Published: August 07, 2008 11:53 pm            

Gonzalez finding comfort zone

TERRE HAUTE — Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez wouldn’t know how to deal with a sophomore slump if he had one. Not because he’s incapable, it’s because the second year of his Colts experience doesn’t really compare to his second season at any other level.

Instead of worrying about what could be, Gonzalez is happy with what is. He’s comfortable with the Colts offense, he’s comfortable with his role, he’s comfortable with his life.

“I feel a lot more comfortable. I know the playbook, I know the players, which is bigger than anything because you have people to talk to,” Gonzalez said. “I’m comfortable with the city, I like the city, I like my neighbors. Just little things like that. Everything you can think of that would make a guy more comfortable, I am.”

Gonzalez, the Colts’ 2007 first-round draft pick, was an important cog in the offense last season, especially after Marvin Harrison was injured during a Week 4 game against Denver last September. He had 37 receptions for 576 yards and three touchdowns.

Gonzalez will be counted on again, but just because he had a promising rookie campaign doesn’t mean it makes him feel more comfortable for his second go-around.

“I’ve never really looked at it that way. I just kind of try to do my job, try to contribute in a positive way when I’m out there. If I’m lucky enough to do it, great, if I’m struggling, I need to figure something else out,” Gonzalez said.

One thing that has changed for Gonzalez, and everyone else on the offense, is the absence of Peyton Manning. During training camp prior to his rookie season, Gonzalez had to not only learn the offense, but figure out the way Manning liked to run it. Quarterbacks Jim Sorgi, Quinn Gray and Jared Lorenzen have taken the snaps during this camp, but Gonzalez feels comfortable with them.

“I’m pretty impressed with how quick Jared and Quinn have picked up the offense, I mean, we don’t run an any easy offense for a quarterback, it puts all of the decision-making on them. For them to throw the ball the way they did in the preseason game and practice is really impressive,” Gonzalez said. “Sorgi has been the steadying influence among everyone. He’s doing a real solid job too.”

As for being a professional sophomore of sorts, Gonzalez will have none of that. He said every level — from high school to college to the pros — is vastly different. There’s nothing from his Ohio State days that applies to the here and now.

“It’s completely different from anything. I tried to compare that transition when I was in college, trying to match it to when I was in high school, and it didn’t really work at all,” Gonzalez said.

• Dungy considers QB rotation change — Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy said Thursday that the quarterback rotation the Colts used in Sunday’s 30-16 loss to the Washington Redskins could be altered for Saturday’s preseason game at Carolina.

“[Associate Head Coach] Jim Caldwell may flip Jared [Lorenzen] and Quinn [Gray], but we haven’t really decided yet,” Dungy said.

Gray spelled starter Jim Sorgi against the Redskins and completed 10 of 19 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown. Lorenzen relieved Gray and completed 12 of 21 for 93 yards and threw an interception.

• Brackett participates in night practice — Colts linebacker Gary Brackett made an unexpected appearance during the Colts’ evening practice. Brackett, who injured his groin during the July 31 night practice, was not expected to return to two-a-practices until after the Colts preseason game against Carolina on Saturday.

In addition to Brackett, Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison also took part in both Thursday practices.

The only injury Dungy reported was wide receiver Onrea Jones who suffered a sprained hamstring. The Colts are taking a wait-and-see approach as far as his availability for Saturday’s game.

• Colts sign Verdun-Wheeler — The Colts’ staff liked what they saw of linebacker Danny Verdun-Wheeler during the Colts’ Hall Of Fame Game loss to Washington on Sunday. So much so that when the Redskins released Verdun-Wheeler, the Colts took a flier on him and signed him Thursday.

A free agent who was with the Chicago Bears and Redskins in 2007, Verdun-Wheeler has not played a down in a regular season game.

“He played against us with Washington, we kind of liked him, we thought we’d take a look at him. He had been in Chicago, so he kind of knows our system having been with [Bears coach] Lovie [Smith],” Dungy said. “He’s picked it up pretty well in four hours.”

To make room for Verdun-Wheeler, the Colts released Brandon Archer.

• Attendance — According to a Rose-Hulman spokesman, attendance for Thursday’s night practice was 1,773, the second-largest total of any 2008 session so far. The July 31 night practice drew 3,100 fans.

Overall attendance is within 10 percent of what is considered the norm at Rose-Hulman since 1999, though the numbers are down from the 2006 and 2007 camps. The 2006 camp followed the Colts’ 2005 season where they flirted with perfection. The 2007 camp followed the 2006 Super Bowl XLI championship season.

The Colts will have a morning walkthrough today before departing for their Saturday preseason game against Carolina.

        

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