Colts Camp Notebook Day 4: Shane Steichen Misses Practice
- Shane Steichen absent due to personal matter, but team expects him back soon.
- Daniel Jones continues to take all starting reps, showing consistency and mobility.
- Rookies Seth McGowan and Deion Burks stand out, while backup centers struggle with snaps.
Colts Camp Notebook Day 4: Shane Steichen Misses Practice
INDIANAPOLIS – Mother Nature forced the Colts indoors for their first afternoon practice of training camp.
It was a 90-minute practice on Saturday afternoon, the longest the team has had here in 2026.
Here are some takeaways from Day 4 of Colts training camp:
-Shane Steichen wasn’t at Colts practice on Saturday afternoon, due to a personal matter. Steichen was scheduled to meet the media after Saturday’s fourth practice of camp. The Colts are off from camp on Sunday, and will get back to practice Monday with additional sessions on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday next week.
-There was a consistent rhythm to Daniel Jones’ 14-of-17 day on Saturday. Jones led a nice, methodical drive late in practice with 6 consecutive completions. But it was in the dink and dunk variety, as a “sack” from Laiatu Latu thwarted the drive. Through 4 straight days of practice to start training camp, Jones has taken every single starting rep, with no obvious limitations to his mobility/performance. Imagine predicting that back in mid-December?
-Early red-zone success came Saturday on a leaping TD grab from Tyler Warren, and a beautiful route that led to a receiving touchdown by Josh Downs. Playmaking came from the defense later on. Justin Walley got his hands on a pass broken up to Downs. And then Sauce Gardner engulfed a ball over the middle intended for Downs. When Downs lines up outside, it’s such a contrast in size with the 6-3 Gardner opposite the 5-9 Downs.
-One quarterback note from Saturday, Riley Leonard definitely received the bulk of the second-team work. That’s a change from the first three days, so this will be something to monitor in Week 2. The reserve offensive units struggled to convert in the red zone and/or move the ball on Saturday. Leonard did uncork an on-target deep ball that connected with Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. The 50-some yard completion came with Johnathan Edwards and Jonathan Owens in coverage. But any other positive notes were lacking from those units.
-For the first three days of camp, second-year safety Hunter Wohler has been the main starting safety next to Cam Bynum. On Saturday, it was time for rookie A.J. Haulcy to get a starting look.
-Speaking of rookies, 7th round running back Seth McGowan looks to a guy firmly in the mix to be Jonathan Taylor’s backup. On the flip side, Saturday was the first day I noticed 7th round wideout Deion Burks flash a bit. That came in a 1-on-1 period and a bit in team drills, too.
-One alarming item through the start of camp, and even something we saw in the spring, has been consistent snap issues with the backups. That includes a variety of centers and both Riley Leonard and Anthony Richardson Sr. And these are both in the errant snaps and catching of the snaps. Some elementary mistakes from those involved.
-After missing a couple of days with an illness, linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither was back Saturday and getting some early starting run. The Colts continue to rotate a lot at linebacker.
-The Colts split fields to start Saturday’s team periods, so you got a clearer picture of the early starters and top reserves. Defensively, that meant safety Hunter Wohler, cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt, linebacker Bryce Boettcher and defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore as the top subs for the starters.
-After the mandated ramp-up period to start training camp, the Colts are scheduled to strap on the full pads for their 5th practice, on Monday morning. If the Colts follow a similar practice cadence to recent years under Shane Steichen, expect a good run of full-padded days as their final 9 Grand Park sessions get spread out. Following 4 straight practices to start camp, the Colts won’t have more than 2 practices in a row the rest of the way.
-Here is how the starting offense looked on Saturday: QB-Daniel Jones, RB-Jonathan Taylor, WR-Laquon Treadwell, WR-Josh Downs, WR-Ashton Dulin, TE-Tyler Warren, LT-Bernhard Raimann, LG-Quenton Nelson, C-Tanor Bortolini, RG-Matt Goncalves, RT-Jalen Travis.
-Here is how the starting defense looked on Saturday: DE-Laiatau Latu, DT-Grover Stewart, DT-Colby Wodden, DE-Arden Key, LB-Akeem Davis-Gaither LB-CJ Allen, CB-Justin Walley, CB-Charvarius Ward Sr., CB-Sauce Gardner, S-Cam Bynum, S-Hunter Wohler.
-Guys that stood out at Saturday’s practice: RB-Seth McGowan, DT-Grover Stewart, DT-Colby Wooden, WR-Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, S-Jonathan Owens.
Injury Report: The following players did not appear to be participating at Saturday’s practice: WR-Alec Pierce (calf, on PUP), CB-Cameron Mitchell (undisclosed), DT-Derrick Nnadi (undisclosed).
2026 Colts Training Camp Schedule
-8/3 (Monday): 10:00-11:15 AM practice
-8/4 (Tuesday): 10:00-11:30 AM practice
-8/6 (Thursday): 8:00-10:00 PM practice
-8/8 (Saturday): 10:00-11:35 AM practice
-8/9 (Sunday): 10:00-11:30 AM practice
-8/11 (Tuesday): Joint practice at New England
-8/13 (Thursday): Preseason game at New England, 7:30 PM
-8/15 (Saturday): 4:00-5:00 PM practice
-8/16 (Sunday): 4:00-5:30 PM practice
-8/19 (Wednesday joint practices with Falcons): 3:00-5:00 PM practice
-8/20 (Thursday joint practices with Falcons): 3:00-4:30 PM practice
-8/22 (Saturday): 2nd preseason game vs. Falcons, 1:00 PM
