Indianapolis Colts Football

COLTS DAILY HEADLINES: MAY 16TH EDITION

Each morning Colts.com will take a look at the top headlines surrounding the Indianapolis Colts from around the globe. What is the local and national media saying about the Colts?

Take a look below at the top five pieces from Thursday, May 16^th:

Ex-Colts’ OLB Dwight Freeney headed to San Diego? Stay tuned

By: Mike Chappell, Indianapolis Star

It was only a matter of time before Dwight Freeney’s name resurfaced with NFL teams and that time came on Wednesday.

With the Chargers losing former first round draft pick Melvin Ingram to an ACL injury, the need is there for an edge rusher.

Freeney’s visit to San Diego is scheduled to run through today as the possibility is there for him to be reunited with former Colts Vice President of Football Operations and current Chargers General Manager Tom Telesco.

Colts liking Vick Ballard as lead running back

By: Paul Kuharsky, ESPN.com

In a recent interview Kuharsky had with Colts head coach Chuck Pagano, the topic came up of Vick Ballard as the top running back for the Colts.

Pagano knows the benefit of having a couple of change the pace type backs and the coach also broke down what Ballard and fellow 2012 starter Donald Brown bring to the table.

“Vick is a solid, solid guy; Donnie is a home run hitter,” Pagano said. “If he gets the edge and hits a crease, he can take it the distance. For Vick, look at that last drive of the regular season against the Texans: We got the ball with 9:46 on the clock, we ran 12 plays, 11 runs, and we ended up taking a knee. Vick took the lion’s share of carries on that drive. He just keeps getting stronger, the more carries he has the better he gets.”

Accepting nominations for Colts’ Mt. Rushmore

By: Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk

The popular Pro Football Talk has moved onto the AFC teams in accepting nominations for Mt. Rushmore candidates with the Colts the first team up.

Florio writes that the four players can be chosen from the Baltimore and Indianapolis era with John Unitas and Peyton Manning being two of the obvious choices.

The final four will be revealed on NBC Sports Network sometime next month.

FULLBACK DAN MOORE LEARNING FROM FELLOW MONTANA PRODUCT JABIN SAMBRANO

As 37 players took the practice field last weekend for the Colts rookie minicamp, colleges at all levels across the United States were represented.

From Maine to Oregon State, schools were covered coast-to-coast and at every level with Marian (NAIA), Southern Connecticut (Division II) and Wagner (FCS).

Two pairs of teammates took to the indoor practice field and while the Kansas State duo of Nigel Malone and Allen Chapman were busy earning a BCS bowl, it was the Montana Grizzlies who also sent two former players to Indianapolis.

Wide receiver Jabin Sambrano was a training camp participant last year for the Colts and he returns this year to try and earn a spot on the final roster.

While Sambrano is worried about his own chances at cracking the 53-man roster, he has also taken a leadership role in helping out former teammate Dan Moore.

“(Sambrano) was with me at Montana and I trained with him over the break for the last three months in San Diego,” Moore, a 235-pound running back said. “He gave me the ropes of what to do as a rookie and to just get into that playbook.”

Listed as a running back on the Colts roster, Moore worked primarily as a fullback during the team’s three-day rookie minicamp this past weekend.

Moore showed off his ability to be a threat in the passing game and that it is just one of a number of things the Tucson native feels he can bring to the Colts.

“I feel like I can catch it out of the backfield,” he said. “I also feel like I can block, run routes, catch the ball out of the backfield but I’m just really trying to learn the system.”

With the resumption of OTAs earlier this week, Moore has another fullback on the practice field in Stanley Havili.

Colts offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton has talked about the need to get pieces on the field who bring multiple attributes to the offense.

This includes the fullback position and Moore is just fine with hearing that.

“Running in between the tackles is there but they spread it out and throw the ball too so it’s real versatile for the fullback,” Moore said.

Dan Moore catches a pass at Wednesday’s OTA workout.

RIGHT ON, JOSH

Josh Katzowitz is a writer for CBS Sports whom I do not know.  I see his byline regularly, and he is worth a read.

Today, he is a particularly good read for Colts fans.

Josh rated the 10 best NFL owners he would pick if one could be in charge of his team.  Starting from 10-to-three, it read:  Pat Bowlen (Denver), Shad Khan (Jacksonville), Bob McNair (Houston), John Mara (New York Giants), Arthur Blank (Atlanta), Packers fans, Rooney family (Pittsburgh) and Steve Bisciotti (Baltimore).

Jim Irsay was ranked number two.

Thanks, Josh, great choice, and here is what he wrote:

2. Jim Irsay: Compared to his father, Bob, who was much maligned by many of the people who knew him, the 53-year-old Jim is an absolute godsend for Colts fans. Even without the shadow of his father, though, Jim Irsay is one of the most fun owners around. He plays around on Twitter, and he gives away free stuff to his followers. Plus, he hires the right kind of personnel — general manager Ryan Grigson so far, coach Tony Dungy and Jim Caldwell (for a time, anyway) — and the organization’s decision to draft Peyton Manning rather than Ryan Leaf in 1998 was obviously a huge difference-maker. But Irsay is an empathetic sort, and the sendoff given to Manning by Irsay and the Colts was representative of the NFL that we’d like to see more often. Not to mention how the team handled Chuck Pagano’s cancer scare last season. Irsay is fun, and his team has been successful since he took over in 1997. What’s not to love?

Josh hit a number of highlights of Jim’s tenure that started in 1997 with the passing of his father (whom I worked under also from 1985-97 and was much, much more pleasant than anyone knew).

Jim’s first year was a little rough on the field with the end of a regime coming, and it marked the start of a new era.

Leading from the front, Jim installed Bill Polian, oversaw the drafting of Peyton Manning and directed while a blueprint put in place led to a wildly successful extended run.

Jim always has known the value of people and leadership, and he has attracted many successful individuals through the years and let them perform (two currently are Ryan Grigson and Chuck Pagano).

On his watch, Indianapolis has become one of the elite franchises on and off the field.

The team won division titles in 1999, 2003-07, 08-10, played in three AFC Championship games (winning two) and two Super Bowls (winning one).

The franchise’s 115 regular-season wins from 2000-09 is the winningest decade ever.  That’s E-V-E-R, but then the NFL only has been around about 90 years.

The team won an NFL-record 23 straight regular-season games from 2008-09.

From November 16, 2003 to December 13, 2009, the Colts were 81-19 in regular-season play, tying the all-time mark for the most wins over 100 games.

Colts fans responded accordingly.  As partners, the Colts and their fans have sold out 87 straight games and 121 of the last 122.  Full-voiced participants have made this one of the NFL’s toughest stops.

Jeff Saturday recalled recently the team’s 35-34 comeback win over New England in 2009 when the team rallied from a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to win in the final seconds that he remembered lining up for the winning extra point and saw the network camera shaking because of the rocking nature of the fans.  (That win was number 18 in a row.  New England owned the two longest streaks at 21 and 18 games, so the victory there over a huge foe carried an additional footnote.)

Jim has energized those fans with his product and with a sustained run of excellence.  In addition to touring the Lombardi Trophy throughout Indiana (50 stops, 3,130 miles), he even created a challenge that let five fans eventually win authentic Super Bowl rings.

Jim interacts almost daily via Twitter and is just a nose shy of a quarter-million followers.  His charitable nature is on frequent display, and one of the most tangible fruits of his labor was Indianapolis hosting Super Bowl XLVI.

I could go on.  Suffice to say, Josh, thanks for the recognition.  In mentioning Jim with his brethren that also includes Robert Kraft, you made a wise choice.

Lunch is on me the next time you’re in town.

COLTS DAILY HEADLINES: MAY 15TH EDITION

Each morning Colts.com will take a look at the top headlines surrounding the Indianapolis Colts from around the globe. What is the local and national media saying about the Colts?

Take a look below at the top five pieces from Wednesday, May 15^th:

Colts have $$$ business under control; a look at their salary-cap situation

By: Mike Chappell, Indianapolis Star

A ton of number crunching went into Chappell’s latest piece as he broke down the Colts 90-man roster and their salary cap implications.

He used the rookie wage scale to come up with a four-year, $7.813 million dollar contract for Bjoern Werner, who is the lone draft pick that has not been signed yet.

Chappell’s numbers churn out that the Colts are about $8.32 million under the salary cap limit of $126.5 million.

National Football Foundation dinner will honor Boudia, Colts general manager

By: Lafayette Journal & Courier

Colts general manager Ryan Grigson will be an honorary member at the annual National Football Foundation Joe Tiller of Northwest Indiana honors dinner at the Purdue Memorial Union Ballroom on Monday, June 10.

The dinner will include Purdue football coach Darrell Hazell and former coach Joe Tiller.

Grigson, who hails from Highland, Ind., will receive the chapter’s Drew Brees Mental Toughness Award.

Top 10 owners you’d want running your favorite team

By: Josh Katzowitz, CBS Sports

It’s the time of year where top 10 lists are flowing from different NFL media members.

The latest one comes in a unique way with the top 10 NFL owners that fans would want running their favorite team.

Colts owner Jim Irsay comes in at second on the list and Katzowitz offered his synopsis on the Twitter loving owner:

“Compared to his father, Bob, who was much maligned by many of the people who knew him, the 53-year-old Jim is an absolute godsend for Colts fans. Even without the shadow of his father, though, Jim Irsay is one of the most fun owners around. He plays around on Twitter, and he gives away free stuff to his followers. Plus, he hires the right kind of personnel — general manager Ryan Grigson so far, coach Tony Dungy and Jim Caldwell (for a time, anyway) — and the organization’s decision to draft Peyton Manning rather than Ryan Leaf in 1998 was obviously a huge difference-maker. But Irsay is an empathetic sort, and the sendoff given to Manning by Irsay and the Colts was representative of the NFL that we’d like to see more often. Not to mention how the team handled Chuck Pagano’s cancer scare last season. Irsay is fun, and his team has been successful since he took over in 1997. What’s not to love?”

ANOTHER UNDRAFTED KICKER READY TO LEARN FROM THE CLUTCHEST OF CLUTCH–ADAM VINATIERI

Brandon McManus wasn’t even a teenager when Adam Vinatieri kicked his first game winning field goal at Super Bow XXXVI.

Now at the age of 21, McManus will be calling the 40-year old Vinatieri a teammate.

McManus was signed by the Colts as an undrafted free agent and while there might not seem like an immediate need for a placer kicker in Indianapolis, the tutelage under Vinatieri is invaluable.

“I’m definitely excited to come in and learn from (Vinatieri),” McManus said during the Colts rookie minicamp. “I think anyone that’s a young kicker now has watched him win all those Super Bowls and how clutch of a kicker he is.”

NFL kickers are largely measured on how clutch they are when the game is on the line and no one holds a stronger resume than Vintatieri.

Brandon McManus drills a kick at the 2013 Colts rookie minicamp. esume than Vinatieri.

He has 24 game winning field goals in his NFL career and it’s that aspect of the game that McManus also holds in the highest regard.

“That’s one part of my game that I like to try and drive around is being a clutch kicker,” McManus said. “I’m excited to learn the ropes of what it takes to be an NFL kicker.”

McManus comes to the Colts after four seasons as the kicker for Temple University.

He hit game-winning field goals three times for the Owls and leaves as the school’s all-time leader in points (338) field goals (60-of-83) and punting average (45.4).

Over the past few seasons, training camp has allowed for a few pressure packed situations for Colts kickers not named Vinatieri with the 18-year veteran resting his right leg.

Sooner or later Vinatieri’s career will eventually come to a close with a chapter saved for Canton, Ohio.

As of this past weekend, McManus hadn’t met Vinatieri but he didn’t need to turn far to look at No. 4’s locker and know what the man owning that space stands for in kicker’s lore.

“Anytime they got across the 50 (yard-line) in a end-of-game situation, you knew Adam was going to make the kick,” McManus said. “I think that’s a lot of trust that he’s grown through coaches and his team through that aspect.”

TUESDAY’S TOP 10 PHOTO GALLERY – ROOKIE MINI-CAMP

Hey Colts fans, it’s Matt Bowen your Colts Team Photographer. I will be posting my “Tuesday’s Top 10″ photo gallery linked to this blog on colts.com! The photo galleries will always have a theme, ranging from game action to creative images around the Colts Complex!

This week it’s all about ROOKIE MINI-CAMP!  This past weekend I spent the majority of my time following around a bunch of excited rookies at the Colts complex.  After they arrived at the complex and finished all of their paperwork, they were guided over to yours truly for their official headshot.  I set up my make-shift photo studio in the Colts Pavilion (where the players and staff eat) so no one would have any excuses about how they couldn’t find me to get their photo taken.  Due to my convenient location, I was able to also shoot 40 Colts staff headshots in my down time between player headshots.  I shot both a traditional headshot that the NFL uses and a more creative headshot that the Colts use for marketing purposes.  Each player spent a total of two minutes with me, just enough time to ID them and shoot a few images in two different lighting setups.  As you can see in the photo gallery,  the lighting setup for the different headshots were quite different.  I used a total of seven lights setup on two different triggering frequencies to achieve the dramatically different looks before they knew what hit them!  The rest of my time was spent on the practice field capturing them in action.  Overall, I had a great weekend following around some very talented football players doing what I love to do.  For me, it doesn’t get much better than that!

If you have a great theme idea for a “Tuesday’s Top 10″ photo gallery, please let me know!

TUESDAY’S TOP 10 PHOTO GALLERY – ROOKIE MINI-CAMP

VICK BALLARD NAMED ONE OF NFL’S BEST PLAYERS UNDER THE AGE OF 23

Pete Prisco of CBS Sports compiled an interesting list earlier this week when he ranked the top 10 players in the NFL under the age of 23.

Last year’s top two picks Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III missed the cut off at the age of 23 but the Colts did find themselves represented on the list.

Check out Prisco’s top-10 list here and his analysis on the Colts representative.

10. Vick Ballard, RB, Indianapolis Colts – As a rookie fifth-round pick in 2012, he ran for 814 yards and showed a powerful running style. He will get even more carries in 2013 as he takes over as the starter (Prisco).

Bowen’s Take: To many Colts fans it might come as a surprise that Ballard’s name finds this list. Sure, Ballard had a tremendous rookie campaign but consider that he’s the lone player on Prisco’s list that wasn’t a first or second round selection out of college. (Josh Gordon was a supplemental selection of the Browns and Cleveland eventually forfeited a second round selection in the 2013 NFL Draft).

The list includes just three skill position players and they all come from the AFC in Trent Richardson, Gordon and Ballard. Along with Luck, both Dwayne Allen and T.Y. Hilton fall in the 23-year old age group. It’s nice to see a player like Ballard gain some national recognition after a season in which he (understandably) flew under the radar thanks to his fellow rookie teammates.

For those curious, Ballard will turn 23 years old on July 16th.

COLTS DAILY HEADLINES: MAY 14TH EDITION

Each morning Colts.com will take a look at the top headlines surrounding the Indianapolis Colts from around the globe. What is the local and national media saying about the Colts?

Take a look below at the top five pieces from Tuesday, May 14^th:

Colts rookie minicamp review

By: Paul Kuharsky, ESPN.com

Kuharsky offered a notebook synopsis on the past week for the Colts.

He covered the draft pick signings of the Colts, a brief look into specific draft picks, and a bit of rookie minicamp.

Most of the information includes links to specific articles from the Indianapolis media.

Looking for the most pertinent information all things AFC South than Kuharsky’s blog is a must read.

Antonio Johnson deepens Titans at DT

By: Paul Kuharsky, ESPN.com

A familiar name to Colts fans has found a home in the AFC South.

“Mookie” Antonio Johnson returns to the Tennessee Titans after five seasons in Indianapolis.

Kuharsky tells the story of Johnson being singed off the Titans practice squad back in 2008 when the Colts suffered a rash of injuries along the interior of the defensive line.

The signing off of another team’s practice squads was a bit of a surprise as Polian did not do that often during his time as Colts GM.

Monday Morning Quarterback

By: Peter King, Sports Illustrated

This area usually is reserved for strictly Colts topics but King’s MMQB is too good not to include.

King focuses on Manti Te’o’s first day being included with veterans as the Chargers start-up OTAs again with the rookies in southern California.

Charges head coach Mike McCoy gave King some insight into how Te’o will exactly fit into the Chargers scheme.

“Our plan is for him to play three downs, and when we scouted him, we believed that’s what he’d be,” McCoy said. “But he’ll have to earn that, obviously. We’re going to play the best guys, and if he’s the best guy on all three downs, he’ll be in there.”

COULD ANOTHER LINDENWOOD PROSPECT HELP THE COLTS TO A SUPER BOWL?

Denodus O’Bryant had just four carries during a redshirt freshman game against Central Methodist but he didn’t need any more to prove a point.

A total of 119 yards were gained on those four touches and Central Methodist defensive coordinator Jody Ford had seen enough.

“I felt (O’Bryant) should be a Division I back and feel he may be one of the few guys in our league who could get drafted,” Ford said of the 2009 contest. “Some Division I coach really missed out on him. Lindenwood is fortunate to have him.”

Now, four years later O’Bryant does find himself in the league after he leaves Lindenwood (a former NAIA program) as the school’s all-time leader in rushing yards (3,327) and touchdowns (62).

The Colts were quick to pounce on O’Bryant as the 194-pound back went undrafted following a career at Lindenwood where he averaged 7.2 yards per rush and also 31.3 yards per kick return.

For some Colts fans, the name Lindenwood might be familiar when thinking back to the Super Bowl XLI season.

Back in 2006, running back DeDe Dorsey played in 13 games for the Colts and his name still resonates at Lindenwood.

“I’ve met him a few times,” O’Bryant said of Dorsey, the single season leading rusher at Lindenwood.

“I had a chance to talk to him and have him tell me about my NFL experience. He’s a really cool guy.”

Any mention of a Super Bowl XLI ring?

“He flaunts it,” O’Bryant said with a smile.

“(Dorsey) was saying to me, “You’ve got to get one of these (pointing to his ring finger).”

That is the eventual goal for O’Bryant but here and now it’s all about finding a roster spot in the same fashion that Dorsey did seven years ago.

O’Bryant wrapped up his first weekend in the NFL on Sunday and with the close of rookie minicamp comes the return of OTAs, with a little influx from some first-year players.

The next month, along with training camp, will be the time for O’Bryant to show the type of back that made opponents fret for the last four seasons.

“I’m a real diverse kind of back because I’m 200 pounds,” O’Bryant said.

“A lot of people find me just as a speed guy, but I’m elusive, can break tackles very well and I catch the ball really well out of the backfield. There’s a lot of things if you’re asking me to do then you can expect out of me.”

Denodus O’Bryant goes through running back drills at last weekend’s rookie minicamp.

OFFSEASON QUESTIONS FOR THE COLTS POSED BY SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

There will be a lot of introductions going around NFL locker rooms on Monday morning as teams incorporate their rookie classes with OTAs continuing through the rest of the month.

Sports Illustrated’s Chris Burke posed a couple of question surrounding the Colts with rosters growing to 90 on the practice field this week.

Below are his two questions on the Colts and both Burke and I offer our analysis on the proposed issues.

Will any of the running backs step up?

• Burke’s Analysis: This sure feels like Vick Ballard’s job to lose after he led the team in rushing last season. Nobody on the depth chart appears on the cusp of stardom, though, from Ballard to Donald Brown to seventh-rounder Kerwynn Williams. Ballard’s 814-yard rookie year at least gives Indianapolis something on which to build.

• Bowen’s Analysis: I would have to agree with Burke’s notion that the running back job is Vick Ballard’s to lose. Ballard was productive in his rookie season and that was running behind an offensive line that has improved in the offseason and an offense that appears to be utilizing more of a fullback than last year. I could very well see Ballard being a consistent 1,000+-yard rusher for years to come. Donald Brown (speed) and Delone Carter (power) both fit a role at the running back position but it’s hard to imagine either of them supplanting Ballard as the starter. Kerwynn Williams’ first crack at making a contribution should be on special teams but the return threat also showed at rookie minicamp this past weekend that he can catch the ball out of the backfield and has a chance to find a role as a third down back.

Position Battles: Erik Walden vs. Bjoern Werner, OLB, Colts:

• Burke’s Analysis: This ought to be an interesting one with Walden, arguably overpaid in free agency at four years and $16 million, taking on Werner, whom many thought should play DE in the pros. The winner gets to start opposite Robert Mathis at OLB in the Colts’ 3-4 scheme. Walden was underwhelming as a Packer, which is why Green Bay let him walk without any semblance of a fight this offseason. He could hold down the fort, at least early as Werner learns the ins and outs of playing linebacker.

• Bowen’s Analysis: First off, let’s make this clear that this is a great problem to have at the outside linebacker position. Pro Bowler Robert Mathis is the obvious starter at one side of the linebacker corps but the other side has two quality candidates. Walden has been raved about for his ability to set the edge and he was one of the bigger splashes the Colts made in free agency. Werner will get his first taste of veterans in the NFL this week during OTAs, after the Colts first round draft pick had a very solid start to his professional career at rookie minicamp. Colts defensive coordinator Greg Manusky made it clear that there will be times this year where all three will be on the field together and expect this specific battle to last well into August with two dynamic edge players, both of which will play a good portion of defensive snaps come the regular season.