Tag: Nick Cross

Nick Cross proving to be versatile piece of Colts defense

The second-year safety has been a true standout this preseason.

Indianapolis Colts safety Nick Cross enters his second season in the league after what was a pretty disappointing rookie campaign.

Cross lost the starting strong safety job within the first month of the season and saw only special teams work for the remainder of his rookie year. It was disappointing considering what he’d shown during the preseason.

Entering his second season, though, there’s a much different tune surrounding his game. Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley had plenty of praise for the progress Cross has made in 2023.

“Done very well. I’ll tell you what Nick (Cross) has done, he has proven to us that he has consistently played well at the strong safety spot,” Bradley told reporters Sunday. “But what his value to us is he can play free, he can play strong and in a pinch, he can play nickel.”

A third-round pick out of Maryland in 2022, the Colts made it a point to get Cross onto the roster during the draft. They traded back into the third round before the day was over in order to select him, and the pick they gave away wound up being the No. 67 overall selection (Drew Sanders) in 2023.

Cross entered the league at an extremely young age, turning 21 years old during the first week of the regular season. The talent he put on tape matched up with some elite athleticism, but when it came to the processing side of the ball, the rookie struggled to keep up.

But Cross was in the lab all offseason, working to ensure he understood the nuances of Bradley’s defense. That progress has shown up with certainty in Year 2, removing the doubts and hesitation from his game.

“As far as a role, he’s one play away from all those three positions where he has an opportunity to play or at least be in those discussions to play,” Bradley said. “I think last year, he wasn’t in that discussion. If we had an injury, maybe had a spot it was like, ‘Well, I don’t know if he’s quite ready.’ I think he’s really kind of erased that part of doubt for us.”

The secondary will be extremely young for the Colts. While the safety room has Julian Blackmon going into his fourth season, both Cross and Rodney Thomas II are going into Year 2.

It’s a young group brimming with potential.

With Cross improving his processing skills to match his elite athleticism, another layer of hope is added to Bradley’s defense.

Stock report from Colts’ preseason win over Bears

Here’s the stock report from the Colts’ preseason win over the Bears.

The Indianapolis Colts grabbed their first win of the preseason Saturday night in a 24-17 victory over the Chicago Bears at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Despite the starters getting rest after the joint training camp practices, there were still plenty of players grinding for their spots on the roster with cut-down day quickly approaching.

When taking stock of a player’s performance, it’s best to be fluid. A player’s stock will fall and rise throughout the preseason so none of this is set in stone. But it is important to take note of the narratives and storylines taking place as the regular season quickly approaches.

A player’s stock can be impacted by their performance or the type of snaps they receive during the preseason.

Here’s the stock report from the Colts’ preseason win over the Bears:

6 Colts to watch vs. Bears in preseason Week 2

Here are six Colts players to watch during the preseason game Saturday night.

The Indianapolis Colts are set to host the Chicago Bears for a preseason matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday night.

While it isn’t clear whether the starters will be playing, all eyes would be on rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson if he’s on the field. So there’s no need to tell readers to watch for him.

With training camp officially over, only the preseason stands between the Colts and games that actually matter.

Here’s a look at six players to watch during Saturday night’s matchup against the Bears:

9 Colts to watch in preseason opener vs. Bills

Keep an eye on these 9 players as the Colts begin the preseason.

The Indianapolis Colts officially commence the preseason with a matchup Saturday afternoon against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium.

There will be plenty of storylines to keep an eye on in regard to both sides of the ball, and almost everyone will have their eyes on rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson, who is making the start in his debut.

Though we shouldn’t overreact to the preseason, there are certain players we should keep an eye on. Whether they’re competing for a roster spot or looking to carve out a bigger role, there will be plenty to watch on Saturday.

Here are nine Colts to watch in the preseason opener against the Bills:

Colts vs. Bills: 5 things to know entering preseason Week 1

Here are five things to know as the Colts enter their first preseason game against the Bills.

The Indianapolis Colts travel Saturday to Orchard Park, NY, for their first action in the Shane Steichen era. The Buffalo Bills host the Colts at Highmark Stadium for a preseason Week 1 game.

With so many new faces and schemes still being installed, there is a lot to work out, but perhaps the most exciting part: Colts football is back.

Here are the five things to know for Week 1 of the preseason:

6 takeaways from Day 1 of Colts training camp

Here are six takeaways from Day 1 of Colts training camp.

The Indianapolis Colts wrapped up their first day of training camp Wednesday at the Grand Park Sports Complex in Westfield.

While we went through a quick rundown of what all transpired during the first practice, we’re here to dive a bit deeper into the storylines and reactions from the first day of training camp practice.

Just about every player was on the field outside of a handful of injured players, and it was a compact practice in terms of the passing game, focusing mostly on the red zone.

Here are six takeaways from Day 1 of Colts training camp:

Colts’ 2023 training camp preview: Safeties

Previewing the safety position for the Colts entering training camp.

The Indianapolis Colts are set to return for training camp at the Grand Park Sports Complex in Westfield with their first practice being held July 26.

Before then, we’ll be previewing each position, giving our takes on the starters, position battles and projected depth chart entering camp under the new regime.

The safety position for the Colts will have two of its starters returning for the second year under defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, while the hope is that they can get some production from the depth in the room during the regular season.

You can follow along with our training camp previews as we post the links below:

Quarterback Running Back Wide Receiver Tight End
Offensive Line Defensive Line Linebacker Cornerback
Safety Special Teams

Here’s our preview of the safeties entering training camp:

5 under-the-radar Colts players to watch at training camp

Taking a look at five under-the-radar Colts to keep an eye on at training camp.

The Indianapolis Colts start training camp next week where temperatures will be hot, but several Colts battles will be hotter. The team needs a spark, and these players could provide a much-needed boost.

With head coach Shane Steichen now leading the team, who will thrive under his leadership?

Here are the five under-the-radar Colts players to watch:

Madden 24: Launch ratings for Colts WRs, safeties

Check out the Madden NFL 24 launch ratings for Colts WRs and safeties.

With training camp right around the corner for the majority of teams, EA Sports has started unveiling “Madden NFL 24” launch ratings ahead of the release date for the game.

The first group to be revealed in these launch ratings were the wide receivers and safeties. Only one member of the Colts at these positions was given a rating above 80, which was wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr.

Here’s a look at the launch ratings for the wide receivers and safeties on the Colts in “Madden NFL 24:”

1 Colt from each position to watch at training camp

Keep an eye on these Colts players during training camp.

The Indianapolis Colts officially regroup for the 2023 season down at Grand Park for training camp at the end of July.

With the season looming on the horizon and the team looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2022 showing, eyes will be on the Colts and the different talent, young and old, on the roster.

Here is one player from each position to keep an eye on during training camp and the preseason leading up to the start of the regular season: