INDIANAPOLIS – Chuck Pagano might be reaching into his medicine cabinet this weekend.
The Colts have 11 rookies on their 53-man roster.
Pagano could have three of those rookie starting and several others playing major roles come Sunday.
Does that make a coach nervous?
"That's why they have Pepto-Bismol, right?" Pagano said with a wry smile earlier this week.
The Colts are going to rely on a lot of youth in 2016, but Pagano has gone back and watched the film of last Thursday's preseason finale for some reassurance.
What Pagano observed was a young bunch, in all three units, making plays.
"I saw guys flying around having fun and competing," Pagano said of the young guys playing extended time last Thursday against the Bengals. "The physicality that they played with, the temperament that they played with, the tempo, the competitiveness it was really fun to watch. We have a good group of young guys. Again, there are going to be some mistakes made, but they're going to make them 1,000 miles per hour."
Here are the Colts 2016 rookies:
Draft PicksC-Ryan Kelly (Round 1, Alabama): No surprise here, but Ryan Kelly is the starting center. If healthy, Kelly will be the man snapping the ball to Andrew Luck every week this season.
S-T.J. Green (Round 2, Clemson): In Green, the Colts have an athletic safety who is going to be starting on Sunday afternoon. When Clayton Geathers (foot) does return, the Colts will have some decision making to do with their three lead safeties (Mike Adams, Green and Geathers).OT-Le'Raven Clark (Round 3, Texas Tech): Unless an injury occurs, the expectation is Clark will be a reserve lineman for the Colts as a rookie. Clark has worked primarily at right tackle this preseason.
DT-Hassan Ridgeway (Round 4, Texas): The Colts only kept six defensive linemen. That's with the injuries to Kendall Langford and Henry Anderson. With Anderson not fully back yet, Langford on a likely pitch count, Ridgeway could play a decent amount early in the season.ILB-Antonio Morrison (Round 4, Florida): Is Morrison the starting option next to D'Qwell Jackson to start the season? That could be the case with Sio Moore still on the mend. Moore (hamstring) was limited at Wednesday's practice.OT-Joe Haeg (Round 5, North Dakota State): When healthy, Haeg is the likely backup at four spots on the offensive line. Haeg could return to practice this week and should be fully back from a preseason ankle injury very soon.C-Austin Blythe (Round 7, Iowa): With the injuries early in the season to some interior guys (Jack Mewhort and Joe Haeg), Blythe could be the team's top reserve at guard/center.**Undrafted Free Agents
**RB-Josh Ferguson (Illinois): The Colts kept four running backs and that meant Ferguson was on the 53-man roster. Will the Colts game plan in the regular season include some packages for Ferguson, known for his receiving ability?WR-Chester Rogers (Grambling): The preseason standout among the skill group, Rogers rounds out the quintet of wide receivers on the roster.OLB-Curt Maggitt (Tennessee): Maggitt was always a favorite of the Colts. His playmaking in the preseason earned him a spot on the 53-man roster spot, behind the likes of Robert Mathis, Trent Cole and Erik Walden.S-Matthias Farley (Notre Dame): The Colts claimed Farley, from the Cardinals, on Sunday afternoon, after final roster cuts. Farley could be a special teams guy early in the season.
