TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Five observations from Indianapolis Colts camp:
1. Peyton Manning is healthy. After missing camp last year because of an infection in the bursa sac in his right knee, Manning is thrilled to be back taking part. He is a football junkie, so you know camp isn't a chore for him. He looked good throwing the football in the practices I watched, although he did have Anthony Gonzalez open deep and underthrew him and allowed the defensive back to knock the ball down. Manning admitted to me last year that he wasn't comfortable until about the sixth game of the season after missing camp. Healthy again, that's not a good thing for those teams on the Colts schedule early this season.
| Out of Nowhere Man |
 It has to be WR Austin Collie. This fourth-round pick out of BYU has a real chance to win the third-receiver job. He isn't a burner, but he understands the passing game having played in an up-tempo style for BYU. The Colts are already comparing him to former slot receiver Brandon Stokley, who had success playing alongside Wayne and Harrison. Collie is mature at 24 since he went on a Mormon mission for two years, which should help him learn the offense. |
| cirknick picks WR Pierre Garcon |
| Garcon was like a 6th round draft choice. Sure he made the team last year, but he didn't contribute much at all. His role will be quite large this season, assuming he wins the 3rd WR and KR/PR duties, as I expect him to. |
| Who is your Out of Nowhere Man? |
2. Manning won't have Marvin Harrison to throw to for the first time since 1999. Harrison is no longer with the team after they opted not to bring him back. That's a big adjustment for Manning, who has played his entire career with Harrison. "It will take a lot of getting used to lining up under center and not seeing No. 88 to the right," Manning said. Truth be known, Reggie Wayne has been the No. 1 receiver on this team the past two seasons. But with Harrison gone, it means Anthony Gonzalez has to step up to the No. 2 spot with an opening for the third position. That third spot will be a battle between second-year player Pierre Garcon and rookie fourth-round pick Austin Collie. Garcon is a better speed option and looked good here in the workout I watched. The problem is Garcon plays outside and if he's the third guy, it would mean moving Wayne inside, and the Colts prefer him outside. Wayne, by the way, said he expects more doubles than he's seen at any point in his career.
3. The Colts should be stouter inside on defense. They added 304-pound tackle Fili Moala in the second round of the draft and 319-pound nose tackle Terrance Taylor in the fourth round. But the return of Ed Johnson after being released by the team last season for the off-the-field issues is the real reason the Colts think they will be better against the run. Johnson, who started as a rookie in 2007, is back and looks stronger than he was that first season. Johnson is listed at 6-2, 296 pounds, but he looks heavier. Look for teams to have a much tougher time running on the Colts than in recent years. New defensive coordinator Larry Coyer will be more aggressive than Indy has been in recent years.
4. The Colts must run the ball better on offense. They struggled last season, averaging 3.4 per rush and finished 31st in the league. Some of it was because of injuries to the offensive line and a step-back season for running back Joseph Addai. The Colts aren't a big running team, but they like to set up their play-action with the stretch play. "We don't run the ball often, but when we do we have to be better," center Jeff Saturday said. "We weren't good enough last year. And you can make excuses about injuries and stuff, but when you get on the field and play, no matter who is out there, you have to do your job. We have to run it better." They drafted running back Donald Brown in the first round to push Addai, who some say danced too much. Brown hits the hole quickly, but how much he plays will be predicated on his pass protection.
5. The secondary always seems to have injury concerns. It starts with safety Bob Sanders. When he's on the field, he's as good as any safety in the game. The problem is he's missed 35 games in his five years. He missed 10 games with a knee injury last season after being the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2007. He has to be on the field for the Colts to have a chance to be a top-tier defense. Word is he's tired of talking about his injuries so he's limiting his time with the media. He's one of the good guys, which makes that sad to see. Corner Marlin Jackson is coming off a torn ACL suffered in late October last season. He's expected to take part in practice next week. The Colts need both of those players on the field.
