Colts QB room building ‘a lot of good camaraderie’

Within the healthy competition, the Colts QB room has been building some strong camaraderie.

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The Indianapolis Colts have a lot of fresh, new faces in their quarterback room.

The new veteran in the quarterback room, Gardner Minshew, comes with the most experience of everyone and has been doing his best to begin to build that camaraderie.

“It’s been great man. You see it on film, anytime somebody has a big okay, the quarterbacks behind it are going crazy and I think it’s been a lot of good energy, a lot of camaraderie being built, a lot of high-fives and smiles… when times get tough, you’ve got to be able to rely on those strong relationships and it’s good to see those being built,” Minshew said during minicamp.

One of the ways that Minshew and other Colts players, including rookie Anthony Richardson, are looking to build that camaraderie is through the organized time they plan to take to work together during the summer break.

“Our whole room is pushing to be the best that we can be and in that way, serve the team the best we can,” Minshew said. “At the end of the day, whoever is out there you’ve got to support them and that’s how we’re going to win, is through whoever is out there. So trying to help in any way you can whether you’re out there or not.”

The team will be back together for the first day of training camp later this month and will continue to have further opportunities to build camaraderie in the quarterback room.

Colts minicamp: Notes, videos and highlights from Day 2

Here are the news, notes, videos and highlights from Day 2 of Colts minicamp.

The Indianapolis Colts were on the practice field Wednesday for their second day of mandatory minicamp at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center.

After spending Day 1 of minicamp indoors, the Colts were back outside getting work in as the offseason training program nears its conclusion. We also covered the takeaways from Day 1 of minicamp on Tuesday.

Head coach Shane Steichen decided to end minicamp early, which also means the offseason workout program officially concluded Wednesday.

Here’s a look at the news, notes and highlights from Day 2 of Colts minicamp:

Trio of Colts rookies making impression at OTAs

A trio of Colts rookies reportedly have impressed thus far.

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The Indianapolis Colts took 12 players in the 2023 NFL draft, and it appears that the class is already turned some heads in OTAs.

According to Destin Adams of Sports Illustrated’s Horseshoe Huddle, multiple rookies have been impressing for Indianapolis already, including Anthony Richardson and a few others.

Adams reported that the standouts include two draft picks — fourth-rounder Blake Freeland and fifth-rounder Darius Rush — along with undrafted rookie Zavier Scott.

Adams reported that Rush was “the best player on the field during rookie minicamp” while Freeland has “been rock solid so far.”

As for the undrafted rookie in Scott, who has seen reps at both wide receiver and running back, Adams reported the team believes he’s been the best undrafted rookie out of the class thus far entering minicamp.

With Indianapolis beginning mandatory minicamp this week, it will be interesting to monitor these rookies, their progress and their impact heading into training camp and the preseason.

Colts’ Julian Blackmon enjoying transition to strong safety

Julian Blackmon has been enjoying the transition to strong safety.

Indianapolis Colts safety Julian Blackmon has been working on transitioning to the strong safety position during OTAs this offseason.

Blackmon started 31 games at free safety in his first three seasons with Indianapolis.

Blackmon will most likely be competing with second-year player, Nick Cross for the starting strong safety position in 2023.

“It’s more productive, honestly. You have to really tune in on your keys. I think that’s the biggest thing that’s a difference,” Blackmon told reporters Friday. “At free safety, it’s more instinctual whereas at strong, it’s much more vocal. I just have to pay attention to my keys and understand what I’m supposed to be looking at pre-snap and I’ll be good from there.”

Blackmon is also entering a big year as it’s the final season of his rookie contract. He stepped up in a big role down the stretch of the 2022 season as the nickel defender when Kenny Moore II was injured.

With Rodney Thomas II capturing the free safety role, Blackmon will be able to work closer to the line of scrimmage while still offering some coverage skills as a nickel defender if needed.

Colts’ Dayo Odeyingbo has bulked up this offseason

Dayo Odeyingbo said he added about 11 pounds this offseason.

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Indianapolis Colts defensive lineman Dayo Obeyingbo, a second-round pick in 2021, is now entering his third season and second full offseason completely healthy.

Odeyingbo recently met with the media and shared that he has added more muscle to his massive frame.

“I’m probably about 285 (pounds), but I probably put on like 11 pounds of muscle,” Odeyingbo told reporters in May. “It’s been great. I’ve gotten a lot stronger than I’ve been. I’ve put on a lot of muscle and I’m feeling good this offseason.”

The Vanderbilt product understands that adding strength and explosiveness will be key parts of his development as he enters his third season in the league.

“I mean my thought process behind it was just gaining as much muscle and losing as much body fat. So, trying to balance that out so I don’t gain too much weight. Just trying to figure out that balance. It’s just been hard work lifting weights, staying on my diet and supplementing the right way – things like that.”

Odeyingbo also added that in addition to feeling stronger, his Achilles, which he tore in January of 2021, is also feeling stronger.

“Yeah, it’s definitely a work in progress throughout last season. I feel like obviously throughout the season I got more comfortable both with the injury and then just being in the NFL and playing football again,” Odeyingbo said. “Even up to this point and through this offseason I felt a lot of growth through the injury and just the entire body gaining strength and gaining balance.”

Entering into a crucial Year 3, the Colts need their young pass rushers to produce and be mainstays on the defensive line.

If Odeyingbo can continue to build off of his strong end of 2022, he could be a force on the defensive line for the Colts this season.