The Indianapolis Colts concluded their offseason workout program earlier this month and will be enjoying summer break before reporting for training camp at the end of July.
Though most developments in the spring, positive or negative, should be taken with a grain of salt, there are some intriguing storylines and nuggets of information that we can take into training camp.
Here are 10 things we learned about the Colts from the offseason workout program:
1
A new direction
The Colts brought in new faces at the two most important positions on the roster. They hired Shane Steichen to be the new head coach following a month-long, exhaustive search. Then, they selected quarterback Anthony Richardson with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
The pairing could not be more ideal for Richardson, who needed to be drafted by a team and a coach that understand how to get the most out of his game. Considering what Steichen did with Jalen Hurts over the last two seasons, it’s fair to have optimism.
When the Colts will be a competitive team under this new regime isn’t clear. Richadson’s inexperience makes that prediction hard to nail down. He could totally surprise everyone and make the Colts a competitive team right away or it could be a while before Indy is competing for a playoff spot.
But after years of middling quarterback play, chasing the ceiling was the right move, and they have the staff in place to reach that potential.
2
Jonathan Taylor ready for camp?
It was a rough 2022 season by Taylor’s standards. Between a paltry offense and a nagging ankle injury, Taylor just made it over 1,000 yards from scrimmage. Statistically, it was his least-productive season as a pro.
Taylor underwent offseason surgery on his ankle at the end of January in what was deemed a “minimally invasive” procedure. It kept the star back off the field for the entire offseason workout program, and there are questions as to whether he’ll be ready for the start of training camp.
Taylor told reporters at minicamp that his goal is to be ready for training camp, but we may not know for sure until that day actually arrives.
3
Michael Pittman Jr. up for an extension
This will be an interesting situation to monitor. Pittman Jr., along with the aforementioned Taylor, is eligible for a contract extension as he enters the final year of his rookie deal. Despite posting a career-high 99 receptions in 2022, he failed to reach 1,000 receiving yards, most of which we can attribute to the paltry quarterback play.
It’s a tough situation for the Colts. Pittman Jr. has shown the potential to be a No. 1 wide receiver in the NFL. A top-20 contract at wide receiver is going for roughly $15 million annually. There’s a strong argument for both sides as to whether the Colts should make that deal.
Currently dealing with a hip injury, Pittman Jr. enters a pivotal point of his career.
4
Kylen Granson shining
The third-year tight end was one of the biggest winners this offseason. Even though the Colts drafted some competition at his position in the form of Miami’s Will Mallory, Granson showed off some pristine route running and YAC abilities over the middle of the field.
Granson impressed his new head coach early on during OTAs, and he kept that momentum going into minicamp. With a crowded tight end arriving to training camp, Granson seems to be in a position to solidify his role as the flex tight end pretty early on.
5
Concerning OL depth?
On one hand, the offensive line was one of the healthiest groups during the offseason workout program. The projected starting unit was together for the majority of OTAs and minicamp.
However, there are some major concerns about the depth. Left tackle Bernhard Raimann is a popular breakout candidate after adding some weight this offseason, and projected starting right guard Will Fries played well down the stretch of the 2022 season. But there has been virtually no competition at either spot—a mistake that doomed the offensive line just last season.
The Colts currently have three reserve offensive tackles, none of which have any real-game experience in the NFL. The depth at right guard consists of Danny Pinter, who lost the starting job in 2022, and Arlington Hambright, a former seventh-round pick with one career start.
The elusiveness and escapability that Anthony Richardson brings will help the offensive line greatly, but it would behoove the Colts to add some type of viable competition at both positions.
6
Samson Ebukam an early winner
One of the first free agents the Colts signed in March, Ebukam is clearly a big part of the plans in 2023. Taking over the LEO role from the departed Yannick Ngakoue, the 27-year-old edge rusher worked with the first-team defense throughout the entire offseason workout program.
While Ebukam may not be as polished of a pass rusher as Ngakoue, he has shown plenty of flashes in recent seasons as a player beginning to put it all together. Considering the fact that he’s also a massive upgrade as a run defender, and this move could wind up being one of the steals of the offseason.
Regardless, Ebukam is one of the biggest winners of the offseason, and he appears to be in line for a starting role entering training camp.
7
Shaquille Leonard's ambiguous timeline
What did we learn about The Maniac’s chances to play in 2023? Close to nothing. We learned that he underwent additional surgery, at the suggestion of Jeff Saturday, in hopes to finally correct the nerve issue that’s plagued him over the course of the last two seasons.
However, Leonard and the Colts are keeping his timeline for return extremely close to the vest. The star linebacker didn’t participate in the spring workouts, and it’s questionable whether he will be ready at the start of training camp considering the information we currently have.
Leonard’s prospects for the season will have a massive impact on the defense one way or another, but it’s nearly impossible to know when he’ll be ready to contribute on the field.
8
A league investigation
There’s a real possibility the Colts are going to play the 2022 season without a key starter in the secondary. Cornerback Isaiah Rodgers Sr. is currently under investigation by the league for potential gambling violations. He issues an apology shortly after the news broke so the chances are high that he will be suspended.
As of this writing, there has been no update on the investigation, but the league has not been kind to those who violate the gambling policy. If Rodgers Sr. gets a full-season suspension, the cornerback room would take a major hit.
It would, however, open the door for some rookies to make an impact in Year 1.
9
Rookie class impressions
We didn’t get to see a whole lot of the rookie class during OTAs and minicamp. Richardson was there every step of the way, of course. He had some electric moments in team drills while also showing some expected growing pains as he adjusts to life in the NFL.
The Day 2 picks were rarely on the field due to injuries. Cornerback Julius Brents was drafted by the team with the knowledge that he had wrist surgery in March so it’s not a surprise he missed time. Third-round wide receiver Josh Downs missed a chunk of the offseason workouts, including all of minicamp, due to a knee injury but had an impressive rookie minicamp.
Fourth-rounder Blake Freeland may have been the most intriguing as he saw some work with the first-team offense. Meanwhile some Day 3 cornerbacks in Darius Rush and Jaylon Jones made impressive plays during team drills in both OTAs and minicamp. Fifth-round tight end Will Mallory injured his foot at rookie minicamp.
Hopefully, there will be more news about the 12-player class at training camp, but it was pretty quiet overall in terms of making noise in the spring.
10
Daniel Scott's injury
We won’t see one member of the rookie class at all during his first season. Fifth-round safety Daniel Scott tore his ACL during the final play of OTAs and was placed on the injured reserve list at the conclusion of minicamp, effectively ending his rookie campaign before it had a chance to start.
