Tag: colts news

Colts announce several football operations moves

The Colts announced several promotions within the football operations department.

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The Indianapolis Colts made several promotions and changes to the football operations, the team announced Wednesday.

According to the release from the team, here are the updated changes to the football operations department:

  • Nick Bayh named strategic football analyst
  • Mikey Blazejowski elevated to assistant sports science/analytics
  • Matt Conti named vice president of football communications
  • Kyle Davis elevated to head athletic trainer
  • Christian Edwards named director of football communications
  • Joe Fonderoli elevated to vice president of operations
  • Dave Hammer named senior head athletic trainer
  • Andrew Hoyle elevated to player personnel scout
  • Melainey Lowe named director of football operations
  • David Thornton elevated to vice president of team engagement

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CBS Sports: Chargers land wide receiver in free agency mock draft

With free agency upon us, CBS Sports conducted the veteran market like a draft.

The Chargers wide receiver room could be undergoing some remodeling this off-season.

While they are in the market for one, particularly with speed, Los Angeles may be looking to find a replacement for veteran Keenan Allen, who is dubbed a potential cut casualty or trade option, given the team’s need to free up salary cap space.

If the Bolts move Allen, there is the possibility that they go into free agency looking to fill the void, or at least CBS Sport’s Cody Benjamin believes so.

Benjamin conducted a free-agency mock draft using educated guesses (and considered well-informed reports from across the league) and made the order by projected 2023 cap space.

With the No. 28 overall selection, Benjamin has Los Angeles “taking” Colts wide receiver Parris Campbell.

With Keenan Allen a potential cap casualty coming off an injury-shortened year, the Chargers may be in the market for a WR2 opposite Mike Williams. While Campbell has had his own issues staying on the field, he broke out as a speed threat for the Colts in 2022. His multipurpose abilities alongside RB Austin Ekeler would potentially spice up the offense for Justin Herbert.

Campbell, a second-round pick of the 2019 NFL draft, dealt with a fair share of injuries for most of his pro career. But he stayed healthy this past season, and Campbell set career-highs with 63 receptions and 623 yards while adding three touchdowns.

Campbell is an explosive player with track-star speed and fantastic agility, something the Chargers would benefit from.

But given his injury history and his projected contract of three years for $23.25 million ($7.75M per year) and $13.25 million total guaranteed, it might not be the most logical route to address the position.

Instead, Los Angeles could choose to sign a receiver to a veteran minimum contract and draft one early on, whether they choose to keep Allen or not, and still be in good shape.

Chargers’ Derwin James speaks on ejection, hit on Colts WR Ashton Dulin

Derwin James said he was trying to make a play and had no intentions of hurting Ashton Dulin.

In Week 16 against the Colts, Chargers star safety Derwin James was ejected in the second quarter.

James lowered the crown of his helmet and connected it with the shoulder and neck of wide receiver Ashton Dulin.

James was flagged for unnecessary roughness and ultimately kicked out for the illegal hit on a defenseless receiver. Dulin was later ruled out with a concussion that caused him to miss the rest of the game.

James was also diagnosed with a concussion that sidelined him in last Sunday’s game against the Rams.

On Thursday, at his media availability, James said he was trying to make a play and had no intentions of hurting Dulin.

“I’m not a dirty player,” James said.

James is donned as one of the league’s best safeties, known for his ability to play multiple spots across the field at a high level. But he is also lauded for his physicality as a tackler.

“If you look at how I play every week, I’m not out to hurt nobody,” James said. “I don’t play the game that way. I wasn’t taught the game that way. I’m trying to play fast and aggressive for my team and make a play.”

The NFL decided not to suspend James for the hit, but he was still given a $25,462 fine.

James cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol and is back with the Chargers.

“I’m 100%,” James said.

Chargers vs. Colts first-half highlights

Catch up on all the action from the Monday matchup between the Chargers and Colts.

The Chargers lead the Colts at the half, 10-3.

Here are all of Los Angeles’ notable highlights from the first two quarters.

After the two teams traded three and outs to start the game, Indianapolis started to drive down the field, including a fourth-down conversion aided by a Jeff Saturday challenge.

Then, it was Michael Davis’ time to shine.

David fielded a Nick Foles deep throw like the arm punt it was, eventually returning the easy interception 30 yards to give the Chargers the ball back at their own 41.

Most of the time, football teams trade points. Through the first quarter, all the Chargers and Colts traded were interceptions.

After Justin Herbert was intercepted on the drive following Davis’ first pick of the season, the Colts threw it right back to LA. This time, it was Derwin James with the play, tapping his feet in bounds like a veteran receiver.

The interception, Los Angeles’ second of the game, gave the Bolts the ball back at their own 33.

After more than 21 minutes of game time, the Chargers finally broke the 0-0 deadlock.

Los Angeles capped off a 13-play, 70-yard drive with a one-yard Austin Ekeler rushing touchdown, the Chargers’ fourth straight run play of the drive.

The drive was also aided by two Mike Williams receptions of 16 and 18 yards, the latter of which brought the ball into the red zone.

James’ return from injury has turned out to be short-lived.

After returning from a quad injury that had held him out of the last two contests, James had had a stellar game through a quarter and a half, including a phenomenal interception of Colts QB Nick Foles.

Midway through the second quarter, Foles targeted wide receiver Ashton Dulin in the flat, where he was hit with the force of a semi-truck as James flew downhill. The collision was immediately flagged for helmet-to-helmet contact.

Despite James’ protests as he pointed to his shoulder while walking off the field, he was ejected from the remainder of the contest by officials in New York. It seemed as though James was indicating that he hit Dulin in the shoulder initially, but the replay showed clear head-to-head contact.

With James back out of the lineup, Alohi Gilman and Nasir Adderley will take over as the safeties for the rest of the game. Rookie Raheem Layne is also on the roster after being signed off the practice squad before the game.

Live tweet updates from Chargers vs. Colts

Stay up to date on all the action from the matchup between the Chargers and Colts.

The Chargers are set to take on the Colts in Week 16 of the 2022 regular season in just a few moments.

If you’re away from the television or can’t stream the game and want to be kept up to date on all the action, we will have you covered.

Colts re-signing CB Xavier Rhodes to 1-year deal

The Colts are bringing back Xavier Rhodes after the CB put together a strong 2020 season.

After a strong bounce-back season in 2020, Xavier Rhodes is returning to the Colts. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Indianapolis is signing him to a one-year deal. The terms of the contract were not immediately available.

Rhodes played well for the Colts last season after signing a one-year deal with Indianapolis. He started all 16 games, recording 12 pass breakups, two interceptions (one pick-six) and 42 total tackles.

According to Pro Football Focus, Rhodes earned an overall grade of 77.3 last season, which was good for eighth-best of any cornerback.

Though he did give up five touchdown passes, he only allowed a completion rate of 51.9% in coverage, giving up just 42 completions on 81 targets. Rhodes will remain a starter at cornerback, bringing some stability to the secondary.

Former UGA WR Mecole Hardman: Colts should pass torch to Jacob Eason

Former UGA football WR Mecole Hardman says Indianapolis Colts should pass the torch to Jacob Eason with Matthew Stafford no long in the mix.

The Colts are in search of who will replace quarterback Phillip Rivers in Indianapolis next season.

The obvious answer seemed to be Georgia Bulldog great Matt Stafford, but that ship has since sailed after the former No. 1 overall pick was dealt to Los Angeles in exchange for Jared Goff and some draft picks on Saturday.

The Colts now face three options: Promote from within, look to free agency or a potential trade, or use an early draft pick on someone who can become the future of the franchise.

But let’s not forget that Indianapolis spent a mid-round pick on former Georgia and Washington quarterback Jacob Eason last year, taking the 6-foot-6 signal caller with the 122nd overall pick in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Could he be an option next year for the Colts? Former Georgia wide receiver Mecole Hardman, who played two seasons with Eason in Athens, likes the first option – promote from within.

On Friday, Hardman tweeted that the Colts should look to Eason to be their guy under center next season.

After transferring from Georgia at the end of the 2017 season, Eason sat out a year due to NCAA rules and then started the 2019 season at quarterback for the Washington Huskies.

At Washington in 2019, Eason led the Huskies to an 8-5 record, throwing for 3,132 yards with 23 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. Eason was projected as one of the top 5 quarterbacks in last year’s draft, but, along with former teammate Jake Fromm, was forced to wait a bit longer to hear his name called and was eventually taken in the fourth round.

49ers, Frank Gore issue statements on Tom Rathman’s retirement from coaching

Former 49ers FB Tom Rathman announced his retirement after 31 seasons in the NFL as a player and coach.

Legendary 49ers fullback and running backs coach Tom Rathman on Thursday announced his retirement from coaching. The Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. 49ers Hall of Fame member spent 31 years in the NFL as a player and coach.

Rathman began his playing career with the 49ers in 1986 as a third-round pick out of Nebraska. He spent his first eight seasons in San Francisco where he was an integral part of two Super Bowl winners before finishing his career with one season in Oakland.

For his career, he posted 2,020 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns on the ground, along with 2,684 receiving yards and eight touchdowns through the air.

San Francisco was also where Rathman got his start in the coaching ranks. He joined the 49ers’ coaching staff in 1997 as the running backs coach, a position he held through the 2002 campaign. From there, he went to Detroit for three seasons, Oakland for three seasons, and then back to the 49ers for eight years. He made his second exit from San Francisco when head coach Kyle Shanahan took over in 2017.

Rathman took the 2017 season off before joining the Colts coaching staff where he spent the final three seasons of his career.

The 49ers issued a statement on their longtime player and coach, calling him the “quintessential 49er in every way.”

The 49ers family would like to congratulate Tom Rathman on concluding a tremendous, 31-year career as both a player and a coach in the National Football League. During more than two decades as a 49er, he left an indelible mark on our organization, the players he coached and the defenders he battled. Tom coached his players the same way he played the game, with a selfless, hard-nosed dedication to getting the best out of himself and those around him. A member of the Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. 49ers Hall of Fame, he is the quintessential 49er in every way. We are so happy for Tom, his wife, Holly, and their family, as he steps away from the game to which he gave so much.

Along with the team statement, longtime 49ers running back Frank Gore took time to congratulate his former coach, capped with a phrase Rathman frequently utilized in practice:

I want to congratulate Tom on a Hall of Fame career – both as a player and a coach. Tom was a father-figure to me. He came into my life and career at the perfect time. He challenged me every day to be better, both on the field and off, and I always wanted to make him proud. Tom helped me see the big picture of football and I wouldn’t have had as much success throughout my career without him. I love him. SQUEEZE IT!

Gore was drafted by the 49ers in 2005 between Rathman’s stints as the 49ers’ running backs coach, but the two spent six seasons together between 2009 and 2014 – Gore’s final year in a 49ers uniform.

Twitter reacts: Rodrigo Blankenship wins Colts’ job as starting kicker

Georgia Bulldogs kicker Rodrigo Blankenship has won the starting job at kicker for the Indianapolis Colts

Former Georgia Bulldogs star kicker Rodrigo Blankenship has won the starting kicker job for the Indianapolis Colts over incumbent Chase McLaughlin. Blankenship will make his NFL debut Sept. 13 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Blankenship went undrafted in April’s NFL Draft but was quickly signed by the Indianapolis Colts.

Blankenship had a distinguished career at the University of Georgia. He instantly became a fan favorite after hitting a game-winning field goal at Kentucky in 2016. He went on to win the prestigious Lou Groza Award as a senior.

Blankenship earned a $20,000 signing bonus from the Colts according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

The Colts don’t have a back up kicker on their practice squad indicating their confidence in Hot Rod. Blankenship, like all NFL kickers will have pressure on every kick, even extra points, since they are longer (33 yards) nowadays.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to the new of Blankenship taking the starting role in Indianapolis:

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Former Georgia K Rodrigo Blankenship wins Colts’ kicking job

Former Georgia Bulldogs kicker Rodrigo Blankenship has won the starting job at kicker for the Indianapolis Colts

Former Georgia Bulldogs kicker Rodrigo Blankenship has won the starting job at kicker for the Indianapolis Colts. Blankenship is slated to make his NFL debut Sept. 3 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Here’s what USA TODAY wrote about Blankenship, who went undrafted in April’s draft but was quickly signed by the Indianapolis Colts.

He won the Groza Award, honoring the nation’s top kicker, while at Georgia last year but didn’t get picked in April. Blankenship connected on 84% of his field goals over the past three seasons and converted all 200 of his extra-point tries in college, though he’ll have to adapt to the NFL’s longer PAT. Still, if Blankenship can beat out Chase McLaughlin, he could become a crucial part of the Colts roster and potentially ensure the door closes on Adam Vinatieri.

Blankenship had a distinguished career at the University of Georgia. He instantly became a fan favorite after hitting a game-winning field goal at Kentucky in 2016. Now, he’ll look to replace an NFL legend, former Colts and Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri.

Blankenship landed a $20,000 signing bonus according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Hot Rod beat out incumbent kicker Chase McLaughlin to win Indianapolis’s starting job.

Blankenship may still have some pressure if McLaughlin makes the Colts’ practice squad. Still, NFL kickers have pressure on every kick, even extra points, since they are longer nowadays.

Blankenship is one of the best kickers in Georgia history, and one of the greatest to ever do it in the SEC. He made 82.5% of his kicks and all 200 of his career extra points at Georgia, including a bizarre make against Tennessee.