Today, all players under contract for the Indianapolis Colts are required to report to Rose Hulman Institute for the start of mandatory training camp for the 2008 season. Nearly 48 hours after Bill Polian said he "didn't care" if his draft picks were signed in time for camp, a flurry of activity has seen Indy signed top pick Mike Pollak; 6th round picks Mike Hart and Pierre Garcon; TE Jacob Tamme; and DE Marcus Howard. One interesting note out of the rookie signings: Howard got a 4 year deal. Not sure the terms, but it is a tad unusual for a 5th round pick to get a 4 year deal. Maybe Indy really sees something in Howard.

The Colts also made some moves in (gasp!) free agency! I nearly fell out of my chair when I saw the position the moves the moves for: Quarterback.

Rotoworld has picked up a story floated by the Internet's resident Joan Rivers (Mike Florio) that the Colts have signed former Jags QB Quinn Gray and former Giants QB Jared "I'm really fat" Lorenzen (tip to farris6659). Of course, in usual Florio style, rather than report the news he simply starts making stuff up, speculating the moves are a sign that Peyton Manning will not be ready for the regular season. Gee, thanks Mike. I'm sure it has nothing to do with Indy trying to upgrade its back-up QB position, which for the last few years has been manned by the immortal Jim Sorgi.

Quinn Gray, Indy's new back-up QB?

Photo via cache.daylife.com

Or, maybe Indy signed Gray so they could get the inside dirt on the Jaguars new offense, which (with WR Jerry Porter out all pre-season with a hamstring injury) looks surprising similar to the Jaguars offense the Colts swept last season.

Starting training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform (or PUP) list are DE Dwight Freeney, OG Ryan Lilja, SS Bob Sanders, and QB Peyton Manning. When he gets signed, rookie TE Tom Santi will also join these men on the PUP. Because of this injury to Santi, in my mind Jacob Tamme is now the front runner to replace Ben Utecht as the starting #2 TE. Tamme will have a leg up on learning the offense, working with the QBs, and he'll have a chance to prove he can block at the pro level. There is also Gijon Robinson, who already knows the offense.

I'll try posting my training camp depth chart list later today. We will also be getting updates from site reader Matic. For a complete schedule of training camp, click here. If you have the chance to drive to Terre Haute and attend camp, I strongly suggest you do so. It is a lot of fun. And when you are done, log in here and post your thoughts on players, coaches, and other training camp news.

Can you smell it in the air, folks? I can.

IT'S FOOTBALL! GO COLTS!

We've got 11 more days until players under contract are to report to training camp. The national media buzz will likely center on idiots like Chad Johnson, Pacman Jones, and the dysfunctional mess that is the Dallas Cowboys. For us, we have different interests. For me, I always get a little nervous because of the rookie signing situation, as you can see. As of today, no rookies for the Colts are signed. Hopefully, we will see some guys get inked this week.

In a post some time ago, you expressed the following interests in TC:

• Roy Hall's development
• Who is Eric Foster, and is he good?
• Who starts: Pollak or Charlie?
• Is Dwight healthy? Is Bob healthy?
• Is Marvin Harrison done?
• Tony Ugoh's development
• More blitzing from the defense?
• The running backs, in particular Dominic Rhodes and Mike Hart
• Why was Pierre Garcon drafted, and who is Samuel Giguere?
• Can the special teams FINALLY be good?

Now, after we've leanred more about guys like Pollak and have had to deal with typical off-season annoyances (like Tyjuan Hagler's injury), do other things perk your interest? Like, say, Philip Wheeler starting at SAM?

Independence Day.  Isn't it grand?  American spirit!  Fireworks!  Hot dogs!  Will Smith fighting aliens!  Barbecue!  Fun with friends and family!  Localized traditions that no one outside of your community cares about!  All of these things are great but for me, there's one thing that gets me more excited than anything else going on today.

There's lless than a monthh to go until the pre-season starts.

Sure, pre-season games aren't the most exciting brand of football you'll ever see, but you know what?  After 6 months without any football action, I'll take it wherever I can get it.

As we get closer to football action, here's what I'm most looking forward to this season:

1. No more injury reports!  (pound on wood):  Throughout most Colts' success during the last decade, we've been able to avoid the injuries that can end a season before it starts.  Then last year we did a pretty good job of catching up in the injury department.  I'm not sure how this year will go in regards to injuries, but I'm fairly optimistic that it won't be as bad as last year.  But if it does happen, we know from last year that the backups are capable of holding down the fort in their absence.
2. Less turnover = More success: One of the staples of the Polian regime has been the constant cycle of players being drafted, becoming successful, and signing with other teams for inflated value while Bill replaces them with cheaper rookies.  This year, our only biggest loss was Jake Scott.  Since there's less to replace, the Colts don't have to devote as much time to getting new players integrated in the system as they have in previous years.  Being able to hit the ground running this year will go a long way in getting to where they want to go.
3. A breakout to Addai for: Even though Joseph was selected to his first Pro Bowl last season, you could tell that he was wearing down at the end of the year.  With the addition of Mike Hard and the return of Dominic Rhodes, Addai should have plenty of help to keep him fresh this season, which will only lead to good things for #29.
4. We still have the best player around: Seriously, how lucky are we to have this guy?

I'm still not quite sure what we're going to do when he retires.  I think I've narrowed it down to public weeping or gnashing of teeth.  It's not going to be pretty. 

With that said, Peyton if you're reading this please don't put us through this when you do decide to hang 'em up.  Our hearts won't be able to take it.

Ryan Wilson of AOL Fanhouse responds to some Mike Hart quotes in a Detroit Free Press article:

Good news: Colts sixth-round pick Mike Hart is pleasantly surprised by his NFL experience so far. Bad news: he's still got a lot of work to do to make the team amid a pretty crowded backfield.

"It's a little different," Hart said ... "The only surprise is it's not as tough as I thought it was going to be, as far as practice and those type of things ... It's more laid back."

... "Indianapolis is a different organization. You watch 'Hard Knocks' on HBO and you expect to be hazed and a lot of those things, but the Colts are a lot different. It's not as bad as I thought -- we don't get taped, we don't get hazed with the Colts."

Too bad the Colts didn't draft Erasmus James in 2005. Things might've turned out differently.

I think Hart's quotes are more praise for how the Colts practice than a revelation that he somehow thinks the NFL is "easy." Teams like the Cowboys and Chiefs are usually featured on HBO's "Hard Knocks," and unlike those teams the Colts have a fairly competent and professional coaching staff. Player hazing is not tolerated in the Colts locker room, and despite a team loaded with stars there are very few showboat-type players. This is pro football, not a frat house.

Maybe that was where Hart's comments were coming from, and not a sign that he thinks the Colts run a lazy camp, per Wilson's silly suggestion.

Justise Hairston Photo: AJ Macht

I think pretty much off of us still think that one of the first cuts during the pre-season will be Colts back-up RB Kenton Keith. With Dominic Rhodes back on the roster and with a promising rookie like Mike Hart waiting in the wings, K2 (and his inability to catch the football when thrown to him) is expendable. But with Indy's latest trade with the Philadelphia Eagles (something that has become almost a yearly act), everyone's favorite fullback, Luke Lawton, was sent to the city of brotherly love for a conditional draft pick in 2009.

Because of the Lawton trade, it is very possible Kenton Keith could stick around, with Mike Hart taking up Lawton's role as third down, short yardage specialist. This would give the Colts this stable of running backs: Joesph Addai, Rhodes, Keith, Hart. That's pretty damn good!

Left out of this mix is Justise Hairston, a guy who spent most of last season on and off the Colts practice squad. He was originally drafted by the Patriots. Tony Dungy has sung this guy's praises after the minicamps and the OTAs.  At 6'1, 220 pounds, perhaps Hairston impressed coaches so much playing the FB spot it made Luuuuuuuuuuuke expendable. From an Eagles fan's POV, trading for Lawton seems to suggest the whole Dan Klecko to FB experiment isn't working.

And speaking of Dominic Rhodes: Have I mentioned that I love having this guy back on the roster? I have? Well, I'll say it again: I LOVE having Dom back. One of the biggest reasons why Dom's return is so important is his persona in the locker room. Teammates love him as much as we fans do. People love Dom, despite his many faults, because he is the ultimate team player. He will literally do anything the team asks of him and not complain. And Dom also takes nothing for granted:

"I assume nothing," Rhodes said. "Everybody assumed I was just going to be the backup. I go into this thing fighting for not just backup, but every job. I want Joe to be the best he can be, so I’m going to push him as hard as I can. I’m going to make sure every play I do looks as good as the play he does. That’s how I’ve always been. Everybody knows that when I go to camp, I’m going in fighting to try to start.

"That’s my mentality. My mentality is to go in and fight. I don’t ever put myself at the level when it’s, ‘I’m a backup.’ I don’t feel like a backup. I feel like I can run the football in this league as good as anybody.

"That’s how I think about it and that’s how I’m always going to be."

The highlighted part of the quote is something every fan has got to love. You want people like this on your team, and people who do not embrace position competition should not be on your team (hint, hint, Cedric Benson).

Regardless of who starts or who plays in goal line situations, the Colts are going to have tremendous depth at running back going into the 2008 season.

Rookies at the 2008 Colts Minicamp. Photos from Colts.com , and by Chris Hall.

WR Rudy Burgess

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The Colts 2008 minicamp for veterans and rookies wrapped up yesterday, and all signs point to a very productive three-day event. Lots of info was revealed on why the Colts drafted the way they did, how the injury progress is going with players (like Dwight Freeney), and how certain players have grown and impressed coaches.

One thing I think we all fell pretty good about: This is a stacked team with a ton of depth at key positions, with the exception of the QB position. I still hold out hope that if a veteran like Chris Simms gets cut during training camp, the Colts will make a move to get a good back-up QB. Sorgi just can't do it, but we've been over that. Back-up QB aside, the Colts addressed almost all their off-season needs and look primed to make another run.

Dungy singled out Reggie Wayne, Dante Hughes, Ramon Guzman, Clint Session, Roy Hall, and Tony Ugoh as players who looked impressive during camp. Dungy typically does not evaluate players during minicamp, but these guys showed up ready to work and showcased some things. Roy Hall is the most interesting prospect. At 6'3, 240 pounds, he could add a very potent weapon to this offense if indeed he has taken that next step. The one thing Roy seems to have worked on is his hands. He went to a hands clinic over the summer, and seems dedicated to becoming a real, big time WR.

CB Dante Hughes, #20

Photo: Chris Hall

Dante Hughes seems ready to win the nickel corner spot from Tim Jennings. Jennings doesn't suck as badly as some suggest or say, but Hughes really excelled in the nickel as a rookie, and if he has made progress he should outright win the spot. Jennings still has value as a dime corner and a special teams player. I still shake my head when i think of how deep this secondary is.

On offense, I'll second mgrex30's post. Mike Hart might have been a major steal in the 2008 NFL Draft. And as much of a steal as Hart was, Dom Rhodes might be as big a steal in free agency. Teams needing a RB will regret not taking a shot at Dom after he was cut by Oakland. Since the beginning of the 2006 playoffs, Dom has turned it on. When given chances, he ran very well behind a bad Oakland offensive line. Here, comfortable in his back-up role and hungry to prove to people that he is a good back, he will help this team. Hart is shaping up to spell Addai on the goal line seeing as he never fumbles and is a battering ram in traffic.

Finally, there's Marvin Harrison. To quote Reggie Wayne:

"I can tell you it’s definitely hurting him not being able to be out there," Wayne said.

Rhodes also echoed Wayne's remarks on Harrison, and took them a step further. Dom said teams better "look out" because Marvin Harrison is very determined to prove he can still dominate. Marvin has never been one who has had to use his play to shut up critics. When someone has been dumb enough to criticize his (Keyshawn Johnson in Tampa Bay back in 2003), Marvin has a habit of exploding his production and making said idiots (Keyshawn Johnson) look even dumber than they normally do. Doctors also expect Marvin to be 100% ready for Chicago in Week One. For Harrison, it is important for him to come out of the gates fast. He needs to re-establish himself and prove he is healthy.

Other players that Indy coaches seemed to giggle with glee over are rookie free agent DT Eric Foster and rookie OG Mike Pollak. Foster is a high motor guy known for getting to the QB from the DT position. Pollak, learning a new position after playing OC in college, is challenging one-time OT Charlie Johnson for the starting OG spot. Johnson was magnificent in 2006, filling in numerous times at RT for Ryan Diem. In 2007, he took a step back and did not produce. Now, it looks like the Colts are trying him at OG. I like Charlie, and I think a virsital player like him is valuable for this team, but Pollak better beat him for the starting OG position. If Pollak doesn't, he's a wasted pick IMHO. Second round OGs better beat converted tackles for starting positions on the o-line.

DT Eric Foster, #68

Photo: Chris Hall

So, there you have it: the 2008 minicamp in review. Absent from practices were rookie Marcus Howard (rib), Dwight Freeney (foot), Bob Sanders (shoulder), Marvin Harrison (knee), and Gary Brackett (knee). It will be interesting to see how Howard looks at Training Camp, which is only two months away! Though it is only May, we Colts fans have to feel very good about this football team. Anything can, and likely will, happen in 2008, but Bill Polian has done his job creating a potent roster able to win another Super Bowl.

We've had a couple weeks now to digest the draft, and the Colts have now finished both its Rookie Camp, as well as the full team Mini-Camp, and BBS has done a great job keeping us updated on all the goings-on from the weekend.  I thought I'd take a look at how in the world Mike Hart dropped as far as he did, luckily, right into the Colts lap at the end of the 6th Round.  The main reason, I believe, is that every GM in the league, save the very best, are always interested in finding "the hidden gem" of the draft.

I was reading through a Sports Illustrated from a couple weeks ago, and the back cover article by Selena Roberts was on a guy named Drew Boylhart, who is a contributor on The Huddle Report, which specializes in the draft.  His quote at the end of the article is spot on.  He says:

"I'm very surprised - and annoyed - at the number of small-college players picked ahead of good talent from larger schools.  It's almost as if scouts are saying, 'I can find this sleeper pick' and trying to make a name for themselves.  Such b.s."

This quote has Mike Hart's name all over it.  He is Michigan's all time leading rusher with over 5000 yards rushing, was a 4 year starter, and was UM's vocal leader, on and off the field.  He also was passed by multiple times by different teams who drafted RBs in the 5th and 6th round from much smaller schools.  Here's a list:

• Timothy Hightower - Richmond, 149 overall to Arizona:  ESPN thought he'd be a late round or undrafted pick, yet he goes halfway through Round 5.  Only started 20/35 games, averaging 4.7 yards/carry (less than Hart's 5.0 for his career).
• Marcus Thomas - UTEP, 166 overall to San Diego:  Scout had him rated as the #30 RB in the draft class, and he was the 14th one picked.  I see Hart being very comparable to Michael Turner, who just left the Chargers.  A.J. Smith trying to show off his "genius" with this one, as it doesn't look very good.
• Xavier Omon - NW Missouri St., 179 overall to Buffalo:  Offensive Player of the Year in DII, and the first RB to run for 1500 yards in each of his 4 years.  I can't argue with this pick too much.  He may end up being very good.

Two of these picks seem like the GM is trying to find the "hidden gem", rather than taking the proven back, Hart.  This phenomenon is not limited to RB.  Take Tennessee's pick of William Hayes, DE from Winston Salem St., with pick 103 in the 4th Round.  While watching the draft on the NFL Network, they had absolutely no information on this guy, and they traded up to draft him in the 4th round.  Jeff Fisher was interviewed later on, and he said, paraphrasing here, that some other team called him afterward and told him they were going to take Hayes in the next round.  I can't remember the team, but I'm thinking it was either the Chiefs or the Saints.  I'm wondering if he wasn't trying to save face with his fans, since clearly they could have gotten this guy much later in the draft.

I'm clearly not saying that taking a guy from a big school is much better than taking a guy from a small school.  There are clearly some great NFL players that come from small schools.  Mathis and Bethea are two examples from the Colts.  They were taken in the later rounds, and turned out to be Pro Bowl players.  I would only say this occurs in the 5, 6, and 7th rounds.  You don't see too many teams taking chances on guys earlier than that, so if a player is taken from a small school, chances are they could have played at a big time school.  However, there are many times that teams take flyers on the small school guys, and pass on proven players that have played against top level competition in college.  Take T.J Houshmanzedah for example.  He was a 7th round pick from Oregon State, the same year his OSU teammate Chad Johnson was drafted in the 2nd Round.  Here's a list of small school WRs taken before Houshmanzadeh in 2001 (All in the 5th Round):

I've only heard of one of these guys: McCants.  Teams were trying to find the "gem", when they could have had a proven WR, who ended up being an All-Pro player.  I hope Mike Hart ends up being for the Colts what Houshmanzadeh is for the Bengals.

Minicamp concludes today, and I have to give Colts.com some credit. They did a fine job reporting what's been going on. I wasn't happy with their nearly invisible coverage of their rookie minicamp, especially no pictures. But with this minicamp, they've done a good job; lots of articles and videos. Here's what we've learned:

• Peyton Manning spelled it out in no uncertain terms: The reason the Colts did not draft a wide receiver in the early rounds of the draft is because they expect Marvin Harrison back 100%. Peyton says Harrison looks fine, and can still get it done. We'll see.
• When interviewed regarding Marvin Harrison's ability to still play football, Dominic Rhodes said people better "look out" because Harrison is out to prove people wrong. He also says most NFL DBs are "scared" of Harrison.
  
• Reggie Wayne has looked very impressive at camp. Dungy heaped a ton of praise on him.
• In the future (long term), Reggie Wayne would like to be a football coach.
  
• Interesting tidbit from Pro Football Weekly:

  It seems almost humorous that a team as stacked as the Colts would heap such praise on an undrafted rookie, but team sources tell us the Colts are genuinely excited about what DT Eric Foster brings to the table. A third-team Associated Press All-American in 2006, the Rutgers product had a stellar collegiate career, but his small size (6-1, 273 pounds) scared off teams from drafting him. Quick, undersized tackles have a long history of thriving in coach Tony Dungy’s defense, which is predicated upon getting a strong pass rush from the front four, and Foster has a chance to be the next in line.

  If Foster pans out, the Colts will have five quality DTs heading into the 2008 season, and most of them young. I'm not even counting Darrell Reid, who is a decent reserve DT and excellent special teams player. DT went from a position of "Oh please oh please don't get hurt, Booger" to arguably the deepest position on the team in the span of one year.
• Roy Hall has taken a big step, and has looked good at camp. He says the game has slowed down for him, and Dungy has been impressed with his work ethic.
• The injury that has held Marcus Howard out of this minicamp is a rib injury. He got it during the rookie camp last week.
• Dom Rhodes is trying to get his old number back from safety Melvin Bullitt. Unless Bullitt is cut, he isn't giving the number up; nor should he:

  The number has sentimental value to Bullitt. That's the number his father, Jerry, wore at Texas A&M. After wearing No. 18 through his junior season at Texas A&M, Bullitt switched to No. 33 as a senior to honor his father. "I kind of feel like when I'm wearing (No. 33), a piece of my dad is with me when I'm on the field,'' Bullitt said.

• Dungy calls Rhodes' number 38 "an ugly number for a running back." Dungy also advised Bullitt not to give his current #33 up to Rhodes unless he is well compensated.
  
• Tony Ugoh looks like he's ready to take the next step and become a premiere LT. Last season, prior to getting hurt, he was the best rookie playing football not named Adrian Peterson.
  
• Because the Colts are the only team holding mandatory Minicamp this weekend, there are a ton of video clips up on NFL.com.
• NFL Network's Marshall Faulk says the Colts might be the team to beat in the AFC. Marshall Faulk is also a big, big, BIG Mike Hart fan.
• From an NFL.com article by Thomas George:

  Dungy expects the battle for right guard to be ''one of the things that heats up all summer.'
  

  Other than rookie Mike Pollak, who else is battling for the starting RG spot now that Dylan Gandy is in Denver?

The more Minicamp info we get, the more we will print. So far, looks like a very productive and positive camp. Guys like Hall, Gonzo, Pitcock, and Ugoh have impressed, showing they can make that all important leap from first to second year. No info on Mike Hart, but we'll probably get a better idea about him once Training Camp starts.

Colts.com finally put up some images showing the rookies in uniform. These images, and more, are located there. Photos: Chris Hall

Jacob Tamme

Dominic Rhodes is now wearing #38.

Finally! A pic of Mike Hart in his uni, wearing Edge's old number.

Roy Hall

Pierre Garcon

Here's someone I've never heard of: Justise Hairston.

Here's someone I have heard of.

Gonzo, running routes.