionable for Week 4 against the Miami Dolphins.

JT was a limited participant all week and will play. Doyle practiced for the first time Friday and is truly questionable. He may not be a fantasy source but with injuries across the offensive line, having Doyle active helps with blocking.

Marlon Mack and the Colts have mutually agreed to try to find a trade partner for the veteran running back, a league source confirmed to IndyStar on Tuesday, after Mack was a healthy scratch on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

Related players: Jonathan Taylor, Nyheim Hines

This updates a story we had earlier from Adam Schefter. It looks like Mack has agreed to be traded. This story said the source indicated that there is some interest in Mack, although it is still early in the process. Mack, who rushed for 1,999 yards over two seasons as the Colts’ lead back in 2018 and 2019, has played just 13 snaps during the 2021 season. Mack’s picked up 16 yards on five carries, but the veteran has clearly fallen behind Taylor and Hines in the backfield’s pecking order, according to the story.

49ers RB Elijah Mitchell (shoulder) is doubtful for Week 3, while RB Trey Sermon is out of concussion protocol according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic.

Other reports have JaMycal Hasty out, so Sermon appears to be the lead back Sunday night against the Packers. Look for Trenton Cannon to be the backup to Sermon.

The 49ers are signing RB Jacques Patrick off the Bengals practice squad, source said. Big opportunity for the onetime XFL star with injuries depleting the SF backfield.

Related players: JaMycal Hasty, Trey Sermon, Elijah Mitchell

Hasty and Sermon will have a lot of hurdles to clear to play in Week 3 and Mitchell is dealing with a shoulder injury that still has his status up in the air. Even if Mitchell plays, Patrick could be in line for immediate touches. The Niners and Packers play on Sunday night so owners may have to wait this situation out and should have a backup plan.