Indianapolis Colts Football

GRIGSON TALKS CHAPMAN, BRAZILL, WHALEN AND THE SAFETY POSITION

During Monday evening’s conference call with season ticket holders, Colts GM Ryan Grigson answered numerous questions from fans.

Here is an article highlighting some of Grigson’s answers.

Below are a few of the extra tidbits that were not included in the article above. The highlights below are Grigson’s thoughts about some of the lesser-known members of the Colts 2012 rookie class and how he sees LaRon Landry fitting in at the safety position alongside Antoine Bethea:

On the progress of 2012 fifth round draft pick Josh Chapman, who missed the entire season recovering from an ACL injury that he had surgery on in January of 2012:

“Josh Chapman was someone that we feel very highly towards. He was a guy that should have been drafted a lot of higher but he played (his senior season) with a torn ACL and that kind of shows you what kind of guy he is. Most guys don’t play on it. He played through the whole season, won a National Championship and he was the one hoisting the trophy at the end. He’s a huge man, 350-360 pounds, quick-footed guy that I think is going to make a big difference for us in the run game. He’s somebody that you can look forward to seeing out there this year.”

On the development of sixth round draft pick LaVon Brazill, who caught 11 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown in 2012.

-LaVon Brazill had some great flashes of brilliance against Detroit and some other games as a vertical threat. He’s big. He’s strong and he can get off press (coverage). He’s been a really good special teamer and made some plays as a gunner on our punt team. He’s a guy, as a sixth round pick, I think will continue to grow.”

On the prospect of undrafted free agent wide receiver Griff Whalen and if he could follow in the mold of other successful undrafted slot receivers in the NFL:

-We feel that we have a pretty good young, slot receiver in Griff Whalen. He would have played and probably caught a lot of balls for us this past year had he not broken his foot.

On the safety position with Pro Bowlers LaRon Landry lining up next to Antoine Bethea moving forward:

-They will play side-by-side. In Chuck’s defense, I think we will have the best safety tandem in the NFL. I really do. They are two of the best at their position. They’ll be just fine back their together. I think Antoine was one of the first players to even react to the signing because the culture we have is ‘we just want to win.’ We are not worried about the other things, ‘we just want to win.’ Players and true champions, they want the best around them. They want to play with the best players.”

2012 COLTS DRAFT CLASS EXTENDS PAST THE BIG NAMES FOR GRIGSON

If Ryan Grigson’s future draft classes can come close to mirroring the same amount of success his first one in Indianapolis accomplished than the Colts will be a force for the years to come.

The rookie class amassed an NFL record 3,108 yards this season thanks to a handful of skill position players.

Defensively, fifth round pick Josh Chapman is still waiting in the wings after the defensive tackle missed the entire season rehabbing a knee injury.

Grigson beams when talking about his rookie class but he also adds a few names to that group.

What about Bradley Sowell?

The Colts plucked the undrafted free agent off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad on Sept. 11 and Sowell played in 10 games this season.

“Bradley Sowell is a guy, I think he has true left tackle ability,” Grigson said. “It will make himself more valuable if he settles in at right so he can play both.”

Sowell saw his most playing time in the AFC Wild Card loss to the Ravens when he was thrust into action after right tackle Winston Justice went down with an injury in the first quarter.

“Brad is going to be a much better player because of that experience. He fought his tail off.” The Colts GM said

What about Lawrence Guy?

With the defensive line ravaged with injuries, Guy was signed off the Green Bay Packers practice squad on Oct. 17 and played nine games, including starting the final three contests of the year.

Grigson also points to Nathan Palmer, who was signed off the San Francisco 49ers after going undrafted, as a receiver that the General Manger calls ‘about as explosive a receiver we have.’

The headliners from this rookie class will still be Luck, Hilton Ballard, Allen etc. but it’s the guys on the backend of the roster that Grigson points to in completing a group that will play a leading role in the future of the Colts.

“Getting those guys is exciting because those are guys that we looked at in the draft and we were able to get without burning a pick,” Grigson said.

“It may be a warped view but I feel like those guys we poached from other teams practice squads early this season, those guys to me feel like draft picks. The nice thing about that is it’s only going to serve us well in the future because what we’ve been through this year as a team and as human beings.”

ROOKIE RECAP: WEEK 12

With a plethora of rookie players on the Colts roster, each week Colts.com will take a look at how the first-year players performed.

Dwayne Allen, TE: Allen was second on the team with three catches for 36 yards on Sunday. Allen continues to lead all rookie tight ends in the NFL with 34 catches for 385 yards.

Vick Ballard, RB: Ballard had 13 carries for 41 yards on Sunday and leads the team with 118 carries for 427 yards on the season.

LaVon Brazill, RB: Brazill had one catch for 11 yards on Sunday and was called on for punt coverage duty in the fourth quarter as well. On the season, Brazill leads the team with averaging 15.1 yards per catch.

T.Y. Hilton, WR: Hilton was the star on Sunday ending a five-year punt return drought for the Colts with a 75-yarder for a touchdown early in the first quarter. Hilton added three catches for 33 yards, including an eight-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter.

Andrew Luck, QB: Luck was 20-of-37 for 240 yards, one touchdown and one interception against the Bills. With the win, Luck tied Rams quarterback Sam Bradford for the most wins (seven) by a quarterback selected No. 1 overall since 1970.

Nate Palmer, WR: Palmer was active but did not play on Sunday.

Bradley Sowell, OT: Sowell was used as a tackle eligible on several occasions on Sunday.

Rookie defensive tackle Josh Chapman, tight end Coby Fleener and tight end Dominique Jones were inactive against the Bills.

SPILLER’S HOME RUN ABILITY HAS COLTS DEFENDERS ON NOTICE

When C.J. Spiller touches the football on Sunday, Colts defenders know what how quickly the speedy Bills running back can change the course of a game.

A dual-threat back, Spiller is averaging 7.6 yards per touch on offense this season and leads the league with 6.6 yards per carry.

“I think he definitely falls into that category of shifty, speed, acceleration, 0-100 type guy,” Colts outside linebacker Justin Hickman said. “He poses a lot of problems. We are going to have to gang tackle and wrap him up.”

Spiller’s 109 carries for 723 yards makes up his 6.6 yards per carry average but he also has 31 catches for 336 yards on the season.

Colts interim head coach/offensive coordinator Bruce Arians called the Bills the best screen team in the NFL and Spiller is major component of Buffalo’s success in that area.

Hickman called Spiller a ‘home run threat’ at any time and defensive tackle Josh Chapman is impressed by the Bills running back’s ability to reverse fields.

“(Spiller) hits the gaps and makes the right reads,” Chapman said. “He’s one of those guys you have to play your gap and do your job because he can cut back into the gap and cut it across the field and make a big play.”

In his three seasons in the NFL, Spiller has set a Bills franchise record with 5.40 yards per carry (290 rushes for 1,567 yards).

Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was extremely complimentary of his running back and knows that if the Bills offense wants to become more consistent than Spiller must continue to get his hands on the football.

“If you get him (Spiller) out in space, he does a great job of setting up blocks. A lot of times guys will feel like they have an angle on him to take him down on the sideline and he will quickly prove to them that they do not,” Fitzpatrick said.

“I think the biggest thing with him is speed. He has so much confidence. That is the biggest thing I have seen in terms of his growth in the last few years.”

IS CHAPMAN’S NFL DEBUT ON THE HORIZON?

While the roster news on Monday included defensive end Drake Nevis and Jerraud Powers being placed injured reserve, there was some good behind those significant defensive losses.

Rookie nose tackle Josh Chapman was bumped up to the active roster following practicing with the team for the past three weeks.

After finally putting on pads in the NFL for the first time in late October, Chapman is now prepared to hit somebody other than his teammates.

“I’ve been ready to get back in there and I feel like my mind is ready to get back there,” Chapman said. “I’ve been testing (the knee) in practice and now I’m ready to test it in a game.”

Chapman tore his ACL 13 months ago but elected not to have surgery until completing his senior season at the University of Alabama.

Upon capturing his second National Title in three seasons, Chapman had surgery on his knee and it has been a trying offseason filled with mental reps.

Learning to play on two legs again for Chapman is an ever-going process, one he hopes will continue this weekend.

“I’m very, very anxious but at the same time you can’t let anxious get in the way,” the rookie nose tackle said.

“My confidence is there now it’s just about going out and testing this thing now. The way I see it is don’t hold back and just be relaxed. Keep your mind off your knee and just go play ball, back to what I love to do.”

His NFL debut might have come later than he wanted but then again not many players can say they have the chance to play their first game against Tom Brady.

“It will be really fun,” Chapman said “Watching (Brady) as a young kid, this is what you dream of playing on the big stage.”

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS MAKE ROSTER MOVES

The Indianapolis Colts today activated nose tackle Josh Chapman from the Reserve/Non-Football Injury List and elevated tight end Kyle Miller from the practice squad to the active roster. The Colts placed defensive tackle Drake Nevis and cornerback Jerraud Powers on Injured Reserve.

Chapman, 6-0, 316 pounds, was originally selected by the Colts in the fifth round (136th overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft out of Alabama. During his 54-game collegiate career, Chapman was a part of two Crimson Tide National Championship teams (2009 and 2011) and produced 88 tackles (44 solo), 13.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and four passes defensed. As a senior, he contributed to a defensive unit that led the nation in total defense (183.6 ypg), rush defense (72.2 ypg) and scoring defense (8.2 ppg).

Miller, 6-5, 260 pounds, was signed by the Colts as a free agent on April 3, 2012. He was waived on August 31 and signed to the practice squad a day later. Miller was originally signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Mount Union on July 26, 2011 before being waived on September 3. At Mount Union, Miller totaled 87 catches for 1,259 yards and 16 touchdowns in 47 games, while earning All-Ohio Athletic Conference first-team, All-North Region first-team and All-America honors.

Nevis, 6-1, 310 pounds, appeared in nine game this season (three starts), totaling 20 tackles (seven solo) and one sack. For his career, he has played in 14 games (three starts) and has recorded 39 tackles (16 solo), one sack and one pass defensed.

Powers, 5-10, 187 pounds, started in eight games this year and registered 45 tackles (34 solo), seven passes defensed and an interception. Over his four-year career, he has started all 42 games he’s played while making 220 tackles (165 solo), 32 passes defensed, seven interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

ANDERSON JOINS CHAPMAN ON THE PRACTICE FIELD

Last week it was Josh Chapman finally strapping on pads for the first time in the NFL.

Now it’s time for the man next to him in the Colts locker room, rookie offensive guard Justin Anderson, to hit the practice field.

Anderson spent the first half of his rookie season on the physically unable to perform list and now can being practicing with the team, as the Colts exercise a three-week window on whether or not to place him on the 53-man roster for the remainder of the season.”

“I’m feeling pretty good,” Anderson said on Wednesday. “It’s been a long time coming. It’s been a slow process but I’m finally back. I’m hoping everything goes as planned.”

It was a difficult offseason for Anderson. Besides a turf injury during his junior season at Georgia, the six-foot-five-inches and 342-pounds Anderson has never had to deal with an injury that has kept him out this long.

While he couldn’t be out in the trenches during practice, Anderson has been ingrained in the film room trying to soak everything in so when this week eventually came he would be more than prepared.

“That’s pretty much all I could do which is not the same,” Anderson said of only getting mental reps. “It’s always better when you’re doing them physically. Mental reps are all that I’ve been getting since camp and it’s time to put them to use.”

At training camp, it was Anderson and Chapman routinely seen on the adjacent practice field rehabbing with each other in hopes of getting on the playing field in their rookie seasons.

Anderson cracked a smile on Wednesday afternoon knowing that in less than an hour he would be putting on the pads for the first of what he hopes is many times in his NFL career.

“I’m kind of excited,” Anderson said. “I kind of got butterflies a little bit because I haven’t played football in a while. I’m kind of excited.”

ARIANS PLEASED WITH CHAPMAN’S PROGRESS

At times Colts nose tackle Josh Chapman seems to be the forgotten man in the 2012 rookie class.

While half dozen rookies have dominated the headlines on the offensive side of the ball for the Colts, Chapman is slowly beginning to garner a little attention of his own.

The 316-pound nose tackle returned to the practice field last week for the first time in a Colts uniform and interim head coach/offensive coordinator Bruce Arians liked what he saw.

“Josh had a real good week of practice last week. He’s got two more weeks before we have to activate him and we’ll see how he does in pads again this week,” Arians said on Monday night’s ‘Pagano Show’ with ‘Voice of the Colts’ Bob Lamey.

Chapman had surgery to repair a torn ACL following the University of Alabama capturing the 2012 National Title in January.

The ACL was torn on Oct. 1, 2011, but Chapman elected to play through the injury the rest of the season in hoping to win his second National Title in three seasons.

“He’s learning to play on two legs again,” Arians said. “That’s a hard thing to get your mind re-trained after playing on one leg for a season. We’re not going to rush him too fast. When he’s ready, he’s going to play.”

When selected back in April, Chapman talked about the importance of the nose tackle position in the 3-4 hybrid defense and loves to ‘keep his linebackers clean’ by occupying multiple blockers.

Arians called Chapman ‘a classic nose guard’ that can take up space and impact the offense whether it’s a run or pass.

“He’s a powerful run stopper,” Arians said. “He can also push the middle of the pocket as a pass rusher. He’s as thick and as wide as you want him to be.”

“He’s the natural guy in there. We just want to make sure he’s healthy for the long haul.”

Along with Chapman, the Colts other pick in the fifth round was running back Vick Ballard.

For the past couple of days, Ballard has been in the spotlight after his spectacular leaping touchdown to give the Colts a 19-13 overtime victory over the Titans.

Ballard’s fellow fifth round pick is itching to get back on the field and Arians believes the injury is the lone reason Chapman fell in the draft.

“There’s no doubt that had he been healthy he probably would have been a second rounder,” Arians said. “With his knee, and having to have surgery after the season, we felt like we got a steal. Now that he’s healthy, you’re looking at a second, third round talent guy that we got later.”

MANUSKY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT CHAPMAN CAN BRING

The thought of possibly getting some key defenders back in the fold this weekend is a welcomed surprise to Colts defensive coordinator Greg Manusky.

Especially in the front seven, Manusky’s unit has been searching for bodies the past couple of weeks.

This week at practice, Manusky has added the services of rookie nose tackle Josh Chapman to the middle of the Colts defensive line.

Chapman tore his ACL during his senior season at the University of Alabama but elected to not have surgery until following the season while the Crimson Tide made their run to a second National Title in three years.

With putting off surgery until January, Chapman is just now getting his first taste of on the field action in the NFL.

“We finally got a young buck that we drafted to finally get a guy that looks the part,” Manusky said. “He looks good right now. He’s strong, he’s physical, he’s got good feet and he can put pressure in the middle of the pocket.”

The offseason was difficult for Chapman not knowing the exact date he would get back on the practice field.

While his rookie teammates have been showing their talent on the field, it’s been a lot of classroom work for Chapman.

“I’ll tell you the guy actually studies his playbook a lot,” Manusky said of Chapman. “He spends time in it, usually the good ones do.”

It’s that drive away from the field that has Manusky excited about the future for the 316-pound nose tackle.

Back in April’s NFL Draft, the Colts addressed the offensive side of the football with eight of their ten picks. Chapman is the lone rookie defender left and Manusky is anxious to see his talents that helped Alabama to the top rush defense in college football last season.

“From watching the tape, I’m happy as heck we got him when we got him,” Manusky said “Now we’re going to try to build through him and the young guys that we get in the future.”

On Thursday afternoon, Chapman admitted that he was a little sore from his first NFL practice but finally strapping the pads on brought back those championship memories.

“Being out there, being able to put my hand in the grass and making contact with o-linemen just gave me that great feeling again,” Chapman said.

THE WAIT FOR CHAPMAN IS FINALLY OVER

Josh Chapman just gets it.

As a nose tackle in a 3-4 defense, Chapman knows by occupying blockers, the accolades and stats won’t be coming his way and frankly, that’s just fine with him.

With the announcement on Wednesday of Chapman returning to the practice field, he can now show his teammates why he relishes the double teams and the ability to shut down an offense’s running game.

Chapman was a fifth round pick of the Colts in April’s NFL Draft and is coming off an ACL surgery in January.

Rehabilitation and mental reps have been the name of the game for Chapman and the 316-pound nose tackle admitted it hasn’t been easy watching from the sidelines.

“It’s been pretty hard,” Chapman said. “This is my first time ever really sitting down and watching people practice and play in the games. It makes me anxious, but at the same time I know that I have to get healthy. This week with me practicing, I’m ready to get out there.”

At the University of Alabama, Chapman was a two-time National Champion while starting 23 games over his final two seasons in Tuscaloosa.

During his senior season, Chapman tore his ACL in an Oct. 1, 2011 game against Florida but rather than opt to have surgery, he elected to play through the injury in hopes of earning a second National Title.

Chapman knew the injury might set him back a bit early in his professional career, but the chance to earn another National Championship was worth it.

After injuring his knee, Chapman missed just one game the rest of the season. Without Chapman in the middle, the Crimson Tide allowed a season-high 302 yards rushing despite leading the nation at 72.2 rushing yards allowed per game.

The time away from the gridiron has allowed Chapman to see the intricacies of what it takes to play at this level.

“You learn the different ways to how to be a pro, the different things pros do,” Chapman said. “Just by how people come to meetings, how they go and take care of their bodies, how they perform in practice and how that carries over into the game. I felt that has helped me.”

Moving forward, Chapman said getting his ‘confidence’ back will come now that he is ‘striking people with his pads’ and that will be the last hurdle in an attempt to return to the playing field this season.

The Colts will have up to three weeks to watch Chapman practice before deciding whether or not to elevate him to the active roster or keep him on the reserve/non-football injury list for the remainder of the season.

Arians said Chapman’s return is about where the staff expected it to come during the season.

“We want to take our time with him. If he’s ready to play, we’ll play him because he’s a great talent and he’ll give us a boost in there,” Arians said. “So we just have to find out. He’s got to play football. He played on one leg last year, learn to play on two and see how it feels. Give him hopefully a week or two and then we’ll reevaluate it.”

Stopping the run has been a topic of discussion extensively in the early part of the season for the Colts defense and Chapman’s eyes got a little bigger when asked about that on Wednesday.

“One thing I bring to the table is I love to stop the run. When people run the ball, my feel is that it’s on me because I’m the nose guard,” he said.

“Especially in this 3-4 defense, when you run the ball, the nose guard kind of takes it on himself like ‘Man, what can I do better to keep my linebackers clean?’ That’s one thing I’ve always preached to myself is ‘Keep my linebackers clean.’ That’s how I am.”