Tom James
Tribune-Star Correspondent
INDIANAPOLIS —
While it appears that the National Football League may be playing two less preseason games sometime in the near future, count the Indianapolis Colts as one team — from a player’s perspective anyway — that likes the status quo very much.
NFL teams currently play four times in the preseason and 16 regular season games. Commissioner Roger Goodell is pushing league owners to go along with the idea of an expanded schedule and most seem inclined to do so.
But before any final action can be taken on Goodell’s plan, though, it must be part of a collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the National Football League Players Association. Neither side appears close to a deal on a CBA right now, although most observers expect that an agreement will be struck at the 12th hour.
As for the idea of an expanded regular season schedule, several Colts — notably guys like Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday and defensive team captain Gary Brackett — would hate to see it happen.
Both Saturday and Brackett made the Indianapolis roster as free agents. They both insist that playing in four preseason games enhanced their chances of showing what they could do to the Colts’ coaching staff.
And they’re not the only ones. Several current and former Indianapolis players made the team as either free agents (such as Saturday) or as undrafted free agents (Brackett). That list includes running back Dominic Rhodes and wide receiver/punt returner Terrence Wilkins. Both of them were undrafted free agents.
“I think we are looking at certain things [in the preseason]. I do know we experiment with certain people, certain plays. Certainly, you’ve getting a lot of young guys, giving them a chance to play,” quarterback Peyton Manning said before Sunday’s practice. “They put a lot of young guys in the other night to see what they could do and to make some evaluations.
“There’s a lot of unknowns for [the] 2011 [season]. I do know that Jeff [Saturday] said that if there’s only two preseason games, he probably doesn’t make the team. He probably doesn’t get the chance to perform. Does Dominic Rhodes make our team as an undrafted free agent? Does Terrence Wilkins? If you go to two [preseason] games, my guess is that the starters are going to have to play more in each of those games. Does a guy that hasn’t gotten a lot of reps [in practice] get a chance to go out there and return a punt for a touchdown or make a one-handed catch? That’s the one thing that I’m not sure [league officials] have totally looked at. Think of how many great players throughout NFL history, and just on our team alone, have been undrafted free agents. I’m not sure if coaches can find out [about a player] in two [preseason] games. My guess is that you would lose some of that. And that would be a shame.”
• Injury report — Sitting out Sunday’s practice were running backs Javarris James and Devin Moore, center Jeff Saturday (knee), offensive tackle Charlie Johnson (foot), offensive guard Jaimie Thomas ((foot), offensive tackle/guard Tony Ugoh, cornerback Jerraud Powers (foot) and tight end Dallas Clark (leg).
Taking part in the workout, after missing Saturday’s session, were wide receiver Pierre Garcon, running back Mike Hart and offensive guard Kyle DeVan (hamstring). Garcon has yet to play in a preseason game this year. Hart and DeVan both sat out the Buffalo game last week.
“Hopefully we get some guys back that haven't played these past couple of games and get some game timing with them,” Manning said.
