Following Thursday night’s preseason opener tie, the Colts were back indoors Saturday for a training camp session that was mostly about red-zone work and not much else. The late afternoon weather was soggy, but inside, the bigger story was a defense that kept making life difficult for the offense.
The Colts’ secondary had the upper hand for much of the practice, especially against the receivers. That’s been a familiar theme this camp, and with Sauce Gardner, Charvarius Ward, and Justin Walley all healthy, Indianapolis looks built to have one of the league’s better cornerback groups at the top of the depth chart.
Walley, filling in on the outside for Ward, came away with at least a few pass breakups. Jones spent a lot of snaps waiting for someone to shake free, and the coverage stayed tight long enough to force him to hold the ball. In a real game, that kind of thing would probably turn into more coverage sacks once the pass rush gets home faster.
Even so, Jones did find the end zone a few times in 11-on-11 red-zone work. Josh Downs caught one of those scores, though he came up gingerly after the acrobatic grab before walking off to be checked by trainers.
Downs later returned to practice. Jones also hit Ashton Dulin, Seth McGowan, Laquon Treadwell, and Tyler Warren, who pulled in an especially acrobatic touchdown of his own.
The backup quarterbacks had their moments, too, though Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard were both uneven in red-zone work. Still, each showed strong chemistry with Raylen Sharpe, who hauled in several touchdowns from both passers during the session.
Ulysses Bentley IV continued to help himself as well. The Colts running back made a few nice catches and has put together a strong camp, enough that he may not be looking like a pure practice squad candidate anymore.
Up front, Laiatu Latu stayed busy. The third-year edge rusher was active again and appeared to log about 2.0 sacks by my count, along with several other pressures on Jones.
There were also a number of absences. Among the players who did not practice were linebacker CJ Allen (hamstring), offensive guard Jalen Farmer, wide receiver Anthony Gould, running back DJ Giddens (hamstring), defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi, wide receiver Alec Pierce (ankle/PUP), offensive tackle Nolan Rucci, offensive tackle Luke Tenuta (knee), and cornerback Charvarius Ward (back).
Pierce, the Colts’ lucratively re-signed leading wideout from last season, was still around the action, working lightly on the sideline with receivers coach Reggie Wayne. He wasn’t jogging or cutting on the ankle, but he was catching passes while stationary and had to use some body control to finish a few athletic grabs.
There was also a quick positive on special teams. Brian Mason, the Colts’ special teams coordinator, was already back on the field with a knee brace after tearing multiple ligaments in his left knee at the end of Thursday night’s game in a sideline collision.
One other detail stood out: rookie edge Caden Curry took some long-snapping reps, apparently as an emergency option if long snapper Luke Rhodes were ever unable to return during a game. The Colts are clearly making contingency plans.
In Other News...
Colts Face A Costly Anthony Richardson Decision At Quarterback
With Daniel Jones installed as the starter, the Colts have quietly settled into a quarterback order that puts Anthony Richardson Sr. in the backup role he never expected to occupy for long. Richardson was a first-round pick in 2023, but his uneven start to his career has left Indianapolis weighing not just his development, but his value as an asset if the team decides to move in a different direction.
For now, the question is whether the Colts can afford to hang on and hope Richardson still has a future in their plans, or whether this is the moment to cash in before the final year of his rookie contract runs out. ESPNs Stephen Holder has indicated the signs are pointing toward Indianapolis keeping him, even though a trade could still bring back a Day 3 pick and give the front office something in return for a quarterback whose long-term fit remains unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
Anthony Richardson Still Has A Real Colts Path For A Reason
Anthony Richardsons future in Indianapolis still looks tied to more than just his immediate role in the quarterback room. Colts assistant general manager Ed Dodds recently signaled the team expects to keep Richardson around for the 2026 season, which would put the former No. 4 overall pick into the final year of his guaranteed rookie deal. For a team that has leaned into building depth at quarterback, the combination of pedigree and roster flexibility still gives Richardson a real place in the organizations plans.
The financial side helps make that path even more practical, since his 2026 salary is modest enough that the Colts can afford to hold onto him without much strain. More importantly, Indianapolis appears to value having three quarterbacks it trusts, and Richardson remains part of that equation if injuries or circumstances force him back into action. For now, the door is still open, and the Colts do not sound ready to close it. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Give Fans A Powerful Reason To Rally Beyond Football
The Colts are joining a broader local response after severe flooding hit Central Indiana, teaming with the Pacers, Fever and Noblesville Boom on a $250,000 donation to the American Red Cross. It is the kind of gesture that reaches well beyond the field, especially in a state where those teams are woven into the same civic fabric and where the damage has already included casualties and widespread property loss.
Kalen Jackson said the flooding has been felt personally in the affected areas, and the size of the contribution underscores how quickly the sports community moved to help. For Colts fans, it is a reminder that the organizations presence in Indianapolis is about more than Sundays in the fall, and in moments like this, that connection can matter as much as anything that happens on the scoreboard. [Read more 🡒]