Colts will not participate in joint practice with another team this year

Last year, the Colts held a couple of joint practices with the Chicago Bears during training camp, but don't expect them to do so again this year.

On Tuesday, head coach Chuck Pagano said that with the way the team's schedule is working out - with a fifth preseason game and an earlier camp start date - the Colts likely won't be practicing with another team.

"Doesn't look like we're going to have a joint practice with anyone this year," Pagano said. "We looked into it, and I think with the extra game, Hall of Fame game, and starting a little bit early and the way the schedule fell, preseason schedule, we weren't able to hook up with anybody this year."

This isn't unusual for the Colts, as last year's joint practices were the first for the team since 2000. So it's not like it's an annual tradition or anything, and with the team's increased workload in the preseason it makes sense. The Colts will be playing the Green Bay Packers in the Hall of Fame game on Sunday, August 7, a full week before the rest of the league begins their preseason slate. That means that the Colts won't just be playing in five preseason games but will also be reporting to training camp earlier than the other teams. The team hasn't announced the start date yet, but it's expected to be around July 23 (15 days before their first preseason game, per NFL rules).

It's not like fans will be missing out on anything, though, as the Colts closed their practices with the Bears to fans last year. And whatever benefit may have come to the Colts from practicing against another team should be supplanted by an additional preseason game against another team. In other words, it's no surprise that the Colts aren't going to be participating in a joint practice this year.