Stampede Blue: All Posts by Josh Wilson

Colts First Practice of Training Camp is July 28

2013-06-18T23:27:25Z

We're getting there, Colts fans. Slowly but surely, we're getting there.

We're just about five and a half weeks away from the beginning of training camp. You can make it!!!

Anyways, we have known that the Colts will report to training camp at Anderson University on Saturday, July 27. That date is also the earliest possible date they can report to training camp under the new CBA rules, according to Pro Football Talk. Players can only report at most 15 days before their first preseason game, and the Colts open against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, August 11.

According to Jim Irsay, the team will officially start practicing a day after reporting, on July 28:

OPENING PRACTICE OF 2013 COLTS TRAINING CAMP---1:50pm, Sunday, July 28, beautiful Anderson University in Anderson, IN!!!
— Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) June 18, 2013

So there you have it. Sunday, July 28, at 1:50 p.m. at Anderson University, the Colts will hold their first practice of training camp 2013.

The team returns to Anderson, a small Christian college about an hour northeast of Indianapolis, for the fourth straight year. Check out the Colts training camp page on Anderson's website for more on camp stuff. The full practice schedule has yet to be released.

We'll have the full schedule once it is released, but for now what we have is the start date: July 28. Mark your calendars! How many of you plan to get out to camp this year? I know for sure that I'll be there (I'll figure out for sure when once the schedule is released).

Less than 40 days, Colts fans. Less than 40 days! You can make it!!!!!

2013 Colts Positional Preview: Quarterback

2013-06-18T12:00:06Z

Andrew Luck. Andrew Luck. Andrew Luck.

Well, that's about it for the preview of the quarterback position. Thanks for reading!

Ok, I kid, I kid - but only because of this minimum word count I need to reach.

Seriously, though, no position on the entire Colts roster is more set than the quarterback position, and no player on the entire Colts roster is better than the starter at the quarterback position, Andrew Luck.

As a rookie in 2012, Luck put together one of the best quarterbacked seasons that I have seen in the NFL in a long time.* He made the pro bowl (albeit as an alternate), led a bad Colts team to 11 wins and a playoff berth, and posted very impressive individual numbers (including rookie passing records) while enduring an insane amount of pressure due to a terrible offensive line.

In 2012, Luck completed 54.1% of his 627 passes for 4,374 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions while averaging 7.0 yards per attempt. He also added 255 yards and 5 scores on the ground rushing. Perhaps the most impressive part of Luck's game last year was in the final minutes, where the rookie quarterback quickly established himself as one of the best (if not the best) in the league. He led 7 game winning drives and 4 fourth quarter comebacks, constantly pulling a win out in the final minutes of a close game.

There's no reason to think that he won't be better in 2013. Equipped with a new but familiar offense, a retooled offensive line, and better receiving threats, Luck could take the league by storm. Perhaps it is unfair to say this about a guy entering his second year, but I fully expect him to emerge as one of the NFL's best signal callers and I expect him to enter into the MVP race in 2013. Yes, I'm serious. This guy is as good of a young quarterback as I have ever seen - in fact, I have never seen a guy have a more impressive rookie season than Luck did. His numbers absolutely will improve in 2013 and his play will too. He will be the unquestioned leader of a team with playoff expectations from fans and Super Bowl expectations from themselves. Some (like me) think they will win the AFC South. All of these expectations revolve around one player, and that one player is Andrew Luck.

If you think this is way too high of expectations for a second year quarterback, you are absolutely right. But if you look at Andrew Luck and take away his experience factor, he has all the makings of a quarterback ready to burst onto the scene even more than he did last year.

Ok, my love fest on Andrew Luck is over. The team has two other quarterbacks on their roster, both of whom are very intriguing options. Despite having two capable backups, there is zero percent of a competition for the number two spot. None. Zilch. Zero.

Matt Hasselbeck has the overwhelming hold on the number two quarterback spot. I mean, when you're paying your backup quarterback close to $4 million a year, he should be! And Hasselbeck will indeed be the number two guy. The Colts signed him this offseason, and though it was surprising, it was still a good move. As I outlined in my free agent profile on Hasselbeck, there is three ways that this move will help the Colts:

It will help Andrew Luck learn the ins and outs of being a successful NFL quarterback and gives him a tremendous mentor everyday in the meeting room - someone who has played well and won at this level. Hasselbeck will be a great influence on Luck and will be a key figure, albeit behind the scenes, to Luck's continued development as a signal caller.
It will help Chandler Harnish, the team's other quarterback. Harnish is also entering his second year, and Hasselbeck will likely be even a bigger help to Harnish than he will be to Luck. If Harnish wants to make it as a quarterback in the NFL, he would be very smart to be paying very close attention to Hasselbeck. The opportunity to learn from a good veteran will be huge and is key to Harnish developing into the quarterback I think he could be.
It will help the team in the awful scenario that Andrew Luck gets injured. The Colts tried to sign Hasselbeck before the 2011 season as an insurance policy in case Peyton Manning missed games, but he choose the Titans instead. The Colts went with Kerry Collins, and that set in motion the terrible season of 2011 that led to Andrew Luck coming to Indianapolis. While things worked out last time, they wouldn't should it happen again. Having Hasselbeck as the backup ensures that, should the worst happen, the Colts' 2013 wouldn't be over. They could still win some games and be competitive.

The only real question when it comes to the roster is whether Harnish will make the final 53-man roster or whether he will be on the practice squad. I think that, barring a ton of injuries in the preseason that require roster spots to be left open, Chandler Harnish will start the season on the 53-man roster. Brad Wells' recent projection of the final rosteragreed. That said, he will be the first to go should a roster spot be needed. I don't expect him to last long on the roster, unless the team really wants to keep him and is afraid other teams will sign him off of their practice squad. While I wouldn't think that would happen, it is certainly a possibility. I think he will make the final roster out of preseason, but that soon after he will be demoted to the practice squad to make room for someone else.

Bottom line is that there isn't a position more set than quarterback. There aren't many starting quarterbacks in the NFL than Andrew Luck. There isn't a better backup quarterback than Matt Hasselbeck in the entire NFL. And not many teams have a third string guy better than Chandler Harnish.

Andrew Luck will determine just how successful the Colts' 2013 season will be. And that should be an incredibly encouraging thing for Colts fans. August can't get here soon enough!

*Now, just to let you know, the area I analyze the most and my "expertise," if you want to call it that, is with quarterbacks. That is largely because of Peyton Manning, and I analyzed and analyzed and analyzed his every game. I became one of the biggest Peyton defenders there was (and I still am one of them) and as a result I have as much knowledge on Peyton's career as anyone. Part of defending Peyton also requires extensive knowledge of other great quarterbacks in NFL history, so when I say that about Luck's season, don't take it lightly.

2013 Colts Free Agent Profile: WR Darrius Heyward-Bey

2013-06-14T12:00:14Z

Remember back when Colts' owner Jim Irsay tweeted about the "whopper" wide receiver the team was going after? Well, regardless of who they were originally going after, the player they did sign was former Raiders wideout Darrius Heyward-Bey, which addressed a big need at the wide receiver position after the departure of Donnie Avery.

Darrius Heyward-Bey, or DHB for short, was drafted by the Oakland Raiders with the 7th overall pick of the 2009 NFL Draft. At the 2009 NFL Combine, he ran a 4.3 40 yard dash - making him the perfect fit for the speed-crazy Raiders. In four years in Oakland, DHB played in 56 games and started 53, and he caught 140 passes for 2,071 yards and 11 touchdowns while also adding 8 carries for 83 yards. Last season, he played in 15 games (starting 14) and caught 41 passes for 606 yards and a career-high 5 touchdowns.

The first year in Oakland, however, was rough for the 6-2, 216 pound receiver - with a drop rate at an insanely bad 35.7%, per Pro Football Focus. To put that in perspective, Colts fans remember how bad Donnie Avery was in the area of drops last year, right? His drop rate was 16.7%. DHB's was 19% worse than that his rookie year. Now, to his credit, Heyward-Bey improved greatly (how could he not?) and by 2011 his drop rate was down to just 8.6%. Last year it was at 12.8% - still high - but better than Avery last year and certainly not awful. More concerning than that is probably the fact that he has been targeted 75 times 20 or more yards down the field and he has 11 stinking catches. 11. That's a catch rate of 14.6, and there's no other way of saying it but that the number absolutely must improve. In Indy, that can happen.

All of that said, however, let me offer this advice about Darrius Heyward-Bey: don't look too much into his numbers. He had no consistency at quarterback, other than the fact that they all sucked. In just four years there, DHB played with seven different starting quarterbacks: Jamarcus Russell, Charlie Frye, Bruce Gradkowski, Jason Campbell, Kyle Boller, Carson Palmer, and Terrelle Pryor. Heck, I'd take the Colts' third string quarterback (Chandler Harnish) over most of those guys. And throw in the fact that the inconsistency at the spot prevented DHB from developing chemistry with his quarterback.

In Indianapolis, he will be able to. There aren't any excuses anymore, really. He will have consistency at the quarterback spot. He will have great play at the quarterback spot. He will have a veteran, future hall of fame wide receiver on the other side of the field in Reggie Wayne. There aren't excuses anymore. We can chalk his career in Oakland up to several different circumstances that got in the way of the first-rounder reaching his potential. In Indy, there won't be.

He will likely be asked to take the top off the defense for the Colts. And he will bring the speed that will allow him to both burn defenses before he catches the ball and burn defenses after he catches the ball. It will be interesting to see how the team uses him and gets him the ball.

After the Colts released Donnie Avery, the wide receiver position needed to be addressed. It was by signing Darrius Heyward-Bey. The real question that remains is whether this is a short-term fix or a long-term one. At only 26 years old, he could be a good receiver for Andrew Luck for a while. Though he is only signed on a one year deal, a good year this year could mean that the Colts sign him to an extended contract after that. Either way, this year is a big test for DHB and it was a signing that the Colts made, confident that Heyward-Bey can live up to his pre-draft hype. If he reaches that potential - and what better situation to reach it in than with the Colts this year - then this signing really could be a "wopper," even though right now it may not seem like it.

Wednesday Colts Mini-Camp Recap

2013-06-13T02:01:49Z

Well, as many of you probably know, the Colts today held the second of three mandatory mini-camp practices this week - the last time the team will practice together until they gather for training camp at the end of July.

Today, however, was a special practice - it was also the team's fan appreciation day. Today, Lucas Oil Stadium was opened to fans and the practice that followed was as well. Before the practice started, fans could play cornhole, toss or kick a football, try out different seats, and more. Then the players came out and signed autographs before holding practice. It was the second year that the team has put on this fan appreciation day with the open mini-camp practice, and it is a great tradition that I hope they continue for years to come. These aren't the Bill Polian Colts anymore and the Colts are now holding open practices, are more active on twitter and social networks, and have much more and improved stuff on their website. It is a great change that is best illustrated by this day - and at the same time it was a great time to honor the best fans in the NFL, Colts fans.

With all of that going on, however, there was still a practice, and we do still care quite a bit about the team on the field. George Bremer and Kevin Bowen, both absolute must-folows on twitter (a Colts employee a must follow on twitter? Man, things have changed!), provided a tremendous recap of the practice on twitter tonight:

Closer view of Ahmad Bradshaw. #Colts twitter.com/gmbremer/statu…
— George Bremer (@gmbremer) June 12, 2013

#Coltd announce just over 10K fans have come through Lucas Oil Stadium since 2 p.m.
— George Bremer (@gmbremer) June 12, 2013

Practice just wrapped up at Lucas Oil with Reggie Wayne having a very productive practice with a handful of receptions from Andrew Luck
— Kevin Bowen (@KBowenColts) June 12, 2013

The defensive highlight came via Greg Toler when he made a difficult interception on an overthrown pass.
— Kevin Bowen (@KBowenColts) June 12, 2013

Andrew Luck on tonight's practice at Lucas Oil: "It truly is a remarkable venue. We definitely appreciate the great support by the fans."
— Kevin Bowen (@KBowenColts) June 12, 2013

Ahmad Bradshaw, who did not practice for precautionary reasons, on why he chose the Colts: "Their will to win."
— Kevin Bowen (@KBowenColts) June 12, 2013

The touchdown grab was one of several nice plays today for Whalen, who also took an interception away from CB Greg Toler earlier. #Colts
— George Bremer (@gmbremer) June 12, 2013

LaRon Landry made his presence felt again with an outstanding blitz that would have resulted in a sack of Luck in live action. #Colts
— George Bremer (@gmbremer) June 12, 2013

The day's biggest ovation might have gone to owner Jim Irsay, who arrived on a golf cart in the final hour. #Colts
— George Bremer (@gmbremer) June 12, 2013

To recap, some guys who reportedly really stood out at practice today: quarterback Andrew Luck (surprise, surprise), wide receiver Reggie Wayne (another surprise), wide receiver Griff Whalen, cornerback Greg Toler, and safety LaRon Landry. If Luck and Reggie weren't impressive, it would be a problem, so that was expected. Whalen is a guy that I think has a lot of potential with this team, and he seemed to really be the star of today's practice. Toler has been very impressive this entire offseason according to pretty much every report you'll see, and he continued that great offseason today. Lastly, Landry participated in just his second practice with the team after not attending any of the voluntary OTAs. Yesterday Landry really impressed people and it sounds like he did today too.

Also, it is great to hear that owner Jim Irsay was in attendance today. He recently underwent a much needed hip transplant. We here at Stampede Blue wish you a quick and speedy recovery, Jim!

So there's a bit of a recap from today's practice and fan appreciation day. How many of you went? What did you think? Observations? We want to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments.

Enjoy this week, Colts fans. After this, things get a whole lot more boring. And I mean a whole lot.

For more on the practice, check out George Bremer's and Kevin Bowen's twitter accounts, and read George's article on the practice here.

2013 Colts Free Agent Profile: RB Ahmad Bradshaw

2013-06-12T11:01:41Z

Entering the offseason, there were major needs (offensive line, secondary, etc.) and then there were secondary needs (running back, defensive line, etc.). The Colts addressed all of them - with the most recent being running back. On Monday, the team signed former Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw.

Drafted in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Giants, Bradshaw quickly became a very dangerous speed back and he enjoyed a great six year stint in New York. He rushed for 4,232 yards and 32 scores on 921 carries (4.6 yards per carry) and he also caught 132 passes for 1,087 yards and 3 scores. Twice in his six years he has rushed for over 1,000 yards in a season, including last year (1,015 yards and 6 touchdowns while averaging 4.6 yards per carry). He was a part of 2 Super Bowl championship teams (XLII and XLVI) and even scored the game winning touchdown with 57 seconds left in Super Bowl XLVI to beat the New England Patriots in Lucas Oil Stadium.

The downside, however, was that he was prone to fumbles and more significantly, injuries over his six year run in New York. He fumbled a total of 19 times, including 7 in 2010 alone. And more importantly, he has dealt with lingering ankle and foot issues. In fact, he has broken bones in his feet at least three different times since 2009 alone, and this past January he underwent another surgery on his right foot to replace a previous screw with a larger one. He has missed quite a bit of practice in the past few years due to his injuries and in the past two years has missed six games.

Playing through those lingering issues often, however, he has proven his toughness and when healthy he has shown his speed too. Bradshaw is an electric player who can be game-changing. With the emergence of David Wilson and Andre Brown, however, the Giants didn't want to pay his $3.75 million salary next season and they released him. He was on the market for quite a while, and though he visited the Steelers, Packers, and Broncos, he went unsigned until he reached a deal with the Colts on Friday after a Thursday visit.

Ed Valentine of Big Blue View, while speculating on Bradshaw's future with the Giants, wrote back in February just a few days before Bradshaw was released that, despite the injuries:

Bradshaw is still an outstanding player when he can get on the field. He had 1,015 yards rushing in 2012, the second 1,000-yard season of his career. His 4.6 yards per carry average was his best since 2008, and equaled his career average. Bradshaw is also one of the few fiery, vocal Giants. On a team that seems to have few truly emotional leaders you wonder how much his presence might be missed.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin commented after Bradshaw's release on the 5-10, 214 pound back's toughness, saying that:

"Bradshaw has great toughness. He plays through anything. He doesn't just talk about playing hurt. He does play hurt. If anyone knows the quality of this man's pain threshold, all you need to do is watch him on a Monday when he can't even walk. He gets a little better on Tuesday, a little better on Wednesday. By Thursday his spirits are back up and whether he can or he can't, he's telling you he's practicing on Friday, and he does. And he plays on Sunday. And he goes through the same cycle. He did that for two or three years."

Bottom line is that Ahmad Bradshaw is a very good and tough football player who struggles with injuries. That's the type of player that the Colts absolutely can take a chance on. I wrote a little while back about how I felt comfortable with the running back position, and I feel much better even now.

Now, I feel there is an issue that we must address, and that is the issue of what role Bradshaw will play on the Colts. Many think he will just instantly become the starter. No. He won't. The coaching staff really likes Vick Ballard (and I do too, if it helps) and he has earned the chance to be the starter entering training camp. If Bradshaw ends up starting, he will have to win the job in training camp. And I just don't think he will. Barring an awful camp from Ballard, I think that he will be the starter and that Bradshaw will be backing him up. I don't care about the debate of who is the best running back on the roster, what I care about is who will be starting. And I think that will be Vick Ballard.

That said, Ahmad Bradshaw will likely have a big role in the offense still. He will see a significant amount of snaps, and especially considering his skills in the passing game, he will see a lot of playing time if he stays healthy. He is one of the best pass-blocking running backs in the entire NFL and he also is very good catching passes out of the backfield. That will mean big playing time for Ahmad Bradshaw, even though Ballard likely will be the starter.

What does this mean for the other backs? We'll look at it more in depth a bit later as this is neither the time nor the place for it, but it likely means trouble for Delone Carter. I discussed it briefly a few days ago here, if you're interested. We'll cover it more in the coming days, but Ballard and Bradshaw will be the first two on the depth chart - that we know almost definitively.

I love this signing. Bradshaw is a very good player and will compliment Vick Ballard well. Neither guy is at his best when carrying the load, so having two guys is key. The Colts have two pretty good backs and they have depth at the position too.

Ryan Grigson saw a need and he addressed it. And this was a real good move for the Colts' GM. Let's hope that Bradshaw is adding to those two Super Bowl rings very soon. And he could be a big part of getting it, too.

2013 Colts Free Agent Profile: QB Matt Hasselbeck

2013-06-11T12:00:10Z

Entering the offseason, there were only a few positions that I said the Colts wouldn't address. One of them was quarterback.

Well, look how that turned out.

The Colts signed veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck just days after the Tennessee Titans released him. Bringing in the veteran to backup the second year guy in Andrew Luck was a very smart move and one that should pay off for the Colts this year. I wrote at the time of the signing about the team signing a quarterback:

At the start of the offseason, I said that the positions the Colts didn't need were left tackle, tight end, kicker, and of course, quarterback. If you had told me then that the Colts would pay a quarterback that much to be a backup, I'd have said Ryan Grigson was making a very dumb move. If you had told me that I would have liked the signing, I'd have said that I was being an idiot. But that's exactly how I feel.

The 6-4, 225 pound Hasselbeck was drafted way back in 1998 (the same year the Colts drafted Peyton Manning) by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round out of Boston College. In his career, he has made three pro bowls (2003, 2005, 2007) and won an NFC Championship (2005). He has started 194 games over his 15 year career, as well as 11 playoff games. We won't go too much in depth on his career accomplishments because, well, you probably already know about Matt Hasselbeck. Spending the bulk of his career in Seattle(2001-2010), Hasselbeck is the Seahawks' all-time leading passer and enjoyed a very successful run.

After the 2010 season, Hasselbeck was due to become a free agent and a deal was never reached with the Seahawks. The Colts reportedly tried to sign him prior to the 2011 season while trying to find a guy to fill in for the injured Peyton Manning, but Hasselbeck signed with the Tennessee Titans instead. In 2 years there, he appeared in 24 games, including 8 last year. He fluctuated in between starting and backing up Jake Locker, although Hasselbeck was always a better and more reliable option than Locker was.

When the Titans released Hasselbeck earlier this offseason, the move came as a big surprise to many people. Yeah, he was due to make $5.5 million next year, but it seemed very likely that it would be renegotiated. Instead, the Titans released Hasselbeck and instead signed Ryan Fitzpatrick to compete with Jake Locker (as a Colts fan, I am totally fine with this move, as Hasselbeck is still - at 37 years old - a better quarterback than either of those guys). Several teams were interested in signing Hasselbeck but to him, a ring mattered more than a starting job and he signed with the Colts.

Owner Jim Irsay called it an "insurance policy" and, though the contract was rather significant (2 years, $7.25 million), the move will greatly help the Colts.

First off, it will help Andrew Luck. If you thought he was good last year, just wait until this year. Luck figures to take major steps forward, and bringing in a veteran who has started and won many games will help Luck acclimate to doing the same. Just having a guy who has experienced many of the things that Luck will be experiencing will help, as Luck can bounce ideas and pose questions to Hasselbeck.

Secondly, the move will help Chandler Harnish. Last year's Mr. Irrelevant, Harnish spent the 2012 season as the third string quarterback behind Drew Stanton (who followed Bruce Arians to the Arizona Cardinals). This year, he will be the backup to Matt Hasselbeck. Nothing against Stanton, who was a valuable player for the team to have last year, but Hasselbeck should be a much bigger help to Harnish. If he wants to have the number two quarterback spot someday (and then possibly a chance to start somewhere down the road), Harnish needs to make some strides this year, and sitting behind Matt Hasselbeck should help him do that. Everyone talks about how this signing helped Luck out, but it also should have a big impact on Chandler Harnish as well.

And thirdly, this move will help the Colts in case the worst possible scenario would happen like it did two years ago. If Andrew Luck were to go down with an injury, Matt Hasselbeck is about as good as it gets in the entire NFL at backup quarterback. While he obviously wouldn't be able to match Luck's production, he could step in and prevent a bad situation from becoming a disaster, which is what happened when Peyton Manning missed the entire 2011 season. ***

For a signing that is just for a backup, it looks like a lot of money. But the move will pay off for the Colts and will help Andrew Luck and Chandler Harnish to develop quicker. And, should the worst happen and Luck gets hurt, Hasselbeck could step in and win some games. For a real young team led by a real young superstar signal caller, Hasselbeck is the perfect compliment. He's the proven veteran, and he's teamed with the young guy with an unbelievable amount of potential. This one was a good signing by the Colts.

Even though you won't see him on the field, Hasselbeck could be a key part of the Colts' offense next year - and for years to come. And that's exactly why he was signed.

*** Ok, so here's the thing - yes, if the Colts had a better backup quarterback for Peyton they wouldn't have gotten Andrew Luck. I get it. They got lucky and even their big mistake ended up being a blessing. But that's no way to build a team, basing it off of a situation before that was unprecedented in the entire history of the NFL. Be thankful for how it played out but don't think the Colts should do things the exact same way now. Having a backup that can step in and win games is a good thing!

Colts Minicamp 2013: Three Things to Look For

2013-06-10T12:00:13Z

The Indianapolis Colts will hold a mandatory mini-camp this week for all players, after which we really enter the "dead zone" of the NFL offseason (so in other words, enjoy this week!).

Anyways, we highlight just a few of the biggest things to be looking for at mini-camp this week:

1. Bjoern Werner

How much playing time is the Colts' first round pick getting and how much does he have to split reps with Erik Walden? How is Werner looking, particularly at pass rushing?

The Colts used their first round draft choice wisely this offseason, taking outside linebacker and pass rusher Bjoern Werner out of Florida State. The team desperately needed help at the spot and Werner is hopefully the answer. At camp, it will be interesting to see how he is adjusting to the NFL level and how he is adjusting to playing 3-4 outside linebacker. While he can't hit quarterback Andrew Luck (that's probably a good thing!), he can show explosiveness off the line and we can see how comfortable he looks getting off the snap. We won't know for sure how Werner is progressing until he can actually get after quarterbacks in August, but we can get a good idea as to how he is coming along.

Perhaps the biggest thing to watch for is how much he is on the field. The Colts signed outside linebacker Erik Walden this offseason and let's just say not many people liked the move. He isn't a pass rusher at all, so it will be interesting to see just how often he is on the field and how the team rotates Walden and Werner in and out. A lot could change by the start of the season, but at least this will give us an idea as to what the Colts are hoping to do with their outside linebackers.

2. The Offensive and Defensive Lines

Who is running with the first team offensive line? The first team defensive line? Who is at center, right guard, and nose tackle?

Perhaps no two spots on the Colts' roster were addressed more than the offensive and defensive lines this offseason. They brought in four guys on the o-line and three on the d-line, and they all could make an impact next year. During OTAs, the first team offensive line seemed to be Anthony Castonzo at LT, Donald Thomas at LG, Samson Satele at C, Mike McGlynn at RG, and Gosder Cherilus at RT. Thomas and Cherilus were both brought in through free agency this year, and rookies Khaled Holmes and Hugh Thornton could potentially make a push for starting time as well. It will be interesting to see who has the edge in these battles after this week ends. How much time are the rookies getting with the first team line? Is it pretty set at the moment or is it very fluid? The way the coaching staff manages the rotation will be a good indicator as to how they will manage it later this year.

The defensive line has been much less set during OTAs, at least according to what I've heard. Perhaps the most surprising thing is that Aubrayo Franklin has been getting significant time at nose tackle, along with Josh Chapman. That will be a key battle to watch not only this week but in training camp as well, and it will be interesting to see how the Colts manage the d-line rotations as well.

3. The Secondary

How are the cornerbacks doing - particularly Greg Toler? And what about LaRon Landry - how does he look?

Word out of OTAs is that the corner backs have been impressive - especially Greg Toler, who the team signed this offseason from the Arizona Cardinals. Vontae Davis is also looking to build on the strides he made last year and is looking to turn into a premier corner. Darius Butler, who was a key piece to the Colts' playoff run last year and who the team re-signed this offseason, has also reportedly been impressing at OTAs and also looks to build off a strong 2012 season. It will be important that they play well this year for the Colts, and so keying in on them during mini-camp makes sense. How are they playing? It sounds like they really stood out at OTAs - will they do the same this week?

Another thing to watch for in the secondary is LaRon Landry, the team's starting strong safety that they signed in free agency from the New York Jets. Landry makes this list because he hasn't been at voluntary OTAs, so this will be the first time the Colts get to work with him. How does he look, and how quickly can he pick up the defense? it will be yet another thing to watch for in this week's mini-camp.

The Colts will conduct their mandatory minicamp for all players (veteran and rookies alike) this week, from Tuesday, June 11th to Thursday, June 13th. The June 12th practice (Wednesday) will be at Lucas Oil Stadium and it will be open to the public as part of their Fan Appreciation Day. Activities begin at 2:00 P.M., while practice begins at 5:30 P.M.

Could Kelvin Sheppard be the Colts Starting Inside Linebacker in 2013?

2013-06-08T14:40:06Z

As I was reading through Phil B. Wilson's observations from OTAs (a must read if you want to know what's going on with the Colts this offseason), one comment in particular struck me as surprising. Wilson writes the following about the inside linebacker position:

Acquired LB Kelvin Sheppard starts inside if Pat Angerer’s foot isn’t ready yet. Angerer is coming off his second foot surgery and expects to get an MRI soon to see how that right foot progressing. The guy hasn’t been healthy since before that preseason opener last August. Sheppard is more of a classic middle backer, his 250 pounds are 15 more than Angerer. But because Angerer is such a fast tackling machine when healthy, it’s still his spot if the foot cooperates.

Kelvin Sheppard. If you recall, he was the player the Colts got from the Buffalo Bills in the Jerry Hughes trade. Sheppard is a good inside linebacker, but there wasn't much talk of him starting at the time he was acquired.

Now, it appears that he's right there in the mix.

Now the big thing to keep in mind here is that Wilson says that he thinks Sheppard will be starting, but only if Pat Angerer isn't ready to play. He underwent a second surgery on his foot earlier this offseason and may be out until training camp. For a guy who wasn't healthy at all last season, the injury concerns are real. While he certainly is on track to play at this point, it's not certain - especially given his injury issues this past year. At the time the Colts traded for Sheppard, I noted that I wondered just how confident the team was that Angerer could ever be fully healthy again and regain his 2011 form. I still have those doubts. It has long been assumed that, if healthy, Pat Angerer will be starting alongside Jerrell Freeman at inside linebacker. The coaching staff likes Angerer and he is the type of guy that Chuck Pagano loves - tough and loves to play the game. He proved that much last year, but still - if he's not healthy, he won't be playing. And according to Phil B., the guy who would take that spot could very well be Kelvin Sheppard (I'm seriously going to accidentally write Kelvin Sampson one of these times...).

That leaves the question: what about Kavell Conner? For a guy who started 12 games and played in two others last season, we haven't heard much about him at all. And not only did he start a year ago, he played well too. Conner notched 54 tackles, a sack, and batted down 4 passes and proved to be a very good run defender. The duo of Freeman and Conner worked very well for the team and they were one of the bright spots of the season last year. While Angerer was never healthy and his play on the field showed it, Conner still kept him out of the lineup with his play. For him to suddenly be relegated to the team's third option is surprising. Again, this is all based off of one man's observations, but Phil B. is about as good as they get when it comes to covering the Colts.

We won't know for sure until we get to training camp and can really see these players fight it out for the starting spot. While Angerer will have the clear edge if healthy, Sheppard and Conner will both be battling for the spot as well. At the time the trade for Sheppard happened, I didn't give him much of a shot at actually winning it. Like, no shot at all. It appears I was wrong.

Folks, there is a real chance that Kelvin Sheppard could be starting at inside linebacker for the Colts next season. What are your thoughts on that?