Jonathan Owens is being viewed as a possible fit for a key Colts special teams job, and that matters because it offers a route to staying on the roster even as his defensive role has shrunk. The 31-year-old safety said he welcomes the pressure of the personal protector responsibility during training camp in Westfield.
That is a significant development for a player whose career has already taken several turns. In his first three NFL seasons, Owens played in a combined 14 games and never topped a dozen defensive snaps in a season. Then, in 2022, he became an every-game starter for the Texans at safety and logged close to 1,000 snaps.
Why the Colts role matters
After that breakout season, Owens moved to Green Bay and then spent two years in Chicago. Across those later stops, the balance of his work changed again. He played 775 defensive snaps and 233 special teams plays in 17 games with Green Bay, before finishing the two-year stint in Chicago without a start, averaging fewer than three defensive snaps per game and recording 264 special teams plays.
That background explains why special teams has become such an important part of the conversation. For veterans who are no longer guaranteed a defensive role, it can be the clearest way to remain valuable on an NFL roster. Brian Mason has already named Owens among the Colts’ prospective special teams breakout players, and the club’s core group includes Luke Rhodes, Mo Alie-Cox, Grover Stewart and Rigoberto Sanchez.
Owens on the responsibility
Owens did not sound like a player uncomfortable with that challenge. He said: “I love it, absolutely,” when asked about the possibility of handling the role. He added that it feels “pretty much the captain of the special teams, in a way,” because it means having everyone listening to his calls.
He also described the role as one that comes with real authority and trust. “You’re pretty much running the show, and that takes a lot of trust from the special teams coach to have you there,” he said. That is exactly the kind of accountability Owens seems to welcome, especially as he tries to extend his career by helping the team in ways that go beyond defence.
A path to staying relevant
Owens was also clear about how he sees himself when he is downfield. He said he considers himself “a third gunner” when he is running down there, which underlines the willingness to do the hard work that special teams demands.
For the Colts, that attitude is useful. For Owens, it could be decisive. If he can handle the personal protector role and contribute on coverage units, he gives the coaching staff a veteran option who understands the job and embraces it. And as he put it, “I’m just trying to go and do whatever I can to make the team better.”
That is the broader point here. Owens is not being asked to reinvent himself, but to prove that his value still fits an NFL roster. If he can become a trusted special teams presence in Westfield, the path to extending his career becomes much clearer.
