Day 5 of Indianapolis Colts training camp gets underway Monday at 10:00 AM ET, and there’s already a lot hanging in the air as the team heads deeper into practice and preseason work.
There’s no shortage of competition across the roster, with playing time and jobs up for grabs in multiple position groups. The Colts are also operating with a clear sense of urgency as they move through what has been described as a now-or-never season, and GM Chris Ballard is aware of the stakes.
Monday’s practice is set to be monitored closely, and this live update will track developments as they happen.
The Colts are in full pads today.
A few of the early items to watch include a strong start for Anthony Richardson, Richardson working with the backups, a Josh Downs vs. Justin Walley matchup, and defensive end drills.
The team also announced a roster move during the session.
For context, the Colts are coming off Day 4 of training camp, with several other storylines already developing around the roster, including battles that are not gaining traction early, early impressions of a Day 3 draft pick, where the rookies stand on the depth chart after four practices, and how several positional battles are shaping up after the first four camp sessions.
There has also been attention on the under-the-radar competition that has gotten off to a shaky start, Daniel Jones’ play during the fourth practice, Quenton Nelson’s contract extension talks, and whether a leader has emerged in the backup quarterback competition.
In Other News...
Colts Defense Is Trying Something New As Young Players Adjust Fast
The Colts used a full-pad training camp practice to lean into the run game and keep the passing work mostly underneath, a setup that put a spotlight on how quickly the defense is absorbing a new structure. Veteran safety Cam Bynum has taken over the communication duties that usually live with the linebackers, a change aimed at helping the rookies process the defense faster and play with less hesitation.
That adjustment showed up immediately in the front, where rookie rushers Caden Curry and George Gumbs Jr. kept flashing through live periods. Gumbs even drew a quick reprimand from defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo after celebrating too early on a live rep, a small reminder that camp is still about details as much as disruption, even when the young pass rushers are making noise. [Read more 🡒]
Colts First Padded Practice Put Jonathan Taylor At The Center Of It
The Colts moved into full pads for the first time at training camp and, as expected, the day tilted toward the kind of work that tends to reveal a teams identity early. Indianapolis spent plenty of time on the run game and tackling techniques, with Jonathan Taylor right in the middle of the action while Daniel Jones kept the offense moving with a series of short completions. Rookie Seth McGowan also flashed on the ground, giving the staff another back to evaluate as the contact level rose.
There was plenty happening beyond the backfield, too, as defensive rookies and other new additions turned in notable reps during a practice that had a little more edge than the early-camp sessions. Even special teams got a clean showing, with Blake Grupe perfect on all six of his field goal attempts. But the biggest takeaway was hard to miss: once the pads came on, the Colts made clear how much they want this camp to lean on Taylor and the ground game while the rest of the roster keeps sorting itself out around him. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Quiet Offseason Is Getting Harder To Defend In The AFC South
The Colts have spent much of the offseason trying to argue that patience can be a plan, but the rest of the AFC South has not exactly made that case easier. Indianapolis has kept some continuity by re-signing a few of its own and adding edge rusher Arden Key, yet the overall approach has been noticeably quieter than the kind of aggressive push that can change the balance of a division.
The trouble is that the market gave them chances to be louder. Several of the more intriguing names at spots of need stayed within reach, and the Colts have watched the front end of free agency unfold without landing the kind of splash that would have softened the skepticism. There are still edge rushers available, which keeps the door open, but every week that passes without a bigger move makes the choice to sit back look a little harder to sell. [Read more 🡒]