Jason Bean’s a preseason hit for NFL’s Colts ... but will he make 53-man roster?

Former Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jason Bean has not yet guaranteed himself a spot on the Indianapolis Colts’ 53-man regular-season NFL roster or 17-player practice squad.

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound, 25-year-old undrafted free agent has played well enough in the Colts’ first two exhibition games, however, to be mentioned as a strong possibility to be Indy’s No. 3 QB behind Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and 39-year-old Joe Flacco.

He is battling it out in Indy for the No. 3 signal-caller slot and/or a coveted practice-squad spot. Also in the mix are former Texas QB Sam Ehlinger, a sixth-round pick in 2021 who is familiar with coach Shane Steichen’s system, and rookie Kedon Slovis out of BYU.

“The most interesting player at Colts camp is their No. 4 or 5 quarterback,” Indy Star columnist Gregg Doyel wrote of Bean on social media site X. “There’s something special here. You see it at practice and after practice. On and off the field.”

In another X post, Doyel wrote: “The Colts expected to move ex-Kansas quarterback Jason Bean to wide receiver by now (because of his speed), but Bean keeps excelling at QB. Now the Colts wonder what they have in this unique package of arm, speed and leadership.”

Doyel also tweeted: “The way people talk about Jason Bean is fascinating.”

In his pro debut against Denver on Aug. 11, Bean completed 4 of 6 passes for 51 yards and one touchdown — a 16-yard pass to Laquon Treadwell. He also had four carries for 24 yards, with a long gain of 11 yards.

Against Arizona on Saturday, Bean completed 7 of 9 passes for 94 yards with one interception. He also was sacked once for a 12-yard loss and rushed four times for 14 yards and a 1-yard TD score.

Bean’s performance Saturday — he played the final 4 1/2 minutes of the second quarter, all of the third quarter and one possession in the fourth quarter — impressed Colts coach Steichen.

“He made a ton of plays,” Steichen told colts.com. “Two touchdown-scoring drives, had the big fourth-and-one conversion, had a big third-down conversion. It was exciting. He did a lot of good things for us for sure.”

If Bean does get cut — his immediate future will likely be decided sometime after the Colts’ final preseason game (Thursday night at Cincinnati) — it could be because of the first drive he led against Arizona. One play after getting sacked, he threw an interception that led to an Arizona TD that gave the Cardinals a 7-3 lead.

However, if he makes the team or practice squad, the drive he led next might be a key reason. He bounced back immediately, leading Indy on a 10-play, 75-yard TD drive capped by a rushing TD from running back Zavier Scott.

“(His confidence) radiates, we all feel it,” Scott told Colts.com, referring to Bean. “Everybody feels the energy, we feed off each other. That’s the game, it’s a team game, and that’s kind of how it has to be. And it’s good to see that, feel that, even without words being said.”

Receiver D.J. Montgomery said: “I feel like every time, Bean gets better and better. “Each snap, it’s like he gets better and better, and more comfortable.

“I feel like Bean can do a lot of everything,” Montgomery added. “He can run, he can pass. It’s good to have a mobile quarterback.”

Bean a year ago completed 124 of 199 passes (62.3%) for 2,130 yards and 18 TDs for the 9-4 Jayhawks. He threw seven interceptions. He also rushed 47 ties for 280 yards and three TDs. He directed KU to a 49-36 win over UNLV in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, earning MVP honors.

Reporter Amanda Foster of colts.com summed up Bean’s current situation this way: “With a victory and his first NFL touchdown under his belt, Bean has one more chance during the Colts’ joint practice and preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals to prove what he’s capable of. And he’ll go into it with confidence.”

Bean has his supporters. They’ve noticed his play during the exhibition season.

“Jason Bean’s a good ball player,” wrote Pat McAfee of ESPN.

“Roll that beautiful Bean footage,” tweeted the Colts, with a replay of Bean’s TD run versus Arizona.

“I love that Jason Bean keeps proving people wrong and balling out. As responsible for the Kansas football turnaround as anyone. #Colts,” wrote Chris Vannini of The Athletic.

NFL teams must trim their rosters to 53 players by Tuesday, Aug. 27. The third and final week of the 2024 preseason will conclude Sunday night.