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INDIANAPOLIS Summer vacation for the Colts veterans is here.

Thursday was the 9th and final OTA/minicamp sessions for the Colts.

On Thursday, the Colts worked outside in a session of just more than 60 minutes. The Colts were in helmets, again going full speed in their 7-on-7 work, before toning it back to a walk-through pace in the 11-on-11 portions of practice.

With the conclusion to this week’s minicamp on Thursday, veterans will head their separate ways for a summer break. Rookies will remain in town for one more week of on-field work. The 90-man roster will then reconvene in late July for training camp at Grand Park.

What did we learn from the Colts final minicamp session of 2022?

  • So it seems like we have a disagreement on Darius Leonard’s injury situation. We know Leonard has been dealing with ankle issues, but then had back surgery earlier this week. Were they related? “My understanding from talking to the (athletic) trainers is that while on one level everything is connected, they are different injuries,” Frank Reich said on Thursday, adding the calf body part to Leonard’s previous ankle problem. “Is there some connection? I didn’t go that far into it with them at the time of discussion…I think there’s ankle/calf (issues). Darius will continue to rehab that and strengthen that. My guess is now with the back issue cleared up, what he does will actually take effect.” Just a few minutes after those Reich comments made the rounds on social media, Leonard sent out this tweet: “These folks must don’t be communicating.” On Wednesday, Pat McAfee relayed a conversation he had with Leonard, with the linebacker telling McAfee that the back surgery was causing the ankle functionality problems. So the surgery was needed to correct the lingering ankle issue. This isn’t the first time there’s been confusion over a prominent Colts player and his health status. Again, the expectation is Leonard is going to miss some of training camp, but if everything goes according to plan he will be ready for Week 1. Whenever Leonard returns, seeing how quickly he can ramp things up to full speed will be an important storyline leading into that September 11th season opener.

 

  • Early in practice on Thursday, I turned around to a media colleague saying, “Was that Isaiah Rodgers again?” Indeed, it was. Rodgers knocking away another pass downfield. Currently, Rodgers is the 4th cornerback, behind Stephon Gilmore, Kenny Moore II and Brandon Facyson.If Rodgers keeps this up at Grand Park, he’s going to be hard to keep off the field. If that quartet of corners is healthy, the Colts will have a nice group of four CBs.

 

  • A couple of notable grabs on Thursday from Ashton Dulin and DeMichael Harris on Thursday. Those are two guys the Colts have counted on before in real settings. We don’t talk about them a lot, but they are names we should not forget about.

 

  • Count me as one looking forward to seeing some Michael Pittman vs. Stephon Gilmore reps in training camp. It’ll be good for Pittman to test himself as he tries to establish himself as a No. 1 wideout. Also, how much pre-snap disguising we see from the defense is something on my watch list, too.

 

  • Matt Ryan says he is a guy that likes to get together with his pass catchers during this summer break, but doing it in smaller groups to keep his arm fresh. It sounds like that’ll be on the Ryan plan in this 5-6 week break until training camp at Grand Park.

 

  • Yes, this time of year doesn’t involve full pads. But as Frank Reich said on Thursday, you do get a “pass camp” feel in evaluating that aspect to the game, minus the pass rush. Matt Ryan’s accuracy was outstanding throughout the spring. Seeing that evolve when the pass rush gets dialed up at camp and full pads are put on is the next step for the passing game.

 

  • Thursday brought an end to the Colts minicamp, meaning the final spring work for the Colts veterans. It also means the Colts have seen 9 practices of one of the most young and unproven wideouts groups in the NFL. The Colts have said these on-field sessions would be important evaluations to decide if they need to go out and sign a veteran wideout before training camp. And T.Y. Hilton would be a name in that group. “I feel really good about the group,” Reich said of the receivers on Thursday. “The young guys are big, strong and fast. I’ll leave it up to Chris. We will have discussions if we are going to make any other moves. I just know this, the guys that were here, I know they performed very well.” This will be something to watch before things get started in late July at Grand Park.

 

  • After the Ball State football coaching staff attended Tuesday’s minicamp practice, IU head coach Tom Allen was at Thursday’s practice. In true Allen-fashion, the defensive-minded coach headed first over to the linebacker positional drills.

 

  • In the final mandatory part of the offseason, the Colts had one absence not injury related. That would be S-Khari Willis. Frank Reich said Willis’ absence is for a personal matter, and is excused, and the head coach remains in constant communication with the 4th year safety. Some other guys that were not participating on Thursday, apparently due to injury, included: RB-Jonathan Taylor (precautionary), CB-Kenny Moore II, LB-Darius Leonard, DL-Tyquan Lewis, OL-Dennis Kelly, WR-Mike Strachan, CB-Tony Brown, WR-Mike Strachan, RB-CJ Verdell, LB-Jordan Glasgow, CB-Alex Myres.

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