Colts Training Camp: Rookies Expected to Contribute Early

Indy is starting to figure out how it wants to approach a Matt Ryan-led offense with Alec Pierce and Bernhard Raimann in the mix.

Following stops with the Bills, Browns, Steelers, and Bengals, here are five thoughts from Colts training camp...

1) Rookie wide receiver Alec Pierce is going to be a factor in the Colts offense—and the staff expects him to be on the field contributing in Week 1. He’s a nice complement to Michael Pittman on the outside: a longer, lankier, faster target to contrast his stronger, more physical veteran teammate. Now, Indy’s still going to have work out roles between those two, Parris Campbell and a deep tight end room that was bolstered with a couple draft picks. But whatever the mix winds up being, I’d count on Pierce being a part of it.

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2) Nyheim Hines should have a bigger role than he did a year ago. He had more than 60 catches working with Andrew Luck in 2018 and Philip Rivers in 2020, and I think he gets there again after a little dip in his production last year. Hines should help the Colts manage Jonathan Taylor’s workload, but I also wouldn’t be surprised to be Indy use the two together, with Hines having the ability to play as a slot receiver. Add the depth in the backfield and at receiver to a promising tight end room with two draft picks in it, and I think the offense is tailor-made for Matt Ryan, who’ll be able to effectively play point guard with so much balance at the skill positions.

3) Left tackle’s probably the biggest question mark. The feeling here in Matt Pryor—who played pretty well in Eric Fisher’s place last year—will start Week 1. But third-round pick Bernhard Raimann will have a chance to overtake him eventually, and how quickly that happens should start to shake out soon with the pads going on this week. Raimann’s a little raw, but the big Austrian’s got ability. (One other note, offensive line-wise: I’d expect the Colts to make a push to get a monster extension for Quenton Nelson done over the next three or four weeks).

4) The team’s other third-round pick, Nick Cross, probably won’t have to wait as long for his shot. He’s the one guy everyone at camp in Indy seems to bring up, a guy who runs a 4.3-second 40-yard dash and is strong enough to play in the box. The Colts had him graded similarly to Vikings first-round pick Lewis Cine, and everything they’ve seen since has justified that evaluation.

5) The team’s strength on defense is still at linebacker, with Bobby Okereke, E.J. Speed and Zaire Franklin all off to fast starts this summer. The quality depth the Colts have there should give the team the latitude to take its time bringing Shaquille (Darius) Leonard back from back surgery.