Published: July 19, 2008 11:05 pm            

Colts prepare to open camp with Manning on crutches

INDIANAPOLIS — For the 10th straight year, the Indianapolis Colts will report for the start of training camp this week at Rose-Hulman. All players are scheduled to report to the Eastside campus no later than 2 p.m. Thursday, but it’s safe to assume that all eyes will be squarely on veteran quarterback Peyton Manning as he begins his recovery from last week’s surgery to repair an infected bursa sac in his left knee.

While Colts coaches and fans will no doubt also be keeping their fingers crossed that injuries suffered by key players such as wide receiver Marvin Harrison (surgery to both knees) and defensive end Dwight Freeney (Lisfranc injury to his left foot) last season are healing nicely, Manning’s return to the Indianapolis huddle probably won’t occur until sometime late in camp.

Team officials hope to have the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player selection back in practice and ready to go for the Colts’ Sept. 7 season opener against the Chicago Bears at Lucas Oil Stadium. The prognosis is for Manning to be out anywhere from four to six weeks, which should allow him plenty of time to regain his timing with the team’s veteran corps of receivers.

According to Stephania Bell, a sports injury analyst for ESPN, Manning’s return will be helped by where the infected bursa sac was located.

“The good news … is that this [prepatellar] bursa is not inside the knee joint, making overall recovery much better. The biggest concern is that [team doctors] completely eradicate the infection. During surgery they usually wash the area, followed by a course of antibiotics to make sure the infection does not recur,” Bell said in a e-mail.

“Wound management is the biggest thing for the first couple of weeks and they probably won’t bend Manning’s knee much until the stitches are out. The main thing would be to not be too aggressive the first couple weeks — once wound is healed, infection is gone, he should heal well enough for [the surgery] to be a non-issue. Excess scar could potentially be a problem, but not as likely if this is the bursa they’re dealing with.”

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Practices begin Friday — The first scheduled practice will be at 8:30 a.m. on Friday. A second practice that day, set to begin at 3:30 p.m., will be for special teams only.

There will be seven two-a-day practices and six special teams only practices during the duration of three-week camp, which will conclude after a 9:30 a.m. practice on Friday, Aug. 15. All training camp practices are free of charge and are open to the public, although the school will charge for parking ($10 per car). All monies raised from parking fees and from concession stand sales will be earmarked for Rose-Hulman’s athletic fund.

Training camp goals for 2008 — First of all, staying healthy will be key to the Colts’ chances of success in 2008 during the upcoming season.

Indianapolis was hit hard by injuries to key players a year ago, such as Harrison, Freeney and defensive end Robert Mathis (knee). Also, safety Bob Sanders — the 2007 NFL Defensive Player of the Year — had offseason surgery on both of his shoulders.

Add to that list strong side linebacker Tyjuan Hagler, who suffered a torn pectoral muscle while lifting weights a couple of weeks ago, and Manning’s recent surgery. Harrison, Freeney, Sanders, Hagler and Manning could all begin training camp on the Colts’ physically unable to perform list. Hagler may also miss the first couple weeks of the regular season.

Second-year wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez, who missed playing time early in his rookie year, and wide receiver Roy Hall are also expected to be healthy this season. Hall spent most of his first year in the league on the Colts’ injured reserve squad after suffering a shoulder injury early in the 2007 season.

Coach up the young offensive linemen: Indianapolis invested three draft picks to offensive linemen last spring (Mike Pollak, Steve Justice and Jamey Richard) and all three are expected to add to the team’s overall depth this season.

All three are former collegiate centers, but the Colts’ coaching staff — most notably veteran offensive line coach Howard Mudd — loves their versatility. Pollak, Justice and Richard will see work at both offensive guard spots, as well as at center.

In fact, Pollak is in contention — along with third-year veteran Charlie Johnson — for a starting role as the team looks to replace former right offensive guard Jake Scott (who signed with the Tennessee Titans as an unrestricted free agent).

Mudd has done well in past seasons in getting young offensive linemen prepared for the rigors of an NFL season. Pollak, Justice and Richard could end up giving the Colts quality depth (as well as some much needed insurance) for several years down the road.

Improve the pass rush: The Colts have two of the league’s best pass rushers in Freeney and Mathis. But when both of them were hurt last year, the pass rush was slowed considerably.

Backup defensive ends Josh Thomas and Jeff Charleston did a nice job against the run but neither possess the athleticism and speed off the edge. Thomas comes the closest, but he has been bothered off and on by a sore knee in recent seasons.

To that end, Indianapolis drafted former University of Georgia pass rush specialist Marcus Howard and signed undrafted free agent Curtis Johnson in an effort to bolster the team’s depth.

Howard and Johnson both fit the template of what the Colts look for in a defensive end — speed, speed, speed. Team president Bill Polian and head coach Tony Dungy will give up the prototypical size of what most NFL teams may be looking for in a defensive lineman in order to be able to improve Indianapolis’ overall team speed and athleticism.

Players to watch

Wide receiver Roy Hall: Hall got a lot of attention from fans and the coaching staff as a rookie for his combination of size (6-3, 240), athletic ability and speed. The problem is that he is regarded as somewhat of a project.

After seeing limited playing time as a collegian at Ohio State due to the overall quality depth at his position, the 2007 fifth-round draft pick missed most of his rookie season in the NFL due to a shoulder injury. He is now being counted on to make a run at being the fourth receiver in the Colts rotation.

Big enough to be used as a tight end or H-Back, the Indianapolis coaching staff remains steadfast in using Hall strictly as a wide receiver. He backed up starter Reggie Wayne during the team’s 2008 offseason workouts.

Offensive guard Mike Pollak: A former collegiate center at Arizona State, Indianapolis’ first draft pick last spring is expected to push for a starter’s role at right offensive guard. The spot became vacant in the offseason when veteran Jake Scott signed a free agent contract with AFC South rival Tennessee.

While some people thought that the team’s decision to select Pollak was an indication that Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday might be nearing the end of his career with the Colts, both head coach Tony Dungy and team president Bill Polian have said that wasn’t the case at all.

It was Pollak’s versatility on the offensive line, he had played offensive guard early in his college career, and his overall play that impressed the Colts. While a move back to center could conceivably happen at some point down the road, offensive guard is where he will get his best chance to see playing time early on.

Linebacker Philip Wheeler: A third-round draft pick by Indianapolis in April, Wheeler impressed the Colts’ coaching staff during the team’s offseason workouts.

Slated to be the top reserve behind starter Gary Brackett at middle linebacker as a rookie, he may get a chance to prove what he can do as the team’s strong side linebacker.

Hagler’s pectoral injury could force a move to the outside for the hard-hitting linebacker from Georgia Tech. Wheeler might be in the mix as a replacement when the team reports for training camp. His ability to quickly diagnose a play, combined with his speed and quickness, should serve him well if given the opportunity.

Up-and-comers — In addition to Hall, Pollak and Wheeler, other key players figure to be tight ends Jacob Tamme and Tom Santi; defensive end Marcus Howard; outside linebackers Clint Session and Ramon Guzman; cornerbacks Dante Hughes, Micheal Coe, and Tim Jennings; safeties Melvin Bullitt and Brannon Condren.

Indianapolis’ break out performers could very well be Tamme, Howard, Session, Hughes, Jennings and Bullitt.

The sleepers — Here are some names of unheralded players for Colts fans to keep an eye on during the course of training camp:

Wide receivers Devin Aromashodu, Courtney Roby, Pierre Garcon, Sam Giguere, Charles Dillon, Rudy Burgess; tight end Gijon Robinson; running back Chad Simpson; defensive ends Ben Ishola, Curtis Johnson; defensive tackles Colin Ferrell, Eric Foster and Joe Bradley; linebackers Jordan Senn, Kyle Shotwell; cornerbacks Brandon Foster, Antonio Smith; and safety Jamie Silva.

Aromashodu got significant playing time with Indianapolis last year as he filled in for an injured Harrison. Roby is an Indianapolis native (North Central High School, played at Indiana University and is a former draft pick of the Tennessee Titans. Garcon, who played at Division III Mount Union College, was a sixth-round draft pick by the Colts in April. Giguere is from Canada (Sherbrooke College) and appears to be a Wes Welker clone. Dillon and Burgess could end up as special team contributors.

Robinson was on Indianapolis’ practice squad a year ago after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent. He has impressed the Colts’ coaching staff and may end up sticking with the team. Ishola is a former starter at IU and has NFL Europe experience. Johnson may end being another Mathis-type of player for Indianapolis.

Smith, signed as an undrafted free agent by Indianapolis last year, sat out his rookie year due to injuries. Silva, who earned All-America honors at Boston College last year, has been compared to former Indianapolis safety Chad Cota.

Positional battle — Who’s going to serve as the primary backup to starter Joseph Addai at running back? Will it be veteran Dominic Rhodes, who returns to Indianapolis after spending a less than successful year away in Oakland? Or perhaps Kenton Keith, who took over as Rhodes’ replacement last year but proved to be inconsistent as a pass blocker and receiver?

The Colts also return former undrafted free agent Clifton Dawson, who was impressive as a rookie last year when given a chance to play. Indianapolis also added former Michigan standout Mike Hart through the draft and signing undrafted free agent Chad Simpson.

Early indications are that Rhodes will most likely end up sharing the bulk of the playing time with Addai, but don’t count out Keith just yet. Hart and Simpson will find a crowded backfield during training camp, although Dawson could end up getting work as a fullback/lead blocker in short yardage and goal line situations. Indianapolis goes into the preseason without a true fullback on the roster.

Here is a position-by-position look at the Colts as they head into training camp:

QUARTERBACK: Starter — Peyton Manning. Backups — Josh Betts, Jim Sorgi, Adam Tafralis.

Manning remains the man behind center for the Colts. His productivity has not diminished during his past 10 years in the league but recent knee surgery will keep him sidelined for most — if not all — of training camp. Sorgi remains as the primary backup and will get most of the preseason work in practice while Manning recovers. Betts has been a practice squad guy and has shown flashes of ability. He will probably get increased playing time during the preseason.

RUNNING BACKS: Starter — Joseph Addai. Backups — Cliff Dawson, Mike Hart, Kenton Keith, Dominic Rhodes, Chad Simpson.

Addai has been very productive since he came into the league as a rookie two years ago. He split playing time with Rhodes in 2006 and did the same with Keith last year. Now he has both Rhodes and Keith to share the workload, although Rhodes may end up getting the bulk of the backup duty. Keith figures to fight for a roster spot along with Hart, Dawson and Simpson. There are no true fullbacks on the current roster.

TIGHT ENDS: Starter — Dallas Clark. Backups — Zac Herold, Gijon Robinson, Jacob Tamme, Tom Santi.

Clark became the highest paid tight end in the league during the offseason. But that bump in his wallet shouldn’t be a problem for the former Iowa standout. Clark has continued to blossom as one of more feared pass receiving tight ends in the league. But the big question remains as to who will end up as his primary backups. Robinson spent his rookie season last year on the practice squad. Tamme and Santi are both rookie draft picks, both fit the molds of former tight ends Bryan Fletcher (released in the spring) and Ben Utecht (free agent signee with Cincinnati).

WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters — Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne. Backups — Devin Aromashodu, Rudy Burgess, Charles Dillion, Pierre Garcon, Sam Giguere, Anthony Gonzalez, Roy Hall, Onrea Jones, Courtney Roby.

Wayne has become one of the best overall receivers in the game. Harrison is coming off a knee injury that limited his playing time and his effectiveness last year. Both, though, could have big years in 2008. Gonzalez got off to a slow start as a rookie due to injuries but started to come on late in the year. Hall is a bit of a project, but his size ((6-3, 240) and athleticism has impressed the coaching staff. He missed most of his rookie year with a shoulder injury. Aromashodu got the attention of his teammates last year as he filled in on a limited basis for Harrison. Roby returns to his home town after struggling to fine a role with the Titans. Keep an eye out for several talented rookies, such as Burgess, Dillion, Garcon and Giguere. Several of them could make the team as special teams performers.

OFFENSIVE LINE: Starters — LT Tony Ugoh, LG Ryan Lilja, C Jeff Saturday, RG Charlie Johnson, RT Ryan Diem. Backups — T Tala Esera, T Daniel Federkeil, T Corey Hillard, C/G Steve Justice, T Darren Marquez, G Mike Pollak, G Jamey Richard, T Michael Toudouze.

Gone is former starting right offensive guard Jake Scott, who signed with Tennessee as an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. But the rest of the Colts’ offensive line remains virtually intact. Ugoh continues to develop into a topflight left tackle while veterans Saturday, Lilja and Diem provide a firm foundation. Pollak, Justice and Richard will fight for playing time. Johnson will most likely get first dibs at Scott’s old spot, but Pollak is expected to be his main competition for the job. Hillard, Federkeil, Esera and Toudouze figure to battle it out for backup roles.

DEFENSIVE LINE: Starters — LE Robert Mathis, LT Ed Johnson, RT Raheem Brock, RE Dwight Freeney. Backups — T Joe Bradley, E Jeff Charleston, T Keyunta Dawson, T Colin Ferrell, T Eric Foster, E Marcus Howard, E Ben Ishola, E Curtis Johnson, T Darrell Reid, E Josh Thomas.

If Freeney and Mathis can return at 100 percent after missing playing time with injuries last season, the Colts front four appear to be in pretty good shape. Johnson was a major surprise as an undrafted rookie a year ago and should improve with his added experience. Brock has settled in nicely into a small but quick tackle after beginning his NFL career as a defensive end. Thomas and Charleston will enter training camp as the primary backups to Freeney and Mathis, but rookies Howard and Johnson could make things very interesting. Reid is a proven veteran backup who has become a special teams demon. Foster is a definitely possibility to earn a spot on the team at the end of training camp.

LINEBACKERS: Starters — SLB Tyjuan Hagler, MLB Gary Brackett, WLB Freddy Keiaho. Backups — Ramon Guzman, Jordan Senn, Clint Session, Kyle Shotwell, Philip Wheeler, Victor Worsley.

Heading into the one-month break between organized team activities and the start of training camp, the Colts’ starting linebacking situation appeared to be settled with Brackett, Hagler and Keiaho as starters. But then Hagler, who has battled a variety of injuries throughout his brief NFL career, suffered a torn pectoral muscle lifting weights and could be sidelined for all of training camp as well as the beginning of the regular season. Session— who played relatively well in a limited role as a rookie last year — figures to be a prime candidate to step in on the strong side, but rookie Wheeler or second-year pro Worsley might end up there at some point.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters — LCB Kelvin Hayden, RCB Marlin Jackson, SS Bob Sanders, FS Antoine Bethea. Backups — S Melvin Bullitt, CB Michael Coe, S Brannon Condren, CB Brandon Foster, S Matt Giordano, CB Dante Hughes, CB Tim Jennings, CB Keiwan Ratliff, CB T.J. Rushing. S Jamie Silva, CB Antonio Smith.

Literally and figuratively, the backbone of the improved Colts defense. Hayden, Jackson, Bethea and Sanders are as good a group of defensive backs as there is in the league. Bethea and Sanders both earned trips to the Pro Bowl a year ago and a good case could have been made for Jackson and Hayden as well. Giordano gives the Colts quality depth at both safety spots. Bullitt has quickly developed into a strong backup at safety. The same can be said of Ratliff at cornerback. Now its time for Jennings, Hughes, Coe and Condren to show some that same kind of development and consistency. Rushing was drafted to be the team’s kick and punt returner but has proved to be a pretty good cornerback when given the chance to play. Smith missed his rookie year due to an injury, but the former undrafted free agent could make a name for himself this season along with 2008 rookies Silva and Foster.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Starters — PK Adam Vinatieri, P/H Hunter Smith, LS Justin Snow, PR/KR T.J. Rushing.

It doesn’t get much better, special-teams wise, than Vinatieri and Smith as the Colts’ placekicker and punter. Vinatieri had another strong season in 2007, although he battled with some minor injuries early in the season. Smith has became valuable both as a punter and as one of the league’s best holders. Snow’s long-snapping skills continues to be good. Rushing did a nice job handling both the punt and kickoff return duties for Indianapolis last year. Rhodes may get some work returning kickoffs this season and the team is expected to take a long look at rookies such as Dillon, Burgess, Hart and Simpson as potential punt and kickoff returners.

        

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