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INDIANAPOLIS – Each week, readers of Colts.com can submit their questions to have a chance of them being answered in our Wednesday or Saturday mailbag.
With the abundance of questions in recent weeks, we will have two mailbags each week. This one comes via a weekend edition (here’s the Wednesday version from this week).Bill Power (Carmel, IN)
Kevin,
Is August 1st still the right day for the team to report to Anderson. We thought it was going to be the 22nd. I keep asking about this because we have several people from far away who will be coming to camp and want to secure accommodations. We also have a group of about 60 who will be camping nearby and they too want to make sure that they will be in Anderson on the right days. Thanks much.
Bowen: Our weekly Training Camp question kicks off the Saturday mailbag. Once again, August 1st is the expected start date for Training Camp (teams can begin reporting 15 days prior to their first preseason game, which for the Colts is Sunday, August 16th). Exact dates/times for Training Camp practices should be released later this month.
Jeff Patten (Bristol, Connecticut)
Roster question. 1st. Outside linebacker. Cole, Newsome, Walden, Adongo, Werner, Cam Johnson, Mathis. TE. McGrath, Allen, Fleener, Doyle, Eric Swoope. In the past the Colts 53 man roster, they have kept 9 linebackers and 3 te's. I see us keeping 4 inside linebackers. Out of the players I have mentioned I see 2 outside guys and 2 te not making the team. Any rumors of any trades ? I think only swoops can qualify for practice squad I think. Not sure about Adongo. And let's not forget Colts are high on Zack Hodges. . Bottom line ,I think we have about 40 locks on our roster. The other 13 spots are wide open. A lot of good camp battles. Your thoughts? Thanks.
Bowen: We have our first in-depth roster breakdown question with roster cuts not coming for another three months. Let's break down this question into the battles at outside linebacker and now tight end. At outside linebacker, this is the deepest position group on the defensive side of the ball. Daniel Adongo does have practice squad eligibility so that could be an option for him. Depending on the health of Robert Mathis, that's going to impact how the Colts fill out their edge guys. Cam Johnson is the real X-factor of that group as he's battled injuries in his time with the Colts. As far as tight end, the Colts could very well keep four tight ends (one being a fullback type in Jack Doyle), especially if they have just five wide receivers. Sean McGrath has to be toughest evaluation. The Colts know what they have in Dwayne Allen, Coby Fleener and Doyle. This last week of the offseason program will offer a final pre-camp look at McGrath as he gets back into the NFL after retiring prior to the 2014 season.
Reid Turtoro (Goshen, Connecticut)
Hey Kevin,
I was wondering what the reports are on D'Joun Smith? We hadn't heard a lot about him thus far throughout OTA's. Also with David Parry. Any chance of him starting over Josh Chapman?
Bowen: Our run of questions on the 2015 rookie class has begun. Smith got a decent amount of time with the first team earlier this week with Vontae Davis missing time. I noticed him having pretty good coverage on a split out Coby Fleener during one drill. I'm anxious to see what role Smith carves out in 2015. Special teams will be likely and right now it looks like he's the fourth cornerback behind the veteran trio of Davis, Greg Toler and Darius Butler. If one of those three go down due to injury, Smith could become the most important rookie of 2015. As far as Parry, it looks like himself, Josh Chapman and Montori Hughes will be the main competition in the interior. Chapman was still running with the first team this week and I don't expect much of a change until we see the pads being put on in Anderson. I do think Parry has a chance to earn some playing time as a rookie though.
Keenan Alban (Calfornia)
I've been hearing great things about Clayton Geathers. Is he our steal of the draft? How effective do you see him being?
Bowen: Earlier this week, Colts.com had an article on Geathers where Chuck Pagano went in-depth on the rookie safety. As far as his immediate playing time, I think that could vary. If Dwight Lowery and Mike Adams are your starters at safety, it sounds like sub packages (maybe a dime package role), and special teams, will be where Geathers gets his early NFL playing time. I still think Stanford defensive end Henry Anderson is the "steal" of the Colts 2015 draft class, at a position with reps to be won in Training Camp.
Paul Cochran (Columbia City, IN)
What are the chances of Josh Robinson getting snaps in as a rookie? And if not will he stay with the team long enough to get snaps in in the future
Bowen: Paul, in past mailbags we have had several Josh Robinson questions sent in. I will direct you to those answers here. In short, I think Robinson definitely has a chance to get snaps in 2015 and could very well be a key part of the Colts backfield going forward.
Adam Matschullat (San Diego)
News out of San Diego is Eric Weddell is done after this year. With Mike Adams getting older would it be a smart move for the Colts to inquire about trading for him, especially with the past relationship with Telisco the Chargers GM?
Bowen: You are correct in that Tom Telesco, who spent time in the Colts Scouting Department from 1998-2012, is the Chargers GM. As far as Weddle, I'm not sure if there's room for another veteran in the Colts secondary. Weddle is a tremendous player and has been very durable in his NFL career. However, the Colts are currently running the starting duo of seven-year vet Dwight Lowery and 11-year vet Mike Adams at safety in their offseason program. Rookie Clayton Geathers has garnered some nice praise from Chuck Pagano. I'm not sure how the Colts would juggle all those safeties especially when you consider what you would have to give up to acquire Weddle.
Richard Baker (Fishers, IN)
If you had season tickets from day one, how much money have you paid over those years? Assume that your season tickets we on the 10-20 yard line, and your seats were the last row before the suites. There is money ridding on the answer.
Thank You,
Richard Baker
Bowen: Richard, I took my final math class seven years ago. The answer to this question wasn't in that curriculum. Instead of spending several minutes (more likely hours) on finding this answer, I will wait for you to send in the answer in next week's mailbag.
Dani Day (Miami, FL)
Like many others I'm overwhelmed with joy with all the depth at receiver. I like the addition's but is it safe to say that in his first year Duron Carter rookie season will be more of a project/learning year for the ex-Canadian receiver ?
Bowen: I think you're correct in that assessment. Carter has shown several flashes during OTAs of the oozing potential in his 6-5 frame. I look at two specific reasons as to why I think the Colts won't be relying on Carter for a ton of production in his rookie season. The first, is the obvious one, you mentioned above. There is ample, ample depth at the wide receiver position especially at those top four spots. If an injury would occur, then that would certainly open things up for a guy like Carter. The second, outside of the two CFL seasons the last two years, Carter hasn't played much football since leaving high school in 2009. At the wide receiver position, it can be quite the jump from the CFL to the NFL and Carter is dealing with that currently. I still think Carter can be a productive player at the NFL level, but 2015 might not be where we sees his career (immeidatley) take off.
Michael Craig (Indiana)
Is it really necessary to have Luck be paid the most money in the NFL? I would like to see the colts be smart and instead of having some players be paid a lot, pay money to other free agents after the season so we stack our team and can get multiple Super Bowls. That's what the fans want.
Bowen: The NFL is a business, for organizations and players. No team in the NFL has a quarterback at Luck's level paid anywhere other then the top of the salary food chain. That's just life in the NFL. Everyone knows how important the quarterback position is to overall team success so when you have a player like Luck, you pay him that value. Look at the recent contracts for Ryan Tannehill (Miami) and Cam Newton (Carolina). They received what I think you would consider to be significant contracts despite not being considered top five quarterbacks in the NFL. It's so hard to find *the *guy under center so when you have one (Luck), you do everything you can to keep him. Having said that, the Colts have been planning for Luck's upcoming contract for the past few years so they will not be too hamstrung with their cap space once No. 12 hits his second contract.
