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!

A day after Bill Polian gave a big middle finger to his unsigned draft picks, their agents, and their union, Tony Dungy stepped in and painted a much rosier picture of the Colts situation as they enter training camp. Dungy stated that Manning will be back in roughly 3 weeks, and will play in pre-season. Yes, I know. A shocker, indeed. Anyone who said Manning might not play was trying to make news, not report it. Dungy also had some very encouraging news about Marvin Harrison:

“The last I heard from the doctors meeting was that Marvin would be ready to go,” Dungy said of his 35-year-old receiver. “He’s been running and feeling good and everyone is optimistic.”

Based on last year's botched job, many are more than a little cynical of Dungy's prognosis of Harrison. However, unlike last year, Marvin is running and not feeling pain. That's a very good sign. If Marvin is healthy, and it sounds like he is, other NFL teams thinking they have a shot at the Colts just made one big collective groan.

And unlike Bill Polian, Dungy does indeed care that the drafted rookies get signed before camp. In fact, he thinks they'll all be there. With yesterday's signing of 6th rounder Pierre Garcon, Dungy has reason to be optimistic:

The optimist in Dungy also anticipates a rash of rookie signings before Thursday’s midafternoon reporting deadline.

On Tuesday, sixth-round pick Pierre Garcon, a receiver, became the first of Indy’s nine draft picks to sign. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The Colts also appear close to an agreement with their top pick, offensive lineman Mike Pollak, who was taken late in the second round.

“Things are going smoothly and we expect him to be in camp on time,” said Ken Zuckerman, Pollak’s agent.

One of the more humorous aspects of the Colts is how Yin and Yang the combo of Dungy and Polian are. It's likely one of the reasons why they have been so successful together. The one bit of bad news for Virginia fans is presumed #2 TE tom Santi will start training camp on the PUP with a (sigh) infected bursa sac. This is the same thing Manning had surgery on.

Honestly, I'm getting real tired of reading the words "infected bursa sac."

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?

Pierre "The Waiter" Garcon

With all the positive chat about second year WR Roy Hall's development (aka, he can catch now) and the phenom we are about to experience in rookie free agent WR Samuel "Guns" Giguere, it makes you wonder how seventh round pick Pierre "The Waiter" Garcon fits into the equation. When drafted, I was convinced he was taken to return punts and kicks. Then, the Colts said otherwise, prompting many of us to scratch our heads, wondering why he was drafted in the first place.

But, like Roy Hall, Pierre might be a project receiver. Rather than draft a second or third round WR, and deal with the financial implications of paying that guy such money, the Colts seem to draft late round projects. These projects usually play special teams early in their careers, while minicamps and practice help them hone NFL-caliber receiving skills. It's not enough to just be fast in the NFL. You have to know what you're doing.

We talked a few weeks ago about the WR battle between Devin Aromashodu and Roy Hall but the X-Factor here is Garcon and Giguere. Make no mistake, if Garcon or Giguere (Giguere especially, because reports say he is polished) come into camp and look good, Devin Aromashodu is looking for a job come September. This is not a knock against Aromashodu, who I thought handled himself well after getting thrust into a starter's role last year with virtually no knowledge of the offense. It's just that if these other guys look good, Aromashodu is expendable. Knowing this, as I'm sure Aromashodu does, should motivate him to come into camp and showcase his receiving skills as well.

Really, the more I look at it, and the more feedback I get from you guys on not wanting potential camp free agents like Terry Glenn, the more I warm up to our WR depth. Stampede Blue will have wall-to-wall coverage of camp this year (if I have my way) with daily updates of who looks good and who doesn't. I plan to pay extra attention to the WRs.

Should I focus on any other group? DEs? RBs? What's your take?

BBS- Old title for this post used to read 2008 Colts Draft Pick: Samuel Giguere et Pierre Garcon donneront un coup de pied à votre âne, which basically translated meant that Giguere and Garcon were going to kick your donkey. I got the word "ass" wrong. The title has been corrected, reflecting that they will kick your rear section, not your donkey. Now kindly kiss my âne. Thanks to bluegirl and TeteDeFer for correcting my Friench.

For you non-French speakers out there, use this site to translate what the title says.

If you hadn't noticed, the theme for this year's off-season is a French one. Vive le France! Vive le Québec libre! Cue the flag pic:

via www.teachnet.ie

Why is the theme a French one? Well, if you haven't noticed, the Colts currently have two WRs on their roster named Pierre Garcon and Samuel Giguere. Giguere (pronounced She-gair) hails from L'Université de Sherbrooke in Quebec, Canada, where the team sports colors are Le Vert & Or (The Green and Gold). Despite playing at a school located in another country (and in a part of that country where people speak French and ONLY French), Giguere garnered a lot of interest long before the 2008 April Draft.

Sherbrooke (Canada) senior wide receiver Samuel Giguere is attracting interest. He finished second in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) with 45 receptions for 871 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging more than 19 yards per catch. He has been timed in the 4.4 range in the 40-yard dash with a career best time of 4.35. Giguere ran 4.41 for me during the workout session of this past spring's East-West Bowl held in Quebec City. He is a rare natural athlete with a 40-inch vertical, 4.14 short shuttle, 10-foot, 1-inch broad jump and has also completed 23 reps of 225 pounds during offseason training. Not subject to NCAA rules, he was able to sign with an agent while still having a year of college eligibility remaining. He signed with well-known CFL agent Darren Gill who has represented Jason Clermont and Chris Bauman, two of the top-rated receivers in recent CFL Draft memory. You could hear Giguere's name among the players assigned to the East-West Shrine Game or another postseason game.

The "new frontier" for NFL scouting seems to be Canada. Seven years ago, the Colts were one of the few teams that signed numerous undrafted free agent rookies. Now, teams compete over signing these undrafted players. The Colts and Jaguars got into a bidding war over WR Rudy Burgess just after the NFL concluded with Burgess eventually signing with Indy. The next big fad, established by teams like the Colts, will likely be to start scouting players in Canada. Guys up there can play American football. We all like to bash on Kenton Keith, but the guy did average 4.4 yards a carry and generated 533 yards backing up Joseph Addai last year. And while Keith is not from Canada, he has spent much of his professional career playing for the CFL Roughriders.

Sam Giguere, like all Canadian college stars, has his own website.

Photo via samuelgiguere.com

Regarding Giguere, the first thing you notice about him is his size and speed (4.45 speed). The dude looks like he was exposed to the same radiation that Hulked Dr. Bruce Banner, only in Giguere's case his skin didn't turn green. Between Marvin Harrison Kung Fu skills and Giguere's bulk, I'd rather get into a fight with the o-linemen and take my chances rather than pick a fight with Indy's WR corps.

The other "Frenchie" the Colts plucked from the college ranks is from Division III powerhouse Mount Union: Pierre "The Waiter" Garcon. For those of you who like to reference movies that like to reference movies: Garcon means "boy."

Garcon might have a name that would fit in with the football notables at L'Université de Sherbrooke, Mount Union is in the Ohio Atlantic Conference, and Garcon is from West Palm Beach, FL. So, I highly doubt Garcon walked up to Giguere the first day of rookie mini-camp and said Vou et vous ce a le qua? Because, like, if he did it would have been a little... awkward.

Like Giguere, Garcon came from a school that no many have heard of. Though Mount Union dominates Division III NCAA football, not many NFL prospects comes from Div III. That's not to say that no one from Div III has a shot at the NFL. Last season, the Rams took a shot at Div III Wisconsin-Whitewater's Derek Stanley. So, anything is possible, but if you agree with TheSportsGuru's philosophy of Give me big time players from big time schools who have played in big time games, then Pierre Garcon is not someone you want to draft. Might I suggest then Tommy Frazer, Eric Crouch, or Lawrence Phillips. They played in big time games for big time schools.

Can you tell I think the whole "big school" theory is a big bunch of merde?

Like Giguere, Garcon is 6'0, has good speed, and is quick. Garcon was also one of the top performers at the Combine, running a 4.48. NFL.com has a scouting report on him:

Positives: Adequate size, larger than most small-school prospects. ... Long limbs. ... Accelerates well and is also a strong runner after the catch. ... Blows by defenders at the Division III level. ... Good speed and quickness. ... Used on bubble screens and shallow crossing routes to get the ball in his hands early. ... Also a deep threat, able to adjust to the ball in the air. ... Good hands on punt and kickoff returns. ... Can get upfield quickly and shows a burst to hit the hole hard.

The second to last bit I placed in bold is the reason I thought the Colts drafted Garcon. If you watch any of his college football kick and punt returns, you know the kid is lightening in a bottle. Speed is speed. It doesn't matter if it is Div III or USC v. Notre Dame. Pierre Garcon has speed. Yet, surprisingly, the Colts are saying they will not play Garcon at KR pr PR this year. Um, did they not see the film:

Why is Garcon not returning kicks this year? I have no friggin' clue.

If Garcon or Giguere can return punts and kicks, I think they should have a chance to compete against TJ Rushing. I don't think Rushing stinks or anything, but if Garcon or Giguere can do the job better (or provide a legit threat to score every time they field a kick) they should have a chance to win it over TJ.

Both Garcon and Giguere have excellent chances to make the final roster. I think one will get placed on the practice squad though, but the Colts saw something in these two guys that made them think they could be Colts.

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

WR Rudy Burgess

Head over to the other side to see the rest.

Continue reading this post »

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.

Like many of you, I assumed the Colts drafted Division III WR Pierre Garcon to return punts and kicks in 2008. Otherwise, it makes no sense to have him on the roster, because the Colts already have another "project" WR in Roy Hall. Apparently, our assumptions were not correct:

Although Garcon returned punts and kicks in college, Polian said that likely won’t be his role early. Rather, he will learn the Colts’ offense and work to make the significant step from a lower level of college football to the sport’s highest level.

“I’m confident,” Garcon said. “I know what I can do. It’s going to be a big jump. Every level, you have to adjust to how things are going. It will be a big jump, but I know I can do it. You just have to adjust.”

Um, what? The Colts have Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzalez, Roy Hall, and Devon Aromashodu. If Garcon is not returning kicks or punts, he will not make the 53 man roster, which in turn means he was a completely wasted draft pick. I'm sure Garcon has the physical tools to develop into a good receiver, but it makes no sense to draft this guy for the 2008 squad if he is not getting used on punts and kicks. It is a major strength of his game, and an area the Colts need improvement in.

All this week we've been looking at our new draft choices, trying to see how they'll fit in on the team and all that fun jazz.  But we still don't really know much about the players as people.  It'll take a while to really get a feel for what they're like, but hopefully these facts will help us start to understand them better...or maybe not.

Mike Pollak: He's not, I repeat NOT related to Jackson Pollack.  Just because you were shouting "Who the #$&% is Mike Pollak?" when the Colts made their first pick doesn't change their relation, even if it's something that you'd also say about Jackson Pollack.

Philip Wheeler: Wheeler is the first Yellow Jacket to be drafted by the Colts since their move to Indianapolis.  In fact, the last player from Georgia Tech by the Colts was the immortal quarterback Jim Bob Taylor (I didn't make that name up, honestly) in 1983.

Most of you probably know the 1983 Draft as the famous "Quarterback draft" that had 6 QB's go in the first round, with 3 of them (Marino, Kelly, and that other QB the Colts drafted that year) going on to become Hall of Famers.  Jim Bob didn't go in the first round, and he didn't make it into the Hall of Fame (yet!), but he can claim one thing that none of the other quarterbacks can: Every single ball he passed in the NFL for the exact same yardage.  In his career he had two passing attempts, one was a completion for 20 yards, and the other was an interception that was returned 20 yards.

Jacob Tamme: He earned a degree in integrated strategic communications from Kentucky.  In other words, he should be working with Peyton at ESP level by the end of training camp.

Marcus Howard: Wanna see someone wet their pants?  Just whisper "Here comes Marcus!" in Colt Brennan's ear.

Tom Santi: If you re-arrange the letters in his name, you get moist ant.  I have no idea what a moist ant is, but it sounds pretty dirty.

Steve Justice: Remember how I talked about Philip Wheeler being first Yellow Jacket drafted by the Colts since 1983?  Steve Justice is the first Demon Deacon drafted by the Colts since 1968.

Mike Hart: Has no respect for Jim Harbaugh.

Pierre Garcon: When he's not being made fun of for his especially French-sounding name, he's got a penchant for some pretty dazzling catches, like this one:

Just think how much more spectacular it would have been had it counted.

Jamey Richard: According to his bio, the most impressive person he's ever met is Phil Simms.  I guess that means that Jamey isn't a snowball advocate.