Colts Camp Notebook Day 5: Strong Quarterback Day
INDIANAPOLIS – The first full-padded practice of the 2025 Colts training camp brought the best quarterback day, too.
Strong morning sessions from both Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson highlighted on Monday, with the Colts expected to be in full pads again on Tuesday morning, and Thursday, during their lone night practice of camp.
Here are some takeaways from Day 5 of Colts training camp:
-More of the starting reps went to Anthony Richardson on Monday, with the 50/50 split for the two expected again this week. Richardson was a perfect 6-of-6 (4-of-4 with the starters) in his team work. He competed his passes to D.J. Montgomery (2), Michael Pittman Jr. (2), Tyler Warren, Josh Downs. When you factor in the 7-on-7 periods of camp, I’m not sure Richardson has had a better throwing day of camp across his 3 years in the NFL. Nothing too flashy from Richardson, but just a solid, methodical, on-target day in full pads. His best throws included great touch in zone windows to Will Mallory (7-on-7) and then Michael Pittman Jr. (11-on-11). He also fit a tight ball into a closing window to Josh Downs. For camp, Richardson is unofficially 25-of-49. He has completed his 25 balls to Michael Pittman Jr. (6) Tyler Warren (5), Anthony Gould (3), D.J, Montgomery (2), Alec Pierce (2), Will Mallory (2), Josh Downs, Jonathan Taylor, D.J. Giddens, Tyler Goodson, Ashton Dulin.
-Like Richardson, Daniel Jones had a solid day of work, too. Jones was 4-of-5 (0-of-1 with the starters), with his lone incompletion being a drop by Michael Pittman Jr. Steady was the name of the game for Jones, with a nice crossing connection to tight end Will Mallory. For camp, Jones is 28-of-48 (unofficially), with his completions to Anthony Gould (5), Alec Pierce (3), Ashton Dulin (3), Drew Ogletree (2), Josh Downs (2), D.J. Giddens (2), Will Mallory (2), Michael Pittman Jr., Drew Ogletree, AD Mitchell, Tyler Warren, Salvon Ahmed.
-With 5 days of camp done, we are nearing the halfway point of training camp. I wouldn’t peg any notable lead for either quarterback so far. Is the thought that for Daniel Jones to win the quarterback job, he needs to be substantially better than Anthony Richardson? Shane Steichen said after Monday’s practice he doesn’t have a date in mind for deciding on a starting quarterback.
-Results from some of the marquee 1-on-1 battles on Monday: WR-AD Mitchell beating CB-Charvarius Ward on consecutive routes (one a comeback, one a stop and go), CB-Kenny Moore II besting WR-Josh Downs on back-to-back reps, CB-Jaylon Jones with a near INT on an underthrow to WR-Michael Pittman Jr., CB-JuJu Brents besting WR-D.J. Montgomery, S-Cam Bynum eating up WR-Anthony Gould, WR-Ashton Dulin beating CB-Samuel Womack III and hauling in a well-throw stride toss from WR-Anthnoy Richardson, WR-D.J. Montgomery beating CB-JuJu Brents, S-Nick Cross forcing an incompletion on WR-Anthony Gould, WR-Michael Pittman Jr. cooking CB-Samuel Womack III.
-Speaking of what Mitchell showed on Monday, this is what makes his talent/lack of production so frustrating. Here he was on Monday going against the Colts top cornerback and easily beating the former All-Pro on a couple of different routes. And this comes after Mitchell had nearly a handful of drops/fumbles through the first 4 days of camp. This is part of why Mitchell can be so maddening. He’s an elite talent at getting open, but targeting him has proven to be unreliable in these 11-on-11 moments.
-The Colts had Spencer Shrader kick in an early team drill on Monday. He went 5-of-5, good from 33, 39, 45, 49 and 54 yards. Fellow kicker Maddux Trujillo did not kick. Shrader is now 9-of-11 in camp, with Trujillo 3-of-5.
-Don’t want to overreact to the first day in full pads, but I would give the edge in the trenches to the offensive line more than the defensive line in Monday’s practice. The OL busted a few nice runs, too, with some clean pockets for Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones.
-Rare Tyler Warren sighting to have a couple 50/50 moments and not come up with either. It was linebacker Austin Ajiake jarring one out of Warren’s grasps and then rookie corner Justin Walley climbing the ladder to knock another away from his draft mate.
-“I’m in a spectacular place,” is how right tackle Braden Smith described his state of mind entering this 2025 season. That’s terrific news, on many fronts. Smith left the Colts last Thanksgiving due to an obsessive-compulsive disorder. After mulling over his future, Smith is back as one of the team’s most important players out at right tackle. This is also a contract year for Smith, just like Bernhard Raimann at left tackle (if no extension comes).
-With Week 2 starting, the center battle appears to be ongoing with Tanor Bortolini back with the starters, as Danny Pinter took the second the team work.
-At linebacker, Shane Steichen said the Colts are hoping Zaire Franklin (ankle) to make his practice debut this week.
-Mapping out the rest of the week for the Colts, expect full pads for Tuesday morning. That’s the plan for Thursday night, too (8:00-10:00 PM), with a situational scrimmage on the agenda. Morning practices are Saturday and Sunday before the team heads to Baltimore
-The Colts made a roster move on Monday that caught my eye a bit. They signed veteran defensive tackle Josh Tupou, who is 6-3 and 340. That’s a big boy in the middle of the Colts defense and one who has ample experience with Lou Anarumo. Tupou, 31, has played 4 years with Anarumo so that’s some notable history. Tupou has 23 career starts in 68 games played, most serving as a space eating defensive tackle. It’ll be interesting to see if this is something the Colts want to explore with a new defensive coordinator. To make room for Tupou, the Colts waived 6-11 offensive tackle Jack Wilson, who suffered a pectoral injury last week.
-Guys that stood out on Monday’s practice: WR-AD Mitchell, RB-D.J. Giddens, CB-Jaylon Jones, WR-Tyler Kahmann
-Here is how the starting offense looked on Monday: QB-Daniel Jones, RB-Jonathan Taylor, WR-Michael Pittman Jr., WR-AD Mitchell, WR-Josh Downs, TE-Tyler Warren, LT-Bernhard Raimann, LG-Quenton Nelson, C-Tanor Bortolini, RG-Matt Goncalves, RT-Braden Smith
-Here is how the starting defense looked on Monday: DL-Neville Gallimore, DT-DeForest Buckner, DT-Grover Stewart, DE-Kwity Paye, LB-Cam McGrone, LB-Jaylon Carlies, CB-Kenny Moore II, CB-Charvarius Ward, CB-Justin Walley, S-Cam Bynum, S-Nick Cross.
Injury Report: The following players did not appear to be participating at Monday’s practice: LB-Zaire Franklin (ankle), WR-Alec Pierce (blister on foot).
2025 Colts Training Camp Schedule
-7/29 (Tuesday): 10:00-11:30 AM practice
-7/31 (Thursday): 8:00-10:00 PM practice
-8/2 (Saturday): 10:00-11:35 AM practice
-8/3 (Sunday): 10:00-11:30 AM practice
-8/5 (Tuesday): Joint practice vs. Ravens, in Baltimore
-8/7 (Thursday): 1st preseason game vs. Ravens, 7:00 PM
-8/9 (Saturday): 4:00-5:10 PM practice
-8/10 (Sunday): 4:00-5:30 PM practice
-8/11 (Monday): 4:00-5:40 PM practice
-8/14 (Thursday joint practices with Packers): 3:00-5:00 PM practice, SOLD OUT
-8/16 (Saturday): 2nd preseason game vs. Packers, 1:00 PM
