As the first game of the preseason approaches, the Indianapolis Colts are making final tweaks to how they will show up at Orchard Park on Saturday when they visit the Buffalo Bills.
That included a lighter training camp practice on Thursday, which was their 10th practice since the opening of camp. While we conducted a quick roundup of what went down, we’ll dive a bit deeper into the day’s practice.
Here are five observations from Day 10 of Colts training camp:
1
Both quarterbacks had an up and down day
It’s expected that play will not be crisp in training camp, but Anthony Richardson and Gardner Minshew struggled today. Richardson missed five throws, including several high or overthrown, causing the ball to right off hands or completely miss the intended target. Timing also seemed to be an issue.
Minshew didn’t fare much better, also missing four throws, including three in a row. It’s a fascinating dynamic. Richardson plays with a lot of speed and is dynamic in the throws he makes. Minshew is not as electric and is much more measured in his approach. However, both playstyles netted nearly the same results.
2
Anthony Richardson will start preseason
The Colts have been very quiet about who the starting quarterback will be, but Heach Coach Shane Steichen put everything out in the open today. “Anthony (Richardson) will start the game, and we’ll go from there, ” Steichen said.
He added that each player evaluation is on a case-by-case basis regarding how much they/the starters will play, but Richardson is expected to play at least a quarter. As he reflected, Steichen said he is challenging Richardson to take care of the football, go through his reads and progressions, and get first downs. Ultimately, he says he wants to see where Richardson is, and they can know how to operate based on how Richardson moves.
3
Jonathan Taylor should be back next week
Jonathan Taylor is away from the team getting treatment for his ankle, but Steichen confirms that he expects Taylor to return next week.
When asked if he expected Taylor to practice, Stechien flatly replied, “I don’t have an answer for that.” He quickly followed up by saying he was looking forward to getting him back and out to play.
4
Injuries are piling up
Perhaps one of the most interesting nuggets from training camp, the tight end room is slightly banged up. Jelani Woods, Mo Alie-Cox, Drew Ogletree, and Will Mallory did not suit up, likely indicating it’s a good thing the team is currently carrying nine tight ends on the roster.
Starting right tackle, Braden Smith did not practice today, giving rookie Blake Freeland his first camp reps as the starter. Smith is dealing with a knee injury and has no return timetable.
Also, Deon Jackson and Zavier Scott are dealing with quad injuries on the offensive side of the ball. New signing Kenyon Drake came up limping after getting tangled up during a play. He appeared to be fine, but this is something to watch.
Regarding defense, per Steichen, safety Julian Blackmon is making progress and should be back “sooner than later” but has no timetable for return. Defensive Tackle McTelvin Agim came up hobbled during a drill early in practice, and his injury could be worth watching over the next few days.
Overall, thirteen players did not practice today.
5
Josh Downs is a dark horse in the receiver room
Wide receiver Josh Downs is a player that the Colts tried for 30 minutes to trade up for in this year’s draft. General Manager Chris Ballard saw something he believed could work. At 5’9″ and 171 pounds, Downs is not the prototypical wide receiver Ballard usually likes, but something is brewing.
In addition to his spectacular catch radius, Downs plays much larger than his physical appearance. His ability to separate was noteworthy today, and he will be a welcomed safety blanket for Richardson. He mainly ran with the second-team offense at camp but could see plenty of targets this weekend.
