Colts Training Camp Notebook Day 3: Busy Passing Offense Night

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INDIANAPOLIS –.If you want a recap of Saturday’s actual practice for the Colts, you are in the right spot!

If you want Jonathan Taylor trade request drama, head here. But a run down from the sold-out night practice on Saturday is below.

Here are some takeaways from Day 3 of Colts training camp:

After some quieter passing days to start camp, the Colts had a third-down focus on Saturday night, which brought a lot of air work for Gardner Minshew and Anthony Richardson. Let’s begin with the starting rep count from Saturday. Richardson got the initial look with the starters on Saturday for a 6-play period, but that was his only first-team work of the night. Minshew then took the final 14 starting reps, spread across 3 different periods. Through 3 practices, Minshew has 29 starting reps, compared to 21 for Richardson.

Minshew was 13-of-17 on the night, and had easily his most vertical day of camp. Minshew was a perfect 5-of-5 in the final team period of practice, which comes after he completed his final 6 passes at Friday’s practice. Minshew had a couple of completions to Alec Pierce. Only 2 of Minshew’s 13 completions went to running backs. Through 3 practices, Minshew is 24-of-31 (77%).

Richardson was 9-of-15, also having the most vertical passing work we’ve seen from him in the 11-on-11 sessions. Richardson had a really nice 5-of-6 opening period with the starters, before the rest of his work came with the second unit. The best 11-on-11 throw from Richardson came when he fit a sideline ball into a tight window to Kylen Granson for a chunk play. That brought a fist pound from Shane Steichen. Richardson’s 9 completions went to the following players: Kylen Granson-2, Mo Alie-Cox-2, Mike Strachan-2, Isaiah McKenzie, Vyncint Smith, Evan Hull. Through 3 practices, Richardson is 14-of-22 (63%).

As we mentioned leading into camp, how these QB reps start evolving in the upcoming second week of camp is going to be very telling in projecting the early lead for the starting job.

Saturday was a third straight practice for Shaquille Leonard and the first back-to-back days of work he’s had since last fall. Leonard continues to get ample work throughout practice.

We got a nice period of 1 on 1s at Saturday’s night practice. The wideouts dominated the cornerbacks. Mike Strachan’s big body helped create a couple of easy catches. It was the first time I’ve noticed Strachan this camp. It has to be viewed as a massive 3^rd season for the former 6^th round pick.

A defensive name that has caught my eye a few times early in camp, despite no full pads yet: DE-Genard Avery. The Colts signed Avery late in the spring. He has 8.5 career sacks since joining the NFL in 2018.

One of the loudest cheers of the night came from Colts players reacting to Rigoberto Sanchez’s first punt during team drills since tearing his Achilles last August. Sanchez sent a missile down the field about 70 yards in that first punt. He ended up punting around 10 times in his first teamwork since tearing that Achilles on his right kicking leg. Clearly, Sanchez looks 100 percent/full go.

With rookie cornerbacks JuJu Brents and Darius Rush struggling to stay healthy this offseason, fellow draft pick Jaylon Jones continues to flash a bit. Jones, a 7^th round pick out of Texas A&M, made a beautiful pass deflection on a deep attempt from Anthony Richardson on Saturday. Jones is a Day 3 pick to keep an eye on.

Walking out to practice on Saturday, I had this thought: “What would be your answer right now if I posed this question: More 2023 rushing yards for the Colts—Jonathan Taylor or Zack Moss? How ludicrous would such a question have been just a week or two ago?” Well, funny how the rest of the night played out in relation to that question.

Here is how the starting offense looked on Saturday: QB-Anthony Richardson, RB-Zack Moss, WR-Michael Pittman Jr., WR-Alec Pierce, WR-Isaiah McKenzie, TE-Mo Alie-Cox, LT-Bernhard Raimann, LG-Quenton Nelson, C-Ryan Kelly, RG-Will Fries, RT, Braden Smith.

Here is how the starting defense looked on Saturday: DE-Dayo Odeyingbo, DT-Grover Stewart, DT-DeForest Buckner, DE-Kwity Paye, LB-Zaire Franklin, LB-Shaquille Leonard, LB-E.J. Speed, CB-Kenny Moore, CB-Dallis Flowers, S-Rodney Thomas II, S-Nick Cross.

Guys that stood out at Saturday’s practice: LB-Grant Stuard, WR-Vyncint Smith, WR-Ethan Fernea, CB-Kenny Moore, CB-Jaylon Jones.

Injury Report: The following players did not appear to be participating at Saturday’s practice: S-Julian Blackmon (hamstring), CB-JuJu Brents (hamstring), DE-Samson Ebukam (hamstring, CB-Darrius Rush (shoulder), OT-Jake Witt (undisclosed). The following players remain on the PUP or non-football injury list: RB-Jonathan Taylor (ankle), TE-Will Mallory (foot), DL-Tyquan Lewis (knee).

2023 Colts Training Camp Schedule

-7/31 (Monday): 10:00-11:15 AM practice

-8/1 (Tuesday): 10:00-11:30 AM practice

-8/3 (Thursday): 9:00-10:45 AM practice

-8/5 (Saturday): 6:00-7:30 PM practice

-8/6 (Sunday): 2:00-3:45 PM practice

-8/8 (Tuesday): 9:00-10:30 AM practice

-8/10 (Thursday): 10:00-11:00 AM practice

-8/12 (Saturday): 1^st preseason game at Buffalo (1:00)

-8/15 (Tuesday): 9:00-10:00 AM practice

-8/16 (Wednesday joint practices with Bears): 6:00-8:00 PM practice, SOLD OUT

-8/17 (Thursday joint practices with Bears): 6:00-8:00 PM practice, SOLD OUT