INDIANAPOLIS — In late October, tight end Jamie Petrowski was given the assignment of mimicking Indianapolis Colts tight end Dallas Clark as a member of the Tennessee Titans’ practice squad.
Now, barely a month later, the former Terre Haute North High School and Indiana State product has a locker near Clark’s at the Colts’ West 56th Street headquarters.
Such is life in the topsy-turvy world of the National Football League.
Petrowski took part in his first workout with Indianapolis on Wednesday afternoon, less than 12 hours after the team signed him away from Tennessee.
He was added to the Colts’ 53-man active roster, where he will be used primarily — at least early on — as a run blocker and on special teams. Just how quickly he becomes involved in the team’s pass offense is largely dependent on his ability to learn the entire playbook in a short amount of time.
“It’s a little harder to do on offense than it is on defense, that’s for sure,” Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy said Wednesday. “But there are certain things that you can learn and know and get grooved in. And that’s what we’re going to try to do with Jamie. Certainly, learning the whole offense and being ready to go for every play would not be realistic at this point.”
Still, Petrowski does have a little bit of familiarity with what the Colts do offensively from his time in Tennessee.
“He does,” Dungy said. “We had [defensive tackle] Antonio Johnson in the same boat.
“He got here [from the Titans’ practice squad two weeks ago] and he had simulated our guys. So he had gotten a taste of it. But the hardest thing for an offensive guy is learning the code words and the no-huddle things. If it got to an emergency situation, I’m sure he could play. We just have to huddle and be a little bit more descriptive.”
For his sake, the 6-foot-4, 260-pound Terre Haute native is just happy to still be with a contending team after spending most of the last three seasons with the Titans. Tennessee is the league’s last remaining undefeated team this year with a 10-0 record.
“It’s great for me. It’s a great place to be. I definitely love being back close to home,” Petrowski said Wednesday. “My family, they’re really excited. They were definitely very enthusiastic about the decision to come here. Everybody’s super excited. This is a great organization to be in.”
After taking and passing his physical, he spent most of his time Wednesday before the start of practice just trying to get his bearings. That included getting his equipment ready and taking a quick glance at the offensive playbook before he went out on the field.
“I really don’t know yet [how the Colts plan to use him]. I’ve just to get in there and learn as much as I can and help this team out in whatever way it is,” Petrowski said. “To be honest, I couldn’t tell you [how quickly it will take him to learn the team’s offense].
“I’ve just got to put the extra time in and try to learn this offense as soon as possible. I’ve just got to put my nose in the books. It’s going to take a little bit of time.”
Dungy, though, likes what he’s seen so far.
“He’s a big guy. Hopefully he can run and catch the ball a little bit for us,” the Colts’ coach said. “We have some tight ends that can run and catch, so he’s more of a point-of-attack guy for us. Hopefully he can learn what we’re doing pretty quick.”
• • •
• Representing the Sycamores — Petrowski is the only former Indiana State player currently on an NFL team’s active regular-season roster. And, according to team officials, he is the only ex-Sycamore to ever be on the Colts’ regular-season active roster.
“I’m it,” he smiled Wednesday while talking to the media. Other former ISU players have spent time during the offseason or training camp with the Colts, such as running back Derrick Franklin, cornerback Kevin Ramsey, defensive tackle Walter Seaphus, fullback Rick Dwenger, defensive end Ed Martin and offensive guard Matt Griebel.
Petrowski played under former ISU coaches Tim McGuire and Lou West. He said that since he is now so close in proximity to Terre Haute and Indiana State, he hopes to get a chance to meet with first-year ISU coach Trent Miles sometime.
“The only coach that I know down there now is [offensive-line coach] Ted Unbehagen and I try to keep in touch with him,” he said. “I’d like to help out over there in any way that I can.”
• Roster moves — The Colts also signed rookie cornerback Brandon Foster to the active roster. Foster had signed with Indianapolis as an undrafted free agent last spring after playing at the University of Texas. He has spent most of the 2008 season on the team’s practice squad.
In other moves, rookie tight end Tom Santi (shoulder) and cornerback Nick Graham (ankle) have been placed on the Colts’ injured reserve list. Santi and Graham are now sidelined for the remainder of the season.
“Tom just kept having episodes [with his shoulder]. We just felt it’s going to be better to get it fixed and not be two steps forward and one step backward each week,” Dungy said.
Tight end Eric Butler, who had been signed to the practice squad late last week, was released Wednesday as was quarterback David Greene. Cornerback A.J. Davis, wide receiver Marques Hagans and safety Brannon Condren have been added to the practice squad.
Davis has been on the Colts’ practice squad already but was released last week. Condren was a fourth-round draft pick by Indianapolis in 2007 and was injured for a portion of his rookie season. He was released at the end of training camp this year and subsequently signed with the St. Louis Rams. Condren also spent time with the Miami Dolphins last month.
Hagans played collegiately at the University of Virginia and was a fifth-round draft pick of the Rams in 2005. He also has played with the Kansas City Chiefs.
• Manning honored — Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has been named the AFC’s Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Houston Texans.
Manning, who also is a candidate for the FedEx Air Player of the Week Award, completed 30 of 46 passes for 320 yards and two touchdowns in the 33-27 win over the Texans.
Fans may vote for the Indianapolis signal-caller in the FedEx balloting by going to NFL.com/FedEx. Voting will end at 11 a.m. Friday.
Colts
North grad Petrowski signs with Colts
Expected to be used as run blocker, on special teams
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