Season opener: Colts at Rams, 4:05 p.m. Sept. 10, CBS

INDIANAPOLIS – The NFL preseason has, mercifully, come to its end.

Soon, the games will count and the stakes will be much higher.

But before the Indianapolis Colts turn their attention to the Los Angeles Rams, they must first decide which players have earned the right to be called Colts. Thursday’s preseason finale against the Cincinnati Bengals was the last opportunity for players on the bubble to make their closing arguments.

The 7-6 Colts victory was of no consequence in and of itself. But for the players on the field – most of them non-starters fighting for jobs – this opportunity was everything.

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With roster cuts due by Saturday afternoon, let’s evaluate some of the Colts who needed a good showing and how things ultimately played out for them Thursday night:

>> WR Jo Jo Natson

Depending on how many wide receivers the Colts keep on their final roster, the last spot could be reserved for a return man. Natson seems to fit the bill there, entering the game with team-high averages on punt and kickoff returns. But in his effort to outperform Quan Bray, a third-year veteran return man, Natson has managed to distinguish himself as a receiver, too.

Put simply, he’s proven himself to be a legitimate wideout, albeit a small one. He might be 5-7 and 153 pounds, but he often plays much bigger (see his leaping catch in the third quarter that was ruled out of bounds but impressive nonetheless).

And Natson can fly. He’s been timed at 4.38 seconds in the 40-yard dash, and he displayed that speed in the second quarter when he streaked past Cincinnati cornerback Ben Benwikere on a deep route down the sideline. Natson got a step on the defender and ran underneath Stephen Morris’ well-timed throw for a 51-yard gain. Natson again showed his speed on a 31-yard punt return in the fourth quarter.

Of course, Natson fumbled on the return (the Colts recovered), which brings to mind an issue you might expect from a receiver of his stature: Ball security. While this hadn’t previously been a problem with Natson, he put the ball on the ground three times Thursday night. The Colts didn’t lose the ball in any of those instances, but that’s going to give coaches and General Manager Chris Ballard pause as he whittles the roster in the coming days.

“I got excited a couple of times, like on the punt return and just let the ball get a little loose,” Natson said. “I just have to stay disciplined throughout the entire play. And when I do make a mistake, keep my head up and move on to the next play.”

Was this a one-time thing? Or is Natson prone to these issues? That’s a question the Colts will have to answer before making the final call on Natson. Now, the wait commences.

“I feel like I left it all on the line,” Natson said. “I gave it all I’ve got. I’ll let God take it from there.”

>> OT Le’Raven Clark

Granted, he was playing out of position (left tackle) and with an unfamiliar collection of players. But there is no explaining away the performance this 2016 third-round pick turned in Thursday night.

Clark went from losing his starting job at right tackle to Jeremy Vujnovich earlier this preseason to, perhaps, now being in danger of missing the final cut. The Colts have a number of tackles and guard-tackle combo players and, theoretically, could manage to get by without Clark.

He was consistently beaten off the edge Thursday night, in one instance allowing defensive end Jordan Willis to easily get to quarterback Scott Tolzien, who he dragged to the turf.

The Colts gave Clark a run as the starting right tackle to end the 2016 season, and he showed real promise, particularly as a run blocker. While it wasn’t a big body of work, it was enough to leave the Colts wanting to see more. And after seeing Clark with the first unit throughout the offseason and through the start of training camp, the Colts decided they’d seen enough.

The question now is whether we’ve seen the last of Clark.

>> CB Corey White

The Colts have a need at cornerback after Pro Bowl starter Vontae Davis’ “significant” groin injury, as coach Chuck Pagano put it. White was brought in as a depth option last week and the pickup might prove timely.

With veteran Chris Culliver suffering his own groin injury on Thursday night, the Colts have issues in the secondary. They have some decisions to make, i.e. what to do with T.J. Green. But White might enter the conversation because of his versatility – he can play cornerback, slot corner and safety.

And he gave the Colts something to think about on Thursday, registering six tackles and a sack.

>> G/C Brian Schwenke

Signed as a key free agent back in the spring, Schwenke has been sidelined since June with a foot injury. But he was activated from the physically unable to perform list last week and made his debut Thursday night.

Schwenke started the game at center and played extensively, giving coaches their first film to evaluate the veteran. The center position took on greater importance, at least initially, because of starter Ryan Kelly’s broken foot. He is expected to miss at least several more weeks in the lineup, but undrafted rookie Deyshawn Bond has performed well in Kelly’s absence. It remains to be seen whether Bond keeps that job now that Schwenke is again available.

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