INDIANAPOLIS – Scott Tolzien is not accustomed to speaking behind a podium as a veteran backup quarterback.
Right now, he's the guy though in Indianapolis, which brought him to the podium on Tuesday.
Tolzien and the Colts are wrapping up Phase Two of the offseason program, with team activities in OTAs waiting come Monday.
Here's a look at four takeaways from Tuesday's media session after the Colts concluded their 18th day of the offseason program:
Scott Tolzien Taking First-Team Reps
A sidelined Andrew Luck means Scott Tolzien is leading the first-team offense right now.
Luck's rehab from January shoulder surgery has Tolzien taking the reins of the starters during the offseason program.
"It is a great opportunity to be out there with the first-team offense and get comfortable with those guys," Tolzien says.
With Luck juggling rehab this time of year, No. 12 is still on the field when the Colts head there for work right now.
Tolzien is then in Luck's ear about the differences in timing between the receivers. A new wideout coach in 2017 (Sanjay Lal) means the quarterbacks will have to deal with a slight adjustment in timing between thrower and catcher.
T.J. Green Working At Strong Safety This Offseason
How will the Colts use T.J. Green is a question in 2017?
Green appeared to answer it on Tuesday.
Saying he's grown more as a coverage safety, Green will be working at strong safety in his second NFL season.
"Being a strong safety now," Green said, "I'm being relied on to cover a lot of tight ends, a lot of slots. I think I've grown a lot in that area, using this offseason to work on my footwork and technique."
Coming into 2017, Clayton Geathers was the expected starter at strong safety.
That's still the case, although Geathers is recovering from off-season surgery on his neck.
During the draft, Chris Ballard said Geathers (neck) was "on the mend." But the GM still speaks about Geathers like he will be ready to go in 2017.
If Geathers is ready to go come Training Camp, that will certainly alter how the Colts use Green this year.
Green said on Tuesday that he's made some headway in the mental aspect of the safety position.
The selection of safety Malik Hooker hasn't impacted how Green views his goals.
"I'm a competitor," Green said. "Obviously, I'm here to start."**
Route Detail Improving For Phillip Dorsett
**As talked about above, the Colts have a new wide receivers coach this year in Sanjay Lal.
The early returns from Lal's receivers offer a nice endorsement for the new position coach.
Lal's focus so far in the offseason program falls right in line to where Dorsett sees himself needing to develop in Year Three.
"We work on a lot of route detail," Dorsett says of the receivers. "I'm definitely improving in that. Coach Sanjay has great details. He slows everything down and makes sure everything is perfect. That's been a big improvement for me."
Even though Dorsett won't publically admit it, the 2017 campaign is a massive one for his NFL future.
Dorsett calls the NFL a "grind."
It's one he loves though as he reaches the final years of his rookie contract.
"I want to play until the wheels fall off," Dorsett says.How Much Robert Turbin Will We See In 2017?
Chris Ballard and Robert Turbin are both fans of the veteran running back receiving some early-down reps as he returns to the Colts.
They could be coming after Turbin re-signed a two-year contract with the Colts back in March.
Turbin provides a great perspective about his role within a team setting when talking to the media.
No matter just how the reps are divided up between Frank Gore, Turbin and rookie Marlon Mack, the goals are bigger for Turbin after how 2016 ended.
"To be a part of something like that and fall short just wants to make you want to come back and go after it again," Turbin says. "That was my biggest motivation in wanting to come back. You become family over the course of an entire year and you don't want to leave family."
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