Colts Training Camp Journal, Day 3: Taylor, Irsay Meeting Overshadows Practice

The Indianapolis Colts held their third practice of training camp on Saturday, but the product on the field was an afterthought to the meeting being held on a bus between Jim Irsay and Jonathan Taylor.

It was Day 3 of Indianapolis Colts training camp on Saturday, but much of the attention swirling around the team had nothing to do with the product on the practice field.

In his unrequited desire for a contract extension, running back Jonathan Taylor met with Colts owner Jim Irsay inside the owner's bus for about an hour during practice, just outside the field.

With the recent back-and-forth going on between Taylor's camp and the Colts, imaginations went wild with what could be taking place inside the RV. Ultimately, Irsay spoke with reporters after practice and then it was reported by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport that Taylor has officially requested a trade.  

However, on the field, there was still plenty to take away as the Colts logged their final practice of the week without full pads before they put them on for next Monday's session. I was in attendance and now provide my notes from the sidelines.

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TEAM

— Starting strong safety Julian Blackmon and rookie cornerback JuJu Brents remained sidelined with their hamstring injuries while starting LEO Samson Ebukam sat out with his own hamstring issue. Rookie cornerback Darius Rush and rookie offensive tackle Jake Witt also sat out with undisclosed injuries. Taylor (ankle), defensive lineman Tyquan Lewis (knee), and rookie tight end Will Mallory (foot) all remain on the Physically Unable to Perform list.

— It was the first time this camp that the Colts used 1-on-1 drills pitting wide receivers against defensive backs. The following is how each rep went, with a "win" being rewarded to a receiver for a catch but any non-catch (other than a penalty) going to the defense. Alec Pierce def. Darrell Baker Jr.; Isaiah McKenzie def. Tony Brown; Michael Pittman Jr. def. Kenny Moore II; Mike Strachan def. Kevin Toliver II; Josh Downs def. Michael Tutsie; Jones def. Ashton Dulin; Vyncint Smith def. Chris Lammons; Ethan Fernea def. Tony Brown; Breshad Perriman def. Isaac Taylor-Stuart; Juwann Winfree def. Kevin Toliver II; Malik Turner def. Darrell Baker Jr.; Isaiah McKenzie def. Tony Brown; Johnny King def. Chris Lammons; Kody Case def. Michael Tutsie; Kenny Moore II def. Michael Pittman Jr.; Alec Pierce def. Dallis Flowers; Tony Brown def. Josh Downs; Jaylon Jones def. Ashton Dulin; Mike Strachan def. Kevin Toliver II; Ethan Fernea def. Isaac Taylor-Stuart; Darrell Baker Jr. def. Breshad Perriman; Vyncint Smith def. Chris Lammons; Kody Case def. Isaac Taylor-Stuart

— The 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 drills focused primarily on third downs. 

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OFFENSE

— In the first practice, Gardner Minshew got all the first-team reps, and Anthony Richardson got them all on Day 2, but it was three series to one in favor of Minshew on Saturday. We can expect to continue seeing the rotation between the two players develop. 

— Richardson got the most action he's seen so far passing the ball, going 9-of-15 (60.0%) in 11-on-11s with completions to Mo Alie-Cox (2), Kylen Granson (2), Strachan (2), McKenzie, Smith, and Evan Hull. Richardson's receivers dropped a couple of passes, which would've led to him appearing to have a better day. There was another missed opportunity where Richardson lofted a back-shoulder pass deep down the left side for Pierce, who was in the area but not close enough to pull it in. Richardson met Pierce as he traveled back to the group, discussing the miscue while head coach Shane Steichen joined the conversation. 

— Minshew was 13-of-17 passing (76.5%). His biggest play of the day came on an underthrown pass where he found Perriman about 30-35 yards down the right side. Perriman cut the route short and let the ball come to him with lots of coverage in the area.

— Quarterback Sam Ehlinger also had a big play where he hit Smith for about 30 yards down the right sideline.

— The primary theoretical first-unit offensive players were as follows: Gardner Minshew (QB), Zack Moss (RB), Michael Pittman Jr. (WR), Alec Pierce (WR), Jelani Woods (TE), Mo Alie-Cox (TE), Bernhard Raimann (LT), Quenton Nelson (LG), Ryan Kelly (C), Will Fries (RG), and Braden Smith (RT). Josh Downs (WR), Isaiah McKenzie (WR), Ashton Dulin (WR), Mike Strachan (WR), Kylen Granson (TE), and Drew Ogletree (TE) all got some reps as well.

— The second-unit line was made up of Blake Freeland (LT), Arlington Hambright (LG), Danny Pinter (C), Wesley French (RG), and Jordan Murray (RT). The third group was Matthew Vanderslice (LT), Carter O'Donnell (LG), Dakoda Shepley (C), Emil Ekiyor (RG), and Jordan Murray (RT).

— Wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne has a couple of young potential studs to mold in Pierce and Downs, and his tutelage was on full display during positional drills where receivers were running routes on air. Wayne stressed to Pierce to be more crisp in his breaks while he told Downs to sell the go route when running his comebacks.

— Case isn't a likelihood for a final roster spot or anything but I noticed how crafty his route running was, particularly in a rep in 1-on-1s vs. Taylor-Stuart where he won mightily and created ample space.

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DEFENSE

— The primary theoretical first-unit defensive players were as follows: Dayo Odeyingbo (DE), DeForest Buckner (DT), Grover Stewart (DT), Kwity Paye (DE), Shaquille Leonard (LB), Zaire Franklin (LB), E.J. Speed (LB), Kenny Moore II (NCB), Dallis Flowers (CB), Darrell Baker Jr. (CB), Rodney Thomas II (FS), and Nick Cross (SS). It feels like second-year linebacker JoJo Domann is starting to get more work with this group as well.

— Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley does an exceptional amount of rotating of players early in camp, so there's not a lot of value in reporting second and third units for the first few days at least.

— After a quiet day for sacks on Day 2, things picked back up on Day 3, with Moore getting a  would-be sack on a nickel blitz against Richardson and the pair of Genard Avery and Al-Quadin Muhammad also registering sacks. 

— The Colts are quite young at cornerback and they continue to get some highlights from the group. On one play, rookie Jaylon Jones broke up a deep pass from Richardson intended for Smith down the right side.

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SPECIAL TEAMS

— This was the first time we've seen Rigoberto Sanchez punt a ball since his Achilles injury last summer, and boy, was his first one a moon shot, backing McKenzie up to his own goal line. Sanchez's kick came much to the fanfare of his teammates, as he continued to impress with his leg.

— McKenzie and Downs were the punt returners for the day, which has been a regular occurrence.

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