Colts will look different vs. Bengals as they make final cuts before regular season

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Colts’ leadership spent Monday in debate mode.\nThe starters know exactly what that means: Little , if any, playing time Friday at Cincinnati.\nIt wouldn’t be the first time the Colts finished the preseason with a new-look team. Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning has not played a down against the Bengals, traditionally the Colts’ final preseason opponent, the last two years and in 2005, the Colts sat their entire starting offense while playing only two defensive starters.\nThe reason? No need to risk injuries before the regular season when you still have to trim the roster.\n“This week we have two goals,” coach Tony Dungy said Monday. “One is to continue to be sharp and two is to get our 53-man roster where it needs to be.”\nDungy and the coaching staff started working on the second part Monday, although he declined to announce the moves because not all of the decisions were made. The Colts must pare their roster to 75 by Tuesday afternoon and 53 by Saturday afternoon.\nOne player not practicing Monday was veteran guard Rick DeMulling, a former Colts starter who spent the last two seasons in Detroit. Dungy, however, cautioned against reading too much into his absence.\nAmong those expected to sit out Friday’s game are three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney, who bruised his right thigh during the first half of Saturday’s 37-10 victory over Detroit.\nThe Colts’ top tight end, Dallas Clark, also is likely to be out after wearing an ice pack on his right thigh during the second half of the Lions game.\nWhile Dungy downplayed both injuries, neither player was likely to play against Cincinnati even if they had not been hurt.\n“I don’t think they’re too, too serious,” Dungy said. “Dallas was back running today and Dwight should be just another day or two. I think they’ll be fine.”\nInstead, Dungy wants to spend this week focused on the task of making roster decisions.\nHe’s hoping to get a longer look at players like John Standeford, primarily a practice squad receiver the last three years who is battling for one of the final spots. Or Craphonso Thorpe, Kenton Keith and T.J. Rushing, who are fighting for jobs as kick returners and the litany of defensive backs who still have not locked up jobs.\nAs usual, Dungy calls this one of the most difficult weeks of the season.\n“We have to make 11 or 12 moves this week and next week it’s 22 or 23, and it’s difficult even for the guys who have been here a short time because they’ve all worked hard in this heat,” Dungy said. “It’s just tough for everyone.”\nDungy hopes Friday’s game clears up some of the ongoing debates, even if that means fans won’t recognize those guys in the Colts jerseys.\n“We’ve got some good young guys and that’s going to make our cuts interesting, which is a good thing,” he said. “We’ve just got to figure out who are best 53 players are.”