Stampede Blue
“Putting the pads on is going to be good for us next week,” Steichen said Saturday. “So just repetition, coming together as a football team, that’s what camp’s about, right? It’s building your identity in camp and the mental and physical toughness.”
WESTFIELD, Ind. — Key position battles are in full swing as the Indianapolis Colts donned full pads for the first time in the fifth training camp practice Monday morning.
The revamped defense had shut down the offense in the first week of camp, especially during Saturday’s session focused inside the red zone. Prior to Monday, the Colts passing attack looked inferior to the secondary and neither quarterback seemed to gain any leverage in the battle to claim the Week 1 starting job.
Third-year QB Anthony Richardson showed significant signs of progression with his best performance on Monday and completed all 10 passes during team drills. On the second play of the final 11-on-11 session, Richardson recognized the zone coverage and let it rip with a 30-yard laser down the sideline to receiver Michael Pittman Jr. in between cornerback Charvarius Ward and safety Nick Cross, which drew an emphatic roar from the Grand Park crowd.
When the 23-year-old QB looks as sharp as he did Monday, it becomes tough for any defense to stop Indy’s run-pass-option scheme. The dual-threat QB looks most effective when using his legs to scramble outside the pocket or running read option alongside star running back Jonathan Taylor. Richardson layered a perfect throw to tight end Will Mallory against zone coverage during 7-on-7 drills, proving he can deliver accurate throws in an empty pocket. He showed poise while moving through his progressions on consecutive plays and fired a pair of darts over the middle to Pittman and Josh Downs to end his day.
The Colts offense finally looked efficient and found some rhythm, which was the biggest area of improvement Colts head coach Shane Steichen mentioned he wanted to see during their second week together at camp.
“Just getting into a rhythm,” Steichen said. “It’s chemistry. You get into training camp, you’ve got to go through the reps. It’s muscle memory.”
Rookie tight end Tyler Warren is getting much more involved in the offense after a slow start to his first NFL training camp. The stampede in the grandstands witnessed the 2024 First-Team All-American snag low throws inches off the grass and demonstrate elite concentration to secure one-handed catches on numerous occasions. Steichen orchestrated a screen for Warren, who then raced downfield for a 30-yard gain to showcase his ability to gain massive yards after the catch.
Fans in attendance caught an early glimpse last week when Richardson found the 6-foot-5 rookie wide open and connected on a crosser for an explosive play in 11-on-11 team drills. If the pass is within his vicinity, Warren has shown he will grab the leather out of the air and still manage to keep his stride, rather than dive to the grass and rely on his body...
