Source: Icon Sportswire / Getty
INDIANAPOLIS –.With fields too wet from overnight rain in the Westfield area, the Colts made the decision to move practice indoors early on Thursday morning.
It was an erratic day of practice from Anthony Richardson, but it will be the rookie getting the starting nod in Saturday’s preseason opener.
Here are some takeaways from Day 10 of Colts training camp:
- Let’s begin with Thursday’s biggest news item: Anthony Richardson will start in Saturday’s preseason opener. And Shane Steichen is planning to play his starters around a quarter, although the staff will have a “case-by-case” plan for each of those starters. Richardson was informed of this news just a few minutes before Thursday’s practice got underway. “I’m excited,” Richardson said of the news. “Hopefully we can put up some points early.” Richardson said he’s “anxious” for Saturday in getting his first professional game experience, albeit in the preseason. It sounds like the Bills are going to play most of their starters on Saturday (but not Josh Allen or Stefon Diggs) so Richardson should see a good chunk of a defensive unit that finished last season ranked No. 2 in points allowed per game (17.9 PPG allowed). Richardson said the biggest goal for him on Saturday is to be “consistent.”
- Onto Thursday’s practice, perhaps Richardson was amped up from the starting news (although the rookie QB said he wasn’t) because it was an erratic day from No. 5 with the starters. Richardson was 5-of-12, with several off-target throws and/or balls thrown too hard for his pass catchers to haul in. Richardson completed his 5 passes to these guys: Isaiah McKenzie (2), Alec Pierce, Evan Hull, Jake Funk. Safety Trevor Denbow dropped what would have been an interception, and Richardson also took a sack. The rookie QB did have a really nice 7-on-7 TD throw to Michael Pittman Jr. But it was a rough session for Richardson as the Colts didn’t don full pads for the final practice of the week.
- Gardner Minshew was back with the second team after getting starting reps on Tuesday. Minshew with the second unit has been more of the norm in the last week of camp. Minshew was 7-of-11 on Thursday, peppering the underneath game. Minshew completed his passes to Josh Downs (4), Pharaoh Brown, Ashton Dulin, Jason Huntley. Following practice, Minshew complimented Downs for his quickness and being “advanced” as a route runner.
- Through 10 camp practices, Anthony Richardson has (unofficially) 100 starting reps and Gardner Minshew has 75 starting reps. Through 10 practices, Minshew is 89-of-119 (74.7%) and Richardson is 50-of-85 (58.8.%). These are unofficial numbers.
- For a second straight practice, Jonathan Taylor was not present. Shane Steichen said after practice he expects Taylor back at Grand Park next week, with the Colts having just 3 practices left in training camp (Tuesday, Wednesday-Bears joint practice, Thursday-Bears joint practice). Does Steichen expect Taylor to practice next week? “I don’t have an answer for that, a timetable on that,” the head coach said. “But really looking forward to getting him back, getting him healthy and getting him out there playing with the guys.”
- It took until practice No. 10 of training camp before we saw our first change to the starting offensive line group. And the reason for that on Thursday was a knee injury to RT-Braden Smith. Shane Steichen said Smith “shouldn’t be out too long” with the knee issue. Smith actually missed some time in the spring, too, so rookie Blake Freeland got another look with the starters.
- Thursday’s practice was just an hour long, with the Colts not putting on full pads. Tuesday will actually be the final “Colt vs. Colt” session of the 2023 training camp. Wednesday is when the Bears come to Westfield for two days of joint practices.
- As we mentioned above, it sounds like both the Colts and Bills are planning to play their starters around a quarter this Saturday. But the biggest storyline from Saturday afternoon will be the return to game action for Bills safety Damar Hamlin.
- Here is how the starting offense looked on Thursday: QB-Anthony Richardson, RB-Evan Hull, WR-Michael Pittman Jr., WR-Alec Pierce, WR-Isaiah McKenzie, TE-Kylen Granson, LT-Bernhard Raimann, LG-Quenton Nelson, C-Ryan Kelly, RG-Will Fries, RT-Blake Freeland.
- Here is how the starting defense looked on Thursday: DE-Samson Ebukam, DT-Grover Stewart, DT-Taven Bryant, DE-Kwity Paye, LB-Zaire Franklin, LB-Shaquille Leonard, CB-Tony Brown, CB-Dallis Flowers, CB-Darrell Baker Jr., S-Trevor Denbow, S-Nick Cross.
- Guys that stood out at Thursday’s practice: WR-Josh Downs
Injury Report: The following players did not appear to be participating at Thursday’s practice: S-Julian Blackmon (hamstring), CB-Kenny Moore (ankle), RB-Zack Moss (arm), TE-Jelani Woods (hamstring), TE-Mo Alie-Cox (ankle), LB-Liam Anderson (undisclosed), DT-DeForest Buckner (foot), TE-Will Mallory (hamstring), S-Rodney Thomas II (toe), RB-Deon Jackson (quad), RB-Zavier Scott (quad), OT-Braden Smith (knee), LB-JoJo Domann (undisclosed), TE-Drew Ogletree (undisclosed), LB-Cameron McGrone (undisclosed). The following players remain on the PUP or non-football injury list: RB-Jonathan Taylor (ankle).
2023 Colts Training Camp Schedule
-8/12 (Saturday): 1st 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
