INDIANAPOLIS —
The Indianapolis Colts began their full-squad mandatory mini-camp around 11 a.m. Tuesday. Just four minutes later, with rookie quarterback Andrew Luck completing a short lob pass downfield to veteran wide receiver Reggie Wayne, the torch was officially passed from former starter Peyton Manning to begin a new era for the franchise.
Per NFL rules, Luck wasn’t allowed to attend Indianapolis’ three-week organized team activity practices — which wrapped up last Thursday — since spring-quarter classes hadn’t ended at Stanford University.
He was one of three Colts forced to miss the entire OTA workout schedule, along with rookie wide receivers Griff Whalen (also from Stanford) and LaVon Brazill (Ohio University). A fourth rookie, tight end Coby Fleener, participated in the first two weeks of OTAs but missed the final sessions because of graduate-student finals at Stanford.
Whalen, Fleener and Luck will return to Palo Alto, Calif., this weekend for Stanford’s graduation exercises. The ceremonies will take place Sunday.
Luck’s pass to Wayne was symbolic of all the changes that have occurred with the Colts since the end of the 2011 season. No more Manning, Dallas Clark, Joseph Addai, Pierre Garcon, Jacob Tamme, Anthony Gonzalez, Jeff Saturday or Ryan Diem on offense. Almost two-thirds of the roster that started the 2011 season are no longer with the team.
The Tuesday morning practice consisted of an hour-long walkthrough session in jerseys and shorts. A more involved workout, lasting about two hours with players wearing helmets, took place in the afternoon.
In total, the Colts are scheduled to have four practices during the three-day mini-camp (two Tuesday, one today at Lucas Oil Stadium at 2 p.m. and a final workout Thursday morning back at the team’s West 56th Street headquarters). This afternoon’s practice is open to the public.
• Luck looks for the veteran — The first-year quarterback had thrown passes to a couple other players prior to his throw to Wayne on Tuesday morning, Yet it was the toss to the five-time Pro Bowl performer that caught everybody’s attention.
When Manning first arrived in Indianapolis as the team’s first pick in 1998, he quickly developed a bond with receiver Marvin Harrison that served both men well during the course of their careers with the Colts.
Team officials are hoping, and are quietly confident, that Luck and Wayne will be able to duplicate the Manning/Harrison model.
“To get any snippet of advice, how a quarterback in the past did it or how they’ve seen other guys do it, that will be a big part of the learning curve,” Luck said after Tuesday’s first practice. “Why not take advantage of resources around you when you have a Pro Bowl wide receiver three lockers down.”
Wayne is enjoying the attention that comes with having the No. 1 pick of the draft as his quarterback. As the team returned to the practice field for the afternoon workout Tuesday, he walked out with Colts cornerback Jerraud Powers.
“Everybody’s here to see my new quarterback!” Wayne yelled to a large group of media that was on hand to document Luck’s Tuesday practices.
Even recently acquired defensive end Cory Redding got into the act. Redding, who played for Baltimore last season, hollered to Luck as the team took the field for the afternoon practice.
“Hey [No.] 12! The photographers are down this way,” he joked.
Luck, Fleener and rookie tight end Dewayne Allen are the only three draft picks who have yet to sign their contracts.
• New kids in town — Luck and the rest of the Colts’ 2012 rookie class went through a one-day mini-camp of their own Monday. The workout was designed to help the first-year players better acclimate themselves to Indianapolis’ offensive and defensive schemes before taking the field with the veterans.
Indianapolis’ returning players, though, are pretty much in the same boat as the rookies due to a new coaching staff. There’s a new offense and defense for them to learn as well as a new way of doing things.
Colts coach Chuck Pagano liked what he saw of Luck on Tuesday.
“Like we’ve said all along, the guy is off the charts in terms of football IQ,” Pagano said. “Just coming back out here Monday, we had a little session with the rookie guys, which is legal in the guidelines of the new CBA. He [Luck] hasn’t missed a beat.”
Veteran wide receiver Austin Collie was impressed as well.
“As far as an attitude standpoint, which is probably the only thing I can make a judgment on, the kid Andrew’s got it,” Collie said. “He’s a hard worker. You can tell he’s on his stuff, just by being out there and the way he’s pointing out the hots [pass plays at the line of scrimmage]. That’s always reassuring.”
Luck completed 15 of 16 passes in the Colts’ 11-on-11 walkthrough drill during the morning practice. His only incomplete pass came when Allen couldn’t come up with a throw deep across the middle.
Safety Tom Zbikowski almost came up with Luck’s first mini-camp interception during the afternoon session but dropped the ball after hitting the ground. Cornerback Kevin Thomas also bobbled a potential interception.
In that afternoon practice, Luck completed a combined 25 of 42 passes in 11-on-11 and seven-on-seven drills.
• Injury update — Sitting out Tuesday’s workouts were defensive tackle Drake Nevis, safety David Caldwell, rookie wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, offensive tackle Anthony Castonzo, offensive guard Ben Ijalana, rookie defensive tackle Josh Chapman and rookie cornerback Buddy Jackson.
Recovering from a sprain, Nevis was wearing a walking boot on his right foot. Castonzo had a brace on his left ankle after undergoing surgery on the foot after the season. Ijalana, meanwhile, continues to rehab a knee that was surgically repaired last fall after he was hurt early in the season.
Chapman suffered an ACL injury to his knee midway through his senior year at Alabama last fall. He underwent surgery in January.
Running back Delone Carter, who had thumb surgery after the season, saw limited work Tuesday morning but did not take part in the afternoon practice. Carter did not participate in the team’s OTA workouts.
Pro Sports
Luck takes Colts through 1st drills
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Colts hoping for more high marks on draft picks
A year ago, the Indianapolis Colts received high marks for the impact players the team added through the NFL draft.
Of the 10 players selected, five ended up either starting or seeing extensive playing time (quarterback Andrew Luck, tight ends Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen, wide receiver T.Y. Hilton and running back Vick Ballard) during the Colts’ 11-5 season.
While this year’s class may not rival that group in terms of name recognition and flash, it may produce just as many major contributors once the 2013 season gets underway. -
Colts in wait-and-see mode for tonight’s NFL draft
As the 2013 NFL draft gets underway tonight at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, the Indianapolis Colts are continuing their wait-and-see stance in regard to the first-round pick.
The draft begins at 8 p.m. — televised by the NFL Network and ESPN — with the Kansas City Chiefs making the night’s first selection. Teams will have 10 minutes to make their decisions during the first round. Indianapolis will have the 24th overall pick in the first round.
There will be only one round tonight. The second and third rounds are scheduled for Friday, beginning at 6:30 p.m. with seven minutes allotted per pick in the second round and five minutes allowed in the third. The final four rounds are slated to begin at noon Saturday with four minutes between selections.
As it stands now, Indianapolis does not have a second-round pick. It was traded to Miami last fall in exchange for veteran cornerback Vontae Davis. But second-year general manager Ryan Grigson has nut ruled out the possibility of trading down from the first round if the Colts aren’t satisfied with the players available. -
Colts sign Matt Hasselbeck to back up Luck
The Indianapolis Colts’ roster moves just keep coming.
While the Colts haven’t yet added that big-name wide receiver that team owner Jim Irsay hinted at in tweets over the weekend, Indianapolis has addressed one area on offense.
Former Tennessee Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck had agreed Monday night to be the Colts’ primary back-up to second-year starter Andrew Luck. He officially signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the team Tuesday morning.
“We are very pleased to announce the signing of Matt Hasselbeck,” general manager Ryan Grigson said in a prepared statement. “His body of work, intangibles, and extensive league experience speak for themselves. Those factors, plus his familiarity with our offensive scheme, will make him a great asset to our team and its vision as we move forward.” -
Colts introduce free-agent signees
What the Indianapolis Colts accomplished last season — posting an 11-5 record and earning an AFC wild-card berth with a young team plus having that kind of success without its head coach on the sidelines for 12 games — didn’t go unnoticed by players around the NFL.
That was especially true for the five veteran free agents who were added to the Colts’ roster Tuesday. Offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus (Detroit), cornerback Greg Toler (Arizona), outside linebacker Erik Walden (Green Bay), offensive guard Donald Thomas (New England) and linebacker Lawrence Sidbury (Atlanta) admitted as much Wednesday.
“I felt like this would be the best fit for me at this point in my career. I really liked what I saw was happening with the program here and the way things have taken shape. I feel like we have a really great team here and it’s on the rise. I really wanted to be a part of that,” Thomas said during a teleconference interview with the Colts’ media. -
Indianapolis franchises punter McAfee
A week ago, Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano said it was a priority that the team retain the services of punter Pat McAfee.
McAfee, an unrestricted free agent who’s contract is due to expire March 12, was designated as the Colts’ franchise player Friday. The move allows Indianapolis extra time to work out a long-term deal for the team’s special-teams ace.
“He’s huge. He’s a major priority in free agency. Obviously, we’ve reached out and are working to get Pat re-signed,” Pagano said during the National Football Scouting Combine. “We saw what he did for us last year. He’s a great weapon, not only kickoffs and touchbacks. -
Colts' Pagano back to full work schedule at combine
Back and ready to go.
That’s the attitude Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano is taking during the National Football Scouting Combine, which completed its second day of operations Friday at Lucas Oil Stadium. During a wide-ranging press conference at the combine, Pagano confirmed that he is back to a full work regimen after missing 12 games last fall as he battled a rare form of leukemia.
After undergoing cancer treatments that featured heavy doses of chemotherapy, the second-year head coach was able to return to the sidelines for Indianapolis’ final regular-season home game against Houston and for the team’s AFC wild-card matchup with eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore. -
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One thing is for certain. Meyers Leonard of the Portland Trail Blazers doesn’t need 40 minutes to incite a crowd with a posterizing slam dunk or a big shot block.
At just 20 years of age, the former Robinson, Ill., standout who took his talents to Champaign for two years is getting his feet wet at the highest level of basketball.
Close to 300 fans, many of whom watched Leonard take the Maroons to the 2010 IHSA Class 2A state championship, rode on charter buses to watch him battle the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis last week. -
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Do-or-die Bills next for Colts
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Colts healthy entering key road game
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Times have changed
A lot has changed for the Indianapolis Colts since a 22-17 home loss to Jacksonville on Sept. 23.
For starters, that’s the only game the 1-7 Jaguars have won this season. Indianapolis, meanwhile, has posted wins in four of its last five games and is rolling along with a 5-3 record.
Many Colts point to that loss in the third week of the season. Indianapolis led 14-3 at the half and were ahead 14-13 after three quarters of play.
In fact, the Colts led 17-16 with 0:45 remaining in the game. That’s when Jacksonville quarterback Blaine Gabbert connected with speedy wide receiver Cecil Shorts III on an 80-yard pass play that resulted in the final margin of victory.
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Not pretty, but Colts take win
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Colts wish linebackers could play more at same time
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Pagano gives Colts 4 days off
With a bye this weekend, the Indianapolis Colts went through a short week of practice before taking a long four-day weekend.
Indianapolis coach Chuck Pagano put the Colts through workouts Tuesday and Wednesday before allowing the team to scatter across the country.
Players are due back Sunday evening as Pagano and his coaching staff hope to hit the ground running heading into Indianapolis’ Oct. 7 home game with Green Bay. -
Tentative agreement reached on NFL referees' contract
The NFL and the referees’ union reached a tentative contract agreement at midnight today, ending an impasse that began in June when the league locked out the officials and used replacements instead.
“Our officials will be back on the field starting tomorrow night” for the Cleveland-Baltimore game, Commissioner Roger Goodell said after a day of marathon negotiations.
With Goodell at the table, the sides concluded two days of talks with the announcement of a tentative eight-year deal, which must be ratified by 51 percent of the union’s 121 members. They plan to vote Friday. -
Colts receiver Collie will miss season with knee injury
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Wide receiver Avery starting to feel at home with Colts
Count Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano and offensive coordinator Bruce Arians as two of Donnie Avery’s biggest supporters.
The Colts’ wide receiver, who has struggled with knee issues the last two seasons after being the first receiver selected in the 2008 NFL draft, opened a lot of eyes in last Sunday’s 23-20 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
Avery hauled in nine passes for 111 yards in the victory, his first big performance since joining the team as an unrestricted free agent last March.
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