WESTFIELD, Ind. – The Colts' first-round pick from last year faked a handoff on play-action, rolled to his right and was met in space by the Colts' first-round pick from this year.
Most of the time, you'd probably expect Anthony Richardson – one of the most athletic quarterbacks in the NFL – to still manage to make a play. But in this case, defensive end Laiatu Latu stayed with Richardson, showcasing his own athleticism, flexibility and body control to blow up the play during Friday's practice.
"Getting around the edge, it's like, man, I'm trying to get there, hit the receivers in stride but he's there in my face trying to make a play," Richardson said. "I'm glad we got him in practice just so I can get used to stuff like that."
Later in Friday's practice, Latu ended a two-minute drive with a quote-un-quote sack of Richardson. Those obvious passing situations are an area in which Latu could be an immediate difference-maker as a rookie.
"He's doing some really good things out there," head coach Shane Steichen said. "He's rushing the passer really well right now. We've got to keep that going."
Latu got off to a strong start to training camp – during non-padded practices – and has carried that momentum over during the Colts' two full-pads practices this week.
"He's been playing with a good motor," defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said. "I think that he's a high-effort guy. I think especially the last couple of days where you're seeing him not think as much and you're seeing that – that's what we thought. You're seeing that on tape when we watch it. So, he's doing a nice job. He just keeps getting better every day. And then, that's all we're asking him to do."
Latu's impressive training camp also comes with the backdrop of Samson Ebukam – who led the Colts with 9.5 sacks and was second with 48 total pressures in 2023 – sustaining an Achilles' injury during practice last weekend. The Colts were already going to count on Latu to be a part of their defense in 2024, but with Ebukam out, they'll look to him to contribute even more this fall and winter.
So far, during training camp, the No. 15 overall pick has looked up to the challenge.
"Man, that's a guy – he's got the drive to keep going and going," defensive tackle Grover Stewart said. "I was like, 'Man, just watch this guy.' Like I'm talking about bending – and he's just got a high motor."
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Among Richardson's favorite targets during training camp has been wide receiver Josh Downs, who's continued to make plays after the pads have come on. Part of it is Downs' own Year 1 to Year 2 progression, but another part is how his connection with Richardson has evolved since the pair first threw together in a hotel parking lot during rookie minicamp in 2023.
"You can see those guys are always talking after plays," Steichen said. "Obviously, in between periods they're back there talking. I think that communication piece is really good and once guys keep playing more and more and more together – I mean, I've been around some guys that have played 16 years together and they just kind of look at each other and give a wink and it's like, 'We know what we're doing.' So, you get to that level, it's pretty special."
(A guess at who Steichen might've been referencing would be former Chargers quarterback-tight end combo Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates, who played together from 2004-2018. Steichen was on the Chargers' coaching staff from 2011-2012 and 2014-2020.)
The more Richardson and Downs are on the same page, the more they can find creative solutions to problems posed by opposing defenses.
"I just tried to tell him – 'With the route I know we've got rules and steps to run it a certain way, but just get open. You're going to get open. I'm going to get you the ball,'" Richardson said. "I tell that to all the receivers. I know the coaches want us to take a certain amount of steps to get a certain route open, but I just tell them, 'Get open and I'm going to try to find you the ball.' So it's just a matter of just working out chemistry and just knowing each other."
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Quarterback Joe Flacco may be "almost 20 years older than me," Richardson said, but he absolutely can still sling it.
The 39-year-old Flacco – who's among the 10 oldest players in the NFL right now – has ripped several impressive throws during training camp. On Friday, he zipped touchdowns to wide receivers Adonai Mitchell and Ashton Dulin in red zone work, and he has no hesitation airing things out downfield. The velocity on his throws is evident; we've also seen Flacco make some plays on the run, too – he's nowhere close to being a statue in the pocket.
If you watched any of Flacco with the Cleveland Browns in 2023, none of this is a surprise, of course. He averaged a career high 323 yards per game – his previous high was 279, set in 2015 with the Baltimore Ravens – and won AP Comeback Player of the Year honors after leading the Browns to the playoffs.
Having said that, the Colts signed Flacco to back up Richardson while lending his decade and a half of quarterbacking expertise to the team's offense.
"His memory bank is full," Steichen said. "So those conversations have been really good."
"It's great having him in the room," Richardson said. "He's a vet, veteran guy that knows a lot of ball. He's been around a lot of ball. Just asking him questions about certain things – whether the safety moves this way, what would he do? He's just like, 'Man, just play. It's just football. Just play and make a play at the end of the day.' So it's great having Joe in the room."
As Richardson navigates his first full season as an NFL starter, Flacco's 188 games of experience can help the 22-year-old in several places.
"It's really valuable to have somebody with the experience and the sort of expertise of the position that Joe has," offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said. "Joe has seen everything in this league. So, we may be installing new plays, and he's heard them before obviously in the spring, but we may be putting something in and – Joe's run it before. Joe knows how it works.
"... Obviously, Joe can put some velocity on that thing too."
