Colts Training Camp Journal, Day 9: So-So Day Ahead of Preseason Opener

The Indianapolis Colts had a rather mundane day of practice on Tuesday as they prepare for their preseason opener this weekend against the Buffalo Bills.

Just a handful of practices remain for the Indianapolis Colts in their training camp, and their preseason opener nears closer as they travel to meet the Buffalo Bills this Saturday.

Tuesday was Day 9 of camp, with the team lowering the intensity a bit in half-pads and without live tackling. They also got some positive news on the injury front as defensive lineman Tyquan Lewis (knee) was activated from the Physically Unable to Perform list, and defensive end Samson Ebukam (hamstring) also returned after missing all but the first practice.

I was in attendance and now provide my notes from the sidelines.

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TEAM

— The following players missed practice: running back Zack Moss (arm), cornerback Kenny Moore II (ankle), safety Rodney Thomas II (toe), safety Julian Blackmon (hamstring), running back Deon Jackson (undisclosed), linebacker Liam Anderson (arm), linebacker Cameron McGrone (undisclosed), tight end Jelani Woods (hamstring), tight end Mo Alie-Cox (ankle), tight end Will Mallory (hamstring), defensive end Genard Avery (undisclosed), and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (foot). Running back Jonathan Taylor (ankle) is the last player remaining on the PUP list, but after practice, head coach Shane Steichen said that Taylor was rehabbing inside during practice.

— It wouldn't be training camp without a skirmish, and we had one at the end of practice as linebacker Grant Stuard appeared to take exception with something offensive tackle Dan Skipper did, throwing a hand at him as teammates stepped in the middle to break things up. It didn't seem to be all that serious, as Moore and Blackmon had a good laugh about it along the sideline.

— In 1-on-1 drills pitting 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: Michael Pittman Jr. def. Dallis Flowers (40-yard touchdown), Isaiah McKenzie def. Tony Brown; Darrell Baker Jr. def. Alec Pierce; Ashton Dulin def. JuJu Brents; Josh Downs def. Chris Lammons; Darius Rush def. Mike Strachan; Breshad Perriman def. Isaac Taylor-Stuart (40-yard touchdown); Amari Rodgers def. Michael Tutsie (made a nice one-handed catch at the sideline); Kevin Toliver II def. Vyncint Smith; Malik Turner def. JuJu Brents; Kody Case def. Chris Lammons; Jaylon Jones def. Juwann Winfree; Dallis Flowers def. Michael Pittman Jr.; Tony Brown def. Isaiah McKenzie; Darrell Baker Jr. def. Alec Pierce (Pierce cooked Baker but Ehlinger overthrew him); Ashton Dulin def. Isaac Taylor-Stuart; Chris Lammons def. Josh Downs; Mike Strachan def. Darius Rush (Strachan high-pointed it on the sideline);  Breshad Perriman def. Isaac Taylor-Stuart; Kody Case def. Michael Tutsie; Vyncint Smith def. Kevin Toliver II (Smith burned Toliver)

— The 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 drills focused primarily on unscripted ball movement and four-minute drills.

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OFFENSE

— After a hot last couple of practices from rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson, he came back to Earth a bit on Tuesday while working with the second unit. His 4-of-5 passing (80.0%) looks good on paper but his timing was inconsistent again (particularly in 7-on-7s), which is something we've seen at times throughout camp. The one incompletion was actually an interception, as he threw down the right sideline to Strachan. It appeared to be intended as a back-shoulder throw against the sideline but Richardson's throw was too far inside, allowing Toliver to pull it in. A positive moment was during the first session of 11-on-11s while the offensive was backed up to their own goal line and Richardson drew the defense offsides, giving the offense five yards of space. Richardson completed passes to Nick Eubanks, Turner, McKenzie, and Pharaoh Brown.

— Quarterback Gardner Minshew received all of the first-team reps at quarterback, which continues the rotation the Colts have struck between Richardson and Minshew. Minshew went 9-of-12 passing (75.0%), including completions to Pittman (4), Kylen Granson (2), Evan Hull, Pierce, and Downs. Minshew has been pretty conservative throughout camp but looked to the intermediate and downfield portions of the field a bit more often on Tuesday.

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

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

— The play of the day came from the hand of quarterback Sam Ehlinger during 11-on-11s, who found Case streaking down the right sideline after an out-and-up, leaving Tutsie in the dust. It was a pickup of roughly 40 yards. 

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DEFENSE

— Along with being in the middle of the end-of-practice dust-up to calm things down, Grover Stewart also had a batted pass at the line of scrimmage during 11-on-11s.

— A few defensive backs made some plays on Tuesday, including Toliver's interception of Richardson, rookie cornerback Brents breaking up a pass in traffic, and fellow rookie cornerbacks Rush and Jones making quality pass breakups during 1-on-1s.

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SPECIAL TEAMS

— We got to see some field goal attempts on Tuesday, this time with Matt Gay booting them through (Lucas Havrisik kicked last time). Gay went 5-of-5 with kicks from 24, 33, 38, 43, and 48 yards.

— In kickoff drills, McKenzie, Downs, and Case were the returnmen. At least once, the team practiced recovering a shallow squib kick.

— During punt drills, McKenzie and Downs were the returnmen. McKenzie muffed a punt in the previous practice, and Downs did it on Tuesday. He could be seen fielding punts after practice to try and atone for the mistake.

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