Horseshoe Huddle

2021 Colts Training Camp Journal, Day 10: Defense Piles Sacks, Ehlinger Shines

The Colts' pass rush was ferocious on Sunday, but the quarterbacks still managed to get some good plays in. QB Sam Ehlinger particularly had a good day.

Jake Arthur

The Indianapolis Colts tacked on another padded practice on Sunday before they have a players' day off on Monday.

The defensive front seven took the intensity up a notch by registering numerous sacks. However, the quarterbacks were still able to make some things happen in live drills.

All that and more in Friday's Day 10 "Colts Training Camp Journal."

TEAM

— The following players did not participate in practice Sunday: QB Carson Wentz (foot), WR Ashton Dulin (hamstring), S Julian Blackmon (knee), CB Nick Nelson (undisclosed), LB Darius Leonard (ankle), LB Skai Moore (back), G Quenton Nelson (foot), LB Jordan Glasgow (back), DE Damontre Moore (knee), C Ryan Kelly (elbow), TE Mo Alie-Cox (knee), TE Kylen Granson (knee), TE Noah Togiai (knee), DT Taylor Stallworth (hamstring), DeForest Buckner (foot).

— Rookie S Shawn Davis made his camp debut on Sunday after missing the previous nine practices with a hamstring injury. He was able to see some action in positional drills and with the reserves in live sessions.

— While Blackmon and Buckner were unable to fully participate, you can't keep those guys away from the game. They could be seen hanging out with their position groups, and Blackmon even did light, walkthrough-pace versions of positional drills.

— The biggest Colts news of the day came shortly before practice as the Colts' All-Pro LB Darius Leonard, signed a huge contract extension. The deal is reportedly an extension of five years worth $99.25 million total, including $52.5M guaranteed. 

— The Colts made a couple of roster moves early on Sunday, signing free-agent TE Graham Adomitis and designating WR Gary Jennings as waived-injured. If Jennings clears waivers, he will revert to the team's Injured Reserve list.

— In 1-on-1 drills pitting wide receivers/tight ends vs. defensive backs, they changed it up a bit by stacking two and three-receiver sets and allowing the quarterback to choose who to throw to. The offense won by a score of 13 reps to 6. I scored an offensive win by catches and defensive wins by any incompletion. Here's how it went: George Odum def. Jack Doyle; Kenny Moore II def. Farrod Green; Tarik Black def. T.J. Carrie; Parris Campbell def. Isaiah Rodgers; Nyheim Hines def. Shawn Davis; Quartney Davis def. Odum; Mike Strachan def. Holton Hill; Zach Pascal def. Rodgers; Sean Davis def. Graham Adomitis; Xavier Rhodes def. Campbell; Jordan Thomas def. Carrie; Davis def. Anthony Chesley; Dezmon Patmon def. Rock Ya-Sin; Pascal def. Rhodes; Hines def. Odum; Rodgers def. Campbell; Ibraheim Campbell def. Adomitis; Davis def. Andre Chachere; Patmon def. Marvell Tell III.

— In 1-on-1 drills pitting offensive linemen vs. defensive linemen, the defense won by a score of 14 reps to 9. I gave a "win" to the offensive lineman if he kept his man from getting to the marker on the field that he's attempting to reach, and a "win" to the defensive lineman if he successfully reached the mark or collapsed the pocket. Here's how it went: Kwity Paye def. Will Holden; Chris Reed def. Joey Ivie; Mark Glowinski def. Andrew Brown; Tyquan Lewis def. Braden Smith; Ben Banogu def. Julien Davenport; Jake Eldrenkamp def. Chris Williams; Antwaun Woods def. Joey Hunt; Isaac Rochell def. Will Fries; Al-Quadin Muhammad def. Sam Tevi; Kemoko Turay def. Holden; Ivie def. Carter O'Donnell; Grover Stewart def. Danny Pinter; Glowinski def. Brown; Kameron Cline def. Fries; Davenport def. Paye; Reed def. Brown; Hunt def. Woods; Lewis def. Smith; Rochell def. Smith; Smith def. Paye; Banogu def. Holden; Holden def. Muhammad; Turay def. Holden.

— By this time of camp, tempers begin to flare. That was the case during a 1-on-1 rep when G Mark Glowinski mobbed DT Andrew Brown, and Brown took exception by jabbing Glowinski. Glowinski pushed back and then engaged with DT Grover Stewart as well. Cooler heads prevailed and the drills continued.

— Live 11-on-11 periods focused on first, third, and fourth downs, two-minute, and end-of-game situations.

The Indianapolis Colts quarterback Jacob Eason (9) throws to wide receiver Parris Campbell (1) during Colts Camp practice on Sunday, August 8, 2021, at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind.
© Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar via Imagn Content Services, LLC

OFFENSE

— QB Jacob Eason went 9-of-15 passing (60.0%) on the day in 11-on-11s, with 1 interception (CB T.J. Carrie). Specifically, during the two-minute drill, he went 3-of-6 (50.0%). His favorite targets on the day were TE Jack Doyle (3) and WR Zach Pascal (2).

— Sunday was another day that showed Eason loves to throw inside the numbers. He found RB Nyheim Hines downfield up the left seam on one play, as well as a rope that he threw to Pascal on another chunk play. Eason also connected with WR Michael Pittman Jr. on a slant on a fourth down. On Eason's interception thrown to Carrie, he overthrew WR T.Y. Hilton by quite a bit, and Carrie was sitting back ready to make the play.

— QB Sam Ehlinger stood out once again. His biggest "yeah, but..." is his arm strength, but he put it on display on Sunday. Overall, he went 11-of-13 passing (84.6%), and 4-of-6 (66.7%) in two-minute work. He didn't have an incompletion until the final session of 11-on-11s. His favorite targets on the day were WR Dezmon Patmon (3), WR DeMichael Harris (3), and Hines (2).

— The play of the day came from Ehlinger during the final two-minute drill. On a 3rd-and-long, he rolled out of the pocket to his left, buying time with his legs, kept his eyes downfield, and launched a pass across his body down the left side to Patmon who was wide open for a gain of about 45 yards. It was probably the best deep ball we've seen in camp since QB Carson Wentz on the second day of practice.

— RB Jordan Wilkins made a nice play during 11s where he found a crease outside, broke what would've been a weak arm tackle, and took it several yards down the left sideline.

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The Indianapolis Colts cornerbck Marvell Tell (39) and cornerback Holton Hill (35) run a play during Colts Camp on Sunday, August 8, 2021, at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind.
© Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar via Imagn Content Services, LLC

DEFENSE

— The defensive front continues to be a terror for the offensive line. I credited DE Kemoko Turay with 3.0 sacks on the day, DE Al-Quadin Muhammad with 2.0 (including a strip-sack), DE Isaac Rochell with 1.0, and DT Joey Ivie and LB E.J. Speed with partials.

What did you think of Day 10 of #ColtsCamp? Drop your thoughts below in the comment section!

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Jake Arthur
JAKE ARTHUR

Jake Arthur has covered the NFL and the Indianapolis Colts for a decade. He is a member of the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA) and FantasyPros' expert panel. He has also contributed to multiple NFL Draft guides.

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