INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Indianapolis Colts have made some adjustments to their lineup ahead of their west-coast matchup with the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
On Saturday, the Colts elevated cornerback Mike Hilton and offensive lineman Josh Sills from the practice squad to the active roster for the game. They also removed the "questionable" designation from wide receiver/return specialist Anthony Gould on the injury report.
The Colts signed Hilton to the practice squad this week after starting slot corner Kenny Moore II suffered an Achilles injury last Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. The Colts still don't have a timetable for Moore's return, so they went out to get a trusted veteran in Hilton. Hilton was Colts defense coordinator Lou Anarumo's prized slot corner for the last four years when the pair were together with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Colts cornerback Mekhi Blackmon is likely to start in the slot and get the majority of the work on Sunday against the Rams, but the Colts are still expected to get Hilton involved.
Sills is active for the first time this season, as the Colts will be without starting right guard Matt Goncalves, who is out with a toe injury. Second-year lineman Dalton Tucker will start in place of Goncalves, but Sills can help provide depth at both guard and tackle in the event anyone gets banged up on Sunday. Goncalves is arguably the only other Colts lineman with that flexibility.
According to Pro Football Focus, in Sills' career in the regular season, he has 10 snaps on the edge of the line and 26 on the inside.
With Gould healthy, the Colts will be at full strength in the return game in a crucial matchup. Rams kicker Joshua Karty is responsible for giving opponents the worst starting field position in the NFL, with an average of the 19.5-yard line. Gould is averaging 30.2 yards on six kickoff returns this season and just 2.0 yards on two punt returns.
The Colts and Rams kick off at 4:05 p.m. E.T. on FOX at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Cal.
Jake Arthur has been covering the Indianapolis Colts for over a dozen years and is a member of the PFWA. He's one half of the Locked On Colts podcast and has worked for the Colts' official website, On SI, and more. You can follow him on X @JakeArthurNFL.