Colts Sign Two Super Bowl Winners to Practice Squad

The Indianapolis Colts have made their first roster moves following the midseason firing of general manager Chris Ballard.

On Tuesday, the Colts announced that they signed free agents wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. and punter Thomas Morstead to the practice squad. In a corresponding move, they released wide receiver Eli Pancol from the practice squad.

As the Colts continue to look for ways to add speed to their receiver corps, they add Hardman to the mix, who is on his third team in the last two years.

Hardman (5'10", 187, 28 years old) was originally drafted in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Georgia by the Kansas City Chiefs. He won three Super Bowls (LIV, LVII, and LVIII) in his two stints in Kansas City (2019-22 and 2023-24), including catching the game-winning overtime touchdown in Super Bowl LVIII. He has also spent time with the New York Jets (2023), Green Bay Packers (2025), and Buffalo Bills (2025).

Most recently, Hardman was active for just two games with the Bills in 2025, spending parts of the season on the practice squads in Green Bay and Buffalo.

In 82 career regular-season games (28 starts), Hardman has 178 receptions (259 targets) for 2,302 yards (12.9 avg.) and 16 touchdowns, plus 26 carries for 190 yards (7.3 avg.) and three more scores.

Hardman also has extensive return specialist experience, returning 91 punts for an average of 9.0 yards and one touchdown, and 46 kickoffs for an average of 24.7 yards and another touchdown.

On the active roster, the Colts have Josh Downs, Keenan Allen, Laquon Treadwell, Ashton Dulin, Deion Burks, and Anthony Gould at receiver. Hardman joins receivers Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Quez Watkins on the practice squad. Top receiver Alec Pierce and D.J. Montgomery are on Injured Reserve.

Dulin has been healthy enough to play in just two of six games while dealing with ankle and hamstring injuries, and Gould left last Sunday's game while in the concussion protocol.

While Hardman is unlikely to contribute right away, he has significant experience at slot and boundary receiver, as well as in the return game, where injuries to both Dulin and Gould have created a void.

On Tuesday, special teams coordinator Brian Mason said the Colts may need a backup plan for punter Rigoberto Sanchez this Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, as he was injured on a blocked punt and briefly left last week's game. Sanchez is still dealing with the injury this week.

"Obviously, Rigo did get banged up in the game. That's something that we'll still monitor as we work throughout the week," Mason told reporters. "We'll certainly evaluate that as the week goes on to see what other options and things that we have to look into as we go through."

“That is certainly something that we're looking into and working through today,” Mason answered when asked if they'll need to figure out a backup plan for Sanchez on Sunday. “Yeah, certainly it's a possibility you bring in somebody as an insurance policy, so that they're here and ready to go for sure.”

About two and a half hours later, the Colts announced the signings of Hardman and Morstead.

Morstead (6'4", 225, 40) has 17 years of experience with the New Orleans Saints (2009-20 and 2023-24), Jets (2021), Atlanta Falcons (2021), Miami Dolphins (2022), and San Francisco 49ers (2025).

He was a member of the Saints' Super Bowl XLIV team that beat the Colts, kicking the infamous onside kick to open the second half.

In 272 games, Morstead has punted 1,004 times for an average of 46.7 yards, a net average of 41.3, 374 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line, and 68 touchbacks, with a career long punt of 75 yards.