The Indianapolis Colts waived Isaiah Land after a standout preseason showing, capping a surprising summer surge with a roster-cut decision driven by numbers rather than performance. Land totaled seven pressures and a sack across three games, flashing consistent disruption and a win-rate near the top among defensive ends. Despite the splash, the Colts faced a crowded DE room with Laiatu Latu, Kwity Paye, JT Tuimoloau, Samson Ebukam, and Tyquan Lewis—six players who all demand snaps. Land’s waiver reflects the brutal math of regular-season roles more than a critique of his play.

Land’s strong preseason included three pressures in each of the last two games, plus solid run defense grades and tackling numbers. Still, a near-impossible task to allocate meaningful snaps to six ends made Land expendable. The decision leaves Land at a crossroads: a potential practice-squad candidate who could surface again if injuries or performance shifts create a clearer path to playing time. The Colts’ move underscores roster-building realities in a competitive depth chart.