Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - INDIANAPOLIS COLTS CAMP, DAY 12: Daniel Jones, Offense Taken Advantage of By OPPORTUNISTIC Defense

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Indianapolis Colts offense struggled mightily in day 12 of training camp. Let's get to it. You are Locked on Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast. Part of the Locked on podcast network, your team every day. Welcome to Locked on Colts. I'm Zach Hicks. That's Jake Arthur. And today's episode is brought to you by GameTime.

Starting point is 00:00:30 Down the GameTime app, create an account, and use code Locked On for $20 off of your first purchase. on today's show, we're going to dive into day 12 of training camp, the final day where the Colts are facing other Colts players here in training camp. They have two more training camp practices left this year, and they will both be joint practices with the Atlanta Falcons before we wrap it all up. So we're going to go our typical just way we go about this, quarterback's offense and defense. And speaking of quarterbacks, Jake, it was apparently a pretty rough day from, I guess even like the first two quarterbacks. I guess Riley Leonard had a decent day from everything I saw. So we'll talk about all that in a second, but we do have some injury news and notes.

Starting point is 00:01:11 And the injury list certainly piles up now that we have a game behind us because that's where a couple of these guys did get a bit banged up. Wide receiver Alec Pierce was still missed practice. He's still on the pup list with the ankle injury. Wide receiver Anthony Gould, who has a groin injury, missed the last two practices, and he missed the game as well. So he didn't play in the game. Cornerback Mooney Ward, who missed the game,

Starting point is 00:01:31 but he wasn't going to play that game regardless. but he's missed the last three practices with the back injury. Running back, DJ Giddens has been out for six practices with a hamstring injury, although the Colts have said that he is seemingly getting closer. So we'll see when he's able to get back out there. Offensive tackle, Luke Tanuda is dealing with a knee injury. He's missed the last two practices. And I think he left the game a little bit early as well.

Starting point is 00:01:54 Offensive tackle, Nolan Rucci missed the last two practices. And I don't believe he played in the game either in that one. And then you have on here, too, Jake, that tight-hand Carson Tout left practice early after a nasty fall. So quite a few players banged up, but we did get some good news on the injury front as well as rookie linebacker, C.J. Allen, who had missed the last five practices with a hamstring injury.

Starting point is 00:02:13 He returned to practice. Offensive guard, Jalen Farmer, returned to practice after missing one. And then Derek Nottie, the defensive tackle, he returned after missing a practice as well. So they got a couple guys back, couple young rookies back, but the injury list is certainly climbing now that they just played a preseason game. We'll talk a little bit more about some of those injuries in the second segment,

Starting point is 00:02:32 but let's start with the quarterbacks, Jake. You know, Daniel Jones had been having a really good camp up to this point. Like you and I were there for that Thursday scrimmage not too long ago where he was just incredible. And he followed it up with a pretty good weekend and set of practices as well. But it seems like he finally had that stinker, got that stinker out of the way. And now he won't have any bad games in the regular season because he got all of his bad throws and bad moments out of the way in training camp, right? Exactly, yeah.

Starting point is 00:02:58 And I wasn't worried about it. It was very much uncharacteristic from the offense because it wasn't just Jones. I think he was a part of the bigger issue from the offensive side of the ball on Sunday. But yeah, you're bound to have that. I think it's just about limiting them. Like, I easily think this is a better training camp this year than he had last year. But it really started, you know, he had a couple interceptions. One of them was tipped at the line. So that, that's not really his fault. And then it was intercepted by McCaugh, Blackman. But then another one, he just threw like a prayer on a post route like 40 or so yards down the field to

Starting point is 00:03:38 Laquan Treadwell and Cam Bynum positioned himself perfectly to get under it and intercept it. And then Jones dropped an under center snap exchange too, which was surprising. Now, sometimes that can be on the center as well. So it's something that's plagued all the quarterbacks as a group throughout camp, mostly Anthony Richardson. But just in general, just one. one of several sloppy things. You know, on the first drive, Jonathan Taylor dropped a screen. Matt Gonzalez falls started later on that drive. So I would say they were just a little discombobulated, but I'm not worried overall.

Starting point is 00:04:17 You know, maybe there was new stuff. They were trying to install or try, and it just didn't go very smoothly. But yeah, well, you're bound to have at least a day or two of that. I'd rather see it on this final warmup before having the Falcons in here. than against the Falcons because then it becomes a storyline because it's against another team that they're facing. Yeah, like I remember, what was it, 2024 where they got their butts kicked by like the Bengals and that joint practice. And it was kind of indicative of how the season ended up going for that Colts team in 2024. So yeah, get it out of the way now, get the jitters out, get all that

Starting point is 00:04:52 and then come in, clean against the Falcons this next week and go from there. Going to the next quarterback, though, and I think it's funny that a lot of people are making jokes about Jones that, oh, he finally had this bad practice because he's feeling the pressure after Anthony Richardson's really strong preseason game. So did Richardson capitalize, Jake? Did he have a great practice as well? Not really. I mean, he was just, it was whatever. He didn't do a whole lot of throwing. He was two, just two of three. And his incompletion was a bad interception. So mind you, this guy has the best arm on the team. And he had Nick Westbrook Aquina opened down the right side. And he threw it, but just I guess put too much air under it because Jalen Jones was just right there and all he had to do was turn

Starting point is 00:05:35 around and plop. It was right in his chest. So a pretty bad interception and bad throw by Richardson there. Interestingly enough, though, Shane Steichen likes to incorporate these quick change situations to kind of get guys, you know, kind of integrated into unexpected situations. And it was Richardson in the second team offense versus the first team defense in the low red zone. So I don't think that drive necessarily bore fruit. But it was interesting nonetheless. We haven't seen, like Leonard didn't get that opportunity in camp. So I guess if you're skewing towards who got a little more of an advantage on Sunday

Starting point is 00:06:20 was probably a little more Richardson. But really, Leonard was the only quarterback who you can look at his day and be like, yeah, not bad. You know, no big gripes about what he did. He was four or five, had a little. touchdown throw to DJ Montgomery in the low red zone. So not so bad day overall. He was kind of welcoming. Like I can't really recall any throws that really stood out. I think he just kind of methodically kind of took what the defense was given him a bit. Yeah. And just to clarify real quick on Richardson's

Starting point is 00:06:50 interception, did that come against the first team defense or was that when it was two's on? No, that was two's on twos. Yeah. Because it was it was Jalen Jones out there and it was Westbrook Aquinas as the receiver. So yeah, that's when he was running the twos. Yesterday, they didn't really run any third team stuff. It was all first and second team. They did do a period of seven on sevens. That was the developmental team. So any of the third team guys, I guess that's who they were really given the reps to right there. But they didn't do 11s with the third team. And that's where Carson Tau got hurt. I'm assuming was with that seven on seven period. Yeah, I believe so. I forget who it was one of the safeties tackled him along the sideline, and he grabbed for his lower left leg ankle area.

Starting point is 00:07:34 And they looked bad. He was pretty, he kind of hit the ground in frustration, and he looked like he was in a lot of pain. So he did walk off on his own, obviously limping quite heavily. But we'll see what comes to that. Yeah. So we have like a minute or two left in this segment. And because you've watched all 12 of these practices, and obviously we're getting out of the Colts versus Colts era or like side of this off season,

Starting point is 00:07:57 era, I guess, the off season here. But we're getting out of that and into joint practice and just more games. What have been your overall takeaways with these three quarterbacks, you know, stock up, stock down, or just kind of your overall thoughts on this quarterback room in general through these 12 practices you've seen? Please stay healthy, Daniel Jones, first and foremost, because the whole season hinges on his health once again, because I don't think it's going to look pretty if he misses an extended period of time. And it's either Richardson or Leonard. I think Jones looks very pleasantly, surprisingly good. Like he, you know, is just leaving where he left off last year before, even the fibula injury. So he's moving well. He's throwing accurately most of the time, spreading the ball around.

Starting point is 00:08:45 Although, like, especially since last week with the Patriots, very much leaning into Josh Downs and Tyler Warren. All four of his completions were to those two guys on Sunday. So he's leaning into the guys that we know are going to be the strengths of the passing game until Alec Pierce gets in. But Jones I feel really good about, and I wish I could make some sort of declarative statement about the development of Richardson or Leonard, but I just don't feel like I can because in a practice setting when things are so scripted and there's so like everything is regimented and everything is being fed to them by. the coaches. I don't think either player thrives in that environment. They both are at their best when the bullets are flying and they're going from the seat of their pants. You know what I mean?

Starting point is 00:09:37 Two-minute situations where everything is quick thinking and they just have to be football players and rely on instincts. That's when those guys look best. It's very, I guess it's frustrating that you can't really get a good gauge on how they've developed as just down-to-down, to quarter quarter quarterbacks, which probably says something about their development because you would like to see some consistency in those areas. But, you know, obviously the games are the most important thing. And I think both of them perform much better in games than they do practices. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:10:12 And I think that's a great point, too, with them speeding up their clocks because Richardson, almost all of his completions came in the last three minutes of the first half in that preseason game. And then Leonard gets them into that game-time field goal range. I know it was a 61-yarder, so not tetan. like where you want to be, but got them to tie that game up late with the long field goal by driving them into position. So you see both these guys,

Starting point is 00:10:33 when they get to like hurry up their process, they are certainly at their best. So we'll see how that continues. Leonard gets his shot with the second team in this next game. We got joint practices coming up, so a lot more coming on this quarterback battle for QB2. Coming up, we're going to talk about the rest of the offense and this lackluster practice that

Starting point is 00:10:49 the Colts just had. And also we're going to speculate about wide receiver a little bit more because who doesn't love speculating about the wide receiver. see your position of the Indianapolis Colts. There are more live events than ever worth seeing right now, especially when the weather starts to get a little bit cooler. Maybe we stop getting some of this rain and we can get like into the 70s, like just really good event weather, whether it's games, concerts, comedy shows,

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Starting point is 00:12:26 Indianapolis Colts Training Camp. But before we move on to the the rest of the offense. Don't forget to check out the Everyday Air Club for ad-free audio episodes and access to a group chat with other listeners at the show as well as Zach and myself. Just tap the link in the show notes or go to Lockdowncultz.com to join today. All right, Zach, so we talked about quarterbacks. Let's move along to the running game.

Starting point is 00:12:48 As you mentioned at the top, DJ Giddens has been out for like a week plus. He's missed six practices. Meanwhile, the arrow on Seth McGowan and Ulysses Bentley just keeps going up. McGowan had a really nice run on Sunday. You know, since 2020, we've become accustomed to seeing it's probably almost burned in your brain. Jonathan Taylor with room to run and guess who's in front of him, Quentin Nelson on a pole. And it was really cool because Seth McGowan finally got that moment on Sunday.

Starting point is 00:13:20 Here comes Quentin Nelson pulling out to the right side. Total room to run for McGowan untouched, probably at least a 40-yard gain. in a real game situation with Nelson out in front getting that ceiling block there. So I thought that was a really cool moment. That was probably McGowan's true highlight of the day. He didn't do a whole lot else worth noting. But Bentley had like a five-yard touchdown on a little toss to the left side. He's been scoring touchdowns in buckets lately, it seems like.

Starting point is 00:13:52 And I asked Shane Stuyken after practice because I thought it would be naive of us to just assume that Giddens was going to disappear once he gets back, right? But at the same time, I pose this question to Shane. I was like, you know, Giddens will get back eventually. How do you balance the fact that McGowan and Bentley have looked so good in his absence? Because Giddens is RB2 on the debt chart. And Shane actually gave an answer that I really liked and appreciated. He basically said, you know, those guys have been doing great. Giddens is going to have to hit the ground running when he gets there. It cannot look like he's coming back from a long absence. Like Giddens needs to actually get on the level of those guys essentially paraphrasing,

Starting point is 00:14:37 what Shane said, which is good because, I mean, you don't want to see guys lose their, their positions or their spots on the depth chart because of injuries. But at the same time, in no universe, have we ever seen Giddens look as good as we've seen McGowan and Bentley look over the last like two or three weeks, you know? Yeah. No, for sure. sure. And we on this show are very big fans of McGowan and Bentley for making those last two spots at running back. So we have our bias for sure with this. But even Shane Steichen acknowledging that like those guys are playing well, I think it goes distance for those guys players. It goes miles for those guys. So I really like seeing that from those two players. You also have a note in here,

Starting point is 00:15:17 Jake, about the offensive line depth. Now they are dealing with some injuries at offensive tackle right now with Luke Tanuda and Nolan Rucci both being out. So you have on here that Josh Sills has been playing tackle in training camp. So, you know, that's not great, Jake. That's not great. Yeah. On Saturday, he was the second team right tackle. On Sunday, he was the second team left tackle.

Starting point is 00:15:42 That's a little. Real quick, though. That's, Byron Mottos can't even get in over a guard at tackle. Right. Yeah. It's been, it's been Sills and Blake Freeland rotating those spots each day. But yeah, it's, if, if Sills is out there at. tackle for you in a game.

Starting point is 00:15:58 Stuff's going really wrong. You know what I mean? And that's the tough part with both Tanuda and Rucci being hurt. I do think that we haven't seen Jalen Farmer play tackle at all, but I think we could probably put that to bet at this point. Because if they were going to do it, this would have been the perfect opportunity. And so over the whole weekend, they didn't do it.

Starting point is 00:16:19 So we could firmly plant Jalen Farmer into the guard spot now. But yeah, they've had to do a lot of moving around. round when it comes to the second team O line. And who knows, maybe that's why they didn't even do third team offense yesterday because they don't have enough true offense of why I'm going to do it. Because again, I think you probably saw my notes. Matt Gonzalez was the third team right tackle on Saturday. They put Gonzalez all the way with the third team.

Starting point is 00:16:45 I do like that they kind of keep flexing that muscle. You know, you kind of need to get those occasional reps there. But that just goes to show you how banged up the second team line is now. Yeah, and I still think going into the year that Gonzalez is technically the swing tackle for this team. Yeah, I'm going to stand by that. Not because he's the only good, I don't know how good of an option he'd be at tackle in that, but I just remember last year when they had a game, they prepared for a game, Tenuda was healthy.

Starting point is 00:17:13 They could have started Tanuda, who I think is going to make this team as an offensive tackle backup player. They moved Gonzalez out and put Dalton Tucker at guard. Now they have Jaylen Farber, though, who they really like as their next guy up. So I think if an injury were to happen to a tackle this year, Gonzalves would slide in, tackle, and you would put Farmer in at his guard spot. It's probably what they do. So I do like them flexing that muscle. They probably should have put Gonzalez out there at the second team instead of Josh Sills,

Starting point is 00:17:38 just to keep getting those reps because Josh Sills is never playing tackle in the game. Come on. And I don't know that Sills is going to make the roster. I mean, if you figure they keep nine or ten, I think Sills is probably one of the first one or two of them out, but I don't really think he's going to make it. Yeah, I struggle to see him making it. I mean, maybe he can make it as a night guy, but we'll see with that.

Starting point is 00:18:01 Let's talk receiver real quick, Jake, before we get out of here. And one thing I want to get your clarification on, because there were a lot of really bad clickbait articles out over the weekend. Regarding Josh Downs. Josh Downs took a bad fall on Saturday's practice, missed like three snaps, was jogging around on the sideline, came back in, practiced fully. You have a tweet up on Twitter where you said he, left practice and he came back and you clarified it in your notes. Everybody clarified it in their

Starting point is 00:18:28 notes. But then all these aggregate sites that I'm not going to call out by name, we're saying, Josh Downs lease practice, lease practice. And people were just reading the headlines instead of that. So can you just put this to bed for me, Jake? Is Josh Downs hurt right now? No, he's not. So what happened on Saturday is he went up for really acrobatic touchdown catch and just landed weird on his leg. and like he was in clear discomfort after but never stopped moving you know afterwards he jogged around the end zone and then like went behind everybody and kind of started walking it off and everything he did miss the rest of that series but then when they came back on the field he was out there and then he didn't miss practice on Sunday and that's a guy they need to protect for

Starting point is 00:19:12 the season and they didn't feel the need even with two days off right now to keep him out on Sunday. So Josh Downs totally fine. Yeah. And then our other injured wide receiver, this one's actually injured right now is Alec Pierce, right? He's missed all of training camp. He's going to, when he misses the Falcons joint practice, it'll be all of training camp missed. Chris Ballard said he was one to two weeks away like four weeks ago. So that was certainly not correct when Ballard said that, which has Colts fans a bit nervous right now. And I understand Colts fans being nervous when it comes to injuries because look at the recent history with Colts players. Andrew luck, Shaquille Leonard, like lots of them. I understand completely. But for me, and you can chime in

Starting point is 00:19:51 on this too, Jake, when I see a player is already doing like work on the side field with trainers, it tells me that they're pretty close to coming back. I mean, I think it was the last day I was out there for training camp. It was Hunter Woller, LeQuan Treadwell, and Josh Downs were all doing work on the side field, right? All those players returned for the joint practice, right, against the New England Patriots like just a couple of days later. So now that we see Pierce is already doing that, and Now, he's missed more time than those guys did, so it's going to be a little bit longer of a ramp up. But he's already doing the side field stuff, and they have 27 days until week one. I'd be very shocked if he missed the first game.

Starting point is 00:20:27 Like, if he still had muscle atrophy in that leg and he was limping around with, like, a wrap on it and stuff in practice, then I would be very concerned. But the fact that he, I mean, he was at the game, at the pregame or whatever, this past weekend, or on Thursday, I guess it was in his cleats running routes and stuff. Like, he's been working out. then he's been moving. So I'm not too concerned. He's going to play week one.

Starting point is 00:20:50 I still stand by that. I understand it's concerned he's going to miss all of training camp, but he's a veteran. So it's not the same as like a rookie missing all training camp. So you can weigh in on this real quick, too, Jake, before we get out of this segment. Yeah, I'm not overly concerned. Like, long term, I think it's not a problem.

Starting point is 00:21:08 Like, I think throughout the course of the season, it'll be fine. I would like him to get at least a couple, like, two, three weeks of practice under his belt before the season starts. though. I do think it's good that now I don't think he's walking 100%. I think you could see it's a little ginger on the left on the left foot when he walks. But he's not wearing like a brace or anything on it. I think it's probably just a result of general soreness from now he's working out and stuff again. So like that probably will wear off. I've got to imagine. But yeah, he's he's not like limping greatly. He's not got support on it. Like there you don't

Starting point is 00:21:46 see a brace or anything on it. And like physically he looks phenomenal. So I'm not super worried about it. It would have been preferable in this new role for him to be able to hit the ground running and like because the thing is he hasn't been able to practice all off season. That's the thing. Like he's got a new role to get ready for, but he has not even started it yet. So that is my short term concern. But long term, I think it's totally fine. I've got to imagine we're going to see him practicing sooner rather than later. Like there is a gap in between time between training camp and the start of the season. We're just under a month away.

Starting point is 00:22:24 So he'll get back in there, I think probably relatively soon. Should hopefully still be ready for, you know, week one. They have seated that, yes, he is not back on this exact timeline. We said he hopefully would be, you know, the one to two weeks into training camp, but the hope is still week one. Yeah. And I anticipate him being out there. But we'll see.

Starting point is 00:22:45 Again, I understand people being a bit concerned about that. Coming up, though, we're going to talk about the defense's big day in day 12 of training camp. And talk about a couple of players with interceptions. Again, Cameron Bindon, Mackay Blackman, talk about those plays and a couple other standout performers. Support for today's episode comes from Square. Behind so many of the local businesses that people visit every day is Square. A platform designed to help businesses sell, manage, and grow. Whether it's a neighborhood coffee shop, a packed sports bar on Game Day, or your favorite restaurant,

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Starting point is 00:24:40 All right. Welcome back, everybody. We were talking day 12 of Indianapolis Colts training camp. And it was a sloppy one for the offense. and I wouldn't necessarily say it was like the defense forced them into a bunch of mistakes. I think the offense just, you know, it wasn't their best day. But the defense was opportunistic based off of those mistakes, I would say. So I think first and foremost, Zach, the past defense, first and second team was ready to go.

Starting point is 00:25:11 I think probably my favorite thing about them other than the depth or the perceived depth that we think they've got. is the fact that they aggressively play the ball at all times. And that goes to every level of the defense. You know, you saw Kate and Curry get two pass breakups in the preseason game. Latu had three interceptions last year. And Latu tipped a ball against Joe, he tipped one of Jones passes on Sunday that ultimately was then intercepted by Mackay Blackman and taken back for a pick six.

Starting point is 00:25:39 So it's little stuff like that, getting your hands into passing lanes that creates opportunities for your teammates. It's sauce Gardner had a past breakup. Austin, new pronunciation, by the way, Ajike. I knew it. I knew. We're never going to get it right, but it's Ajikai. I knew that there was something wrong with it.

Starting point is 00:25:57 Adjike. Okay, I got that. When I was saying a GK, it sounded too good to be true. So, Ajikay. Okay, I got it now. Yeah, it's ever growing our pronunciation of things. But then Mackay Blackman, Cam Bynam, and Jalen Jones all having interceptions as well. I've said that I think like the strong point or the defining trait of this defense this season,

Starting point is 00:26:22 if they're going to be really good, is probably takeaways. So it's good to kind of see that out there on the field. Yeah. And one thing I wanted, I guess, even more clarification on Jalen Jones was out there at the second team here. Now, was that him just sliding up because Mooney Ward was out and, okay, that's all it was. He wasn't like over Edwards on the second team or anything? I think so it's Wall. you right now is taking Mooney's spot on the outside and Cam Taylor Britt is the backup

Starting point is 00:26:49 slot. And then so you've got Blackman, Edwards, and Jones as the next three corners. And so I imagine Jones would be the next one off when Mooney gets back. Okay. Yeah. So we didn't see any like big change there. I just want to get that clarification. It's just everyone kind of rising up the ranks a little bit with Mooney out. Yeah, because we've been under the impression all law season that Jones is probably the seventh corner and it doesn't seem like that change despite Edwards and Blackman having dreadful preseason games the other day. I guess dreadful on defense preseason games and Jones had a pretty solid game. It doesn't appear like we're going to see like some big change where Jones gets like the first half and this next one. He still probably seems more like that third team type guy.

Starting point is 00:27:34 So I wanted to get that clarification because depth chart matters more than performance sometimes when it comes to the off season. You also have notes in here about some of the linebackers though and I love seeing this because I was so pleasantly surprised with how the linebackers played in the first preseason game. Like even Jalen Carlis, who I wasn't yeah, I wasn't super impressed with Carlize going into that first preseason

Starting point is 00:27:55 game, but then I thought he had a really good game. And then you even have it in here that he had a sack in this practice as well. You have your boy Tage Chambers, who I had in my special team's notes after the game after the game Jake that he had a really good game on special teams. So this linebacker depth, even though

Starting point is 00:28:11 it doesn't have like household names and and, you know, C.J. Allen hasn't practiced for most of the offseason. I do like what we're seeing and hearing from a lot of these linebackers this off season. Yeah, I really liked seeing Tage Chambers get just a few first team reps on Sunday because the guys earned it. Like, he has performed really well. He's outperformed his UDFA rank. And he's been rewarded with getting into that rotation of guys who get to mix in with the ones just to see what they've got. But, yeah, I think the linebackers have been such a pleasant surprise.

Starting point is 00:28:42 Carlis got a sack on Jones in this one. And it feels like every day there's a linebacker who at least once gets to the quarterback on an Agap Blitz. Like it's working very well. There was a day where I think when you were here, Betcher had two or three sacks. We've seen Akeem Davis Gather get him. Carlis now get him. A GK has got like they're all as soon as it's like a delayed A gap blitz basically. it just seems to have such a high success rate.

Starting point is 00:29:15 But it was Carlis getting there this time. And like just on the topic of the linebackers in general, one of my just biggest prevailing replays in my head from the game is it was like a GK, Carlize, and Betcher making three consecutive plays on one drive to get the Patriots off the field. Like it was bang, bang, bang, those three linebackers. And in my head, I'm just like, that's not what the linebackers were doing. last year. Yeah, that's exactly the order that went. It was Betcher's big tackle for a loss. And then the next play, Oji K had the tackle over the middle of the field on the throw.

Starting point is 00:29:52 And then Carlis had the pass breakup on Raritan. Along the sign line. Yeah, yeah, good call there. Yeah, that's a, that's a great showing from those linebackers. Like you said, three plays in a row, exactly what you want to see, even with that rotation going on. So awesome, awesome work from the linebackers. And I think we're putting ourselves in a really heartbreaking position. And you know who's in a more heartbreaking is that Ole Miss a alumni agent who follows us and listens to the show too, because I think the first three guys off the roster might all be Ole Miss guys, right? Trey Washington, Ulysses Bentley, the four, and Taj Chambers, who I think all three have done enough to make the team. But the numbers game might be a little tough for them.

Starting point is 00:30:30 So I'm hoping at least one of those guys can break through because we're obviously big fans of all three of them here on this show. But it would be nice to see those guys really breakthrough. Did you have any more defensive notes here, Jake, before we get to the kicker battle? and I'll step away when you do the kick or battle stuff, obviously. Yeah, you'll take your bathroom break at that point. Right. No, but I would like to think we saw a positive sign with DeForest Buckner on Sunday. It was the earliest I can remember him participating in 11 on 11s in a practice.

Starting point is 00:30:59 He usually has only been in on like those indie packages, like the pass rush packages. But he was in there like right away with the first group of 11 on 11s. So I don't. Worst day for the offense? coinciding with the force Buckner return. Coincidence? I think not. And he looked really good in the one-on-ones the other day. So I would like to think Buckner is heating up a little bit.

Starting point is 00:31:23 Now, they have been being very careful with him. Yeah. And we asked him the other day after practice after Saturday, like, is week one still the goal? Like, because you haven't really worked a full workload of all the physical, like, you play a very physical position and you haven't really done a ton yet. And they're not concerned, I don't think. So I think they're just playing it super slow with him until probably game week. And then they can ramp him up a little bit.

Starting point is 00:31:51 But I think it's probably positive signs for Buckner. Anytime Tim Smith does something, I'm going to shout it out because he's kind of, he's kind of one of the silent, silent players in the back there. He had a sack against the second team in this one. And now, you know, do you want to take it away? talking about kickers or do you want me to do this one? Okay, let's talk about some kickers here. So Blake Group, are you having the notes here,

Starting point is 00:32:16 seven of seven from 33 to 50 yards. And over the whole offseason, he's 42 of 47 for 89 percent, which is very, very good numbers, obviously. Spencer Schrader, you have him again returning with some of the misses. I'm guessing he missed on both of these kicks here. He sure did, but he am. Yeah, just a wild guess here. Four of six with misses from 41 and 50.

Starting point is 00:32:37 That makes him 32 of 47, this awesome. season for 68%. And you know, Jake, I saw a lot of Colts fans after the game saying Spencer Trader's got the bigger leg. We have to have him as our kicker. But there's a little bit more than, I mean, like you, the reason why I think the training camp kicks matter a little bit more is you get so many more reps of it. Right. In a game, it was a kicker go went two of two and the other one went 0 of 1 from 61, right? 61 yards. Yeah. That's a very small sample size where here you have the whole offseason worth of work. I know it's not like fully repped like you're not having a full rush or anything or the true pressure of a game, but you're getting a lot of

Starting point is 00:33:15 reps here. And we're seeing a lot of trends stay consistent throughout all of it. And now we have this bigger data pool to where even if we add the preseason game in here, groupies by far in a way. So while I do think Schrader like helped himself in that game, I just don't think it's enough with how well groupies been kicking all off season. Yeah. And the endgame kicks are definitely weighed the heaviest. Right. But like what would have like would groupie have to go oh for five in these next two weeks and, you know, Shrader the other way five or five for five? Yeah.

Starting point is 00:33:48 And it's not like groupie is like a history of missing 60 plus either. Like he made that 60 yarder to put the go ahead against the Seattle in Seattle in the rain. Like so it's like it's not like a huge concern for him, you know, where if like Schrader was just a bomb kicker who always made it from 60 and groupie always struggled, then maybe it's a conversation. I just, it doesn't move me too much what happened in the, I mean, it moves me for Schrader's chances of landing on another team, but it doesn't move me much for this battle. Yeah, and I would also say it's the same problem over and over and over for Schrader. He keeps pulling him left and that issue's not fixed.

Starting point is 00:34:27 It's been a problem the entire offseason. So, like, I don't think you can confidently declare him your kicker knowing that that's still looming. Like, if he gets it figured out, great. but like you owe it to the rest of the guys in the locker room to go with the guy who is kicking 21 percentage points higher right now. Yeah. And we remember what it was like Venetary's last season with the Colts like. Yeah. It was like 50-50 on all of his kicks it felt like.

Starting point is 00:34:53 And you just can't you can't win games that way. So the Colts owe it to their team to go with the kicker who's just better right now and Groupies been just the better kicker all offseason. So we'll see what transpires the next couple of preseason games. but that is all we have for our day 12 Colts training camp report. Joint practice again are their Wednesday and Thursday, right this week, Jay? Yep. Yep. Wednesday and Thursday here with the Colts in Westfield.

Starting point is 00:35:17 We're going to be able to see that team come in and see how the Colts do in their final joint tuneups. Then we have two more preseason games before like a little bit of time and then the start of the regular season. So things are moving fast. We'll have it all covered here on Lockdown Colts. And thank you for making Lockdown Colts your first listen today and every day. Now for your next listen, check out Lockdown NFL scouting.

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Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - INDIANAPOLIS COLTS CAMP, DAY 12: Daniel Jones, Offense Taken Advantage of By OPPORTUNISTIC Defense

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