4 Battles to Watch For at Colts Training Camp

With a new era of football already here for the Indianapolis Colts franchise, there will be exciting positional battles for valuable playing time during training camp.

The Indianapolis Colts are heading into training camp with many differences on the roster from the previous campaign. There are new names who will be competing for playing time, which will result in some intriguing battles during training camp.

With this in mind, it’s time to dive into four different positional competitions to be on the lookout for during one of the most crucial training camps in recent memory for Indianapolis.

Slot Wide Receiver: Josh Downs vs. Isaiah McKenzie

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The Colts took a different approach to wide receiver than usual in the 2023 NFL Draft when they selected Josh Downs out of North Carolina in the third round.

While Downs may only be 5’9” and 171 pounds, he plays far larger than that. While a Tarheel, Downs showed versatility and phenomenal catching efficiency, hauling in 195 catches for 2,364 receiving yards and 19 TDs from 2021-2022. He also has the trust of one of the greatest Colts of all time and current wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne, who gave his honest opinion on Downs.

However, the Colts also signed former Buffalo Bills receiver Isaiah McKenzie in free agency.

McKenzie is similar in build to Downs and has the veteran edge. He’s also been used on special teams and could be an interesting addition to a Shane Steichen offensive approach.

McKenzie is coming off his best year as a pro, grabbing 42 catches for 423 receiving yards and five total scores (four receiving/one rushing).

Look for McKenzie to push to assert himself as the more day-one-ready veteran, but for Downs to be prepared to show the organization why they drafted him with such confidence.

Cornerback: Dallis Flowers vs. Darius Rush

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Cornerback was an area of light depth for the Colts going into the 2023 off-season. However, after the release of Isaiah Rodgers Sr. due to gambling infractions, now it’s an even thinner position group.

Despite having Kenny Moore II and rookie JuJu Brents, the Colts still have the third spot at cornerback to address. This makes the battle between Dallis Flowers and Darius Rush more important than ever.

Flowers made his name by leading the NFL in yards per kick return in 2022 (31.1 on 23 kick returns). However, by the end of the season, he was playing cornerback due to injuries and the absence of Moore. Flowers played as expected and struggled with early experience starting at the corner spot. However, he has incredible athleticism and could keep up with faster receivers with his blinding speed.

On the other side is the rookie fifth-rounder out of South Carolina. Rush fell in the draft to Indianapolis, who was more than happy to take him when they saw his name on the board.

The Colts have a ball-hawking cornerback in Rush, who has played multiple positions throughout his football career from high school to college. The former wide receiver displayed good ball skills and defensive athleticism, which is what the athlete-loving general manager Chris Ballard likes most in his draft prospects. Rush could be a factor in forcing more turnovers should he hit his developmental stride in full.

Similar in some ways to McKenzie vs. Downs, Flowers will look to show the Colts coaches he’s more than a returning specialist by displaying his skills as a cornerback. While this happens, Rush will push to continue impressing as he has already this off-season. Could it be enough to put Flowers one spot behind him on the depth chart? We’ll see as training camp progresses.

Defensive End: Dayo Odeyingbo vs. Samson Ebukam

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Defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo made his presence known in an otherwise awful year for the Colts. Drafted in 2021 with fellow edge rusher Kwity Paye, Odeyingbo was greatly limited due to an Achilles injury and didn’t get the chance to show much in his rookie campaign.

But, as mentioned before, 2022 was his time to shine, and shine he did.

Odeyingbo would do most of his damage in the second half of the season but would set career highs in sacks (five), total tackles (31), and QB hits (11). If Odeyingbo can continue into the 2023 season with that momentum, he might see his playing time consistently increase. 

But, as with any positional competition, there is usually someone else pushing for snaps. Enter Samson Ebukam.

Ebukam was picked up in free agency after playing the previous six seasons with the Los Angeles Rams (2017-2020) and the San Francisco 49ers (2021-2022). While on these teams, Ebukam was more of a rotational defensive piece, never compiling more than five sacks. But, he also showcased consistent pressures and performances, never dipping below two sacks during any season.

With more playing time and potentially the starting position in Week 1, look for Ebukam to set career highs across multiple statistical categories.

While Ebukam has the experience and the contract to warrant the starting edge spot opposite Paye, Odeyingbo has ridiculous power and athleticism and might surprise Ebukam if he’s not at his absolute best during camp.

Tight End: Jelani Woods vs. Mo Alie-Cox

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Drafted out of Virginia in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Jelani Woods displayed incredible abilities with insane size in college that piqued Indianapolis’ interest.

Last season Woods wouldn’t get the snaps or the targets he deserved but showcased what he could do when given the opportunity. The 6’7” behemoth would secure 25 catches for 312 yards and three scores.

Woods is essentially considered the starting tight end coming into his sophomore NFL season, but don’t overlook the veteran of the group, Mo Alie-Cox.

While Alie-Cox has fallen far short of the franchises’ expectations throughout his five years as a Colt, he’s also had eight QBs throw him the football in as many seasons. Currently, on a three-year, $17.55 million contract through 2025, Alie-Cox has to prove he’s worth it. With a fresh mind like Steichen commanding the offense, it could be a better chance than he’s ever had to do so.

This is an interesting battle at a highly valued spot on the Colts’ offense. With rookie QB Anthony Richardson needing reliable targets, it will remain to be seen whether the Week 1 tight end will be the hungry youngster or the veteran who has to show he’s starting-caliber to fill that role. 

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