Colts: 3 players who’ve impressed us most at training camp

Here are three Colts players who’ve impressed us the most at training camp.

Any aspiring general managers out there should seriously takes notes on how Chris Ballard has masterfully constructed the Indianapolis Colts roster over the last three years. Not many teams in the NFL can say they flaunt an equitable balance of veterans and a promising young core, but Indy undoubtedly falls under that category.

However, for every projected started on the Colts’ talented roster, training camp provides an opportunity for incoming rookies and unproven youngsters to show that they are not only deserving of a roster spot, but a legitimate role on the team.

With camp in full swing, we are already starting to see certain players separate themselves from the rest of the competing pack. The begs the obvious question: Who has been the most impressive for Indianapolis so far?

Full disclosure: Michael Pittman Jr. and Jonathan Taylor did not make the list. Considering the hype surrounding them entering the 2020 Draft, it isn’t at all surprising that the two rookies have been performing as well as they have at training camp. Including them would be a no-brainer and we tried to avoid that here.

This list centered mostly on overlooked players who needed to impress following a lost season, late-round selection, etc.

3. Danny Pinter

The Colts will be returning all five of their starters on the offensive line after it really burst onto the scene as most of the most formidable units in the NFL last season. As scary good as the group’s core is, Indianapolis has really lucked out that none of them have suffered a serious injury because the depth is extremely lackluster, to say the least.

However, that might be a different story in 2020 following the selection of Danny Pinter in the fifth round back in April.

The consensus buzz indicates that the Ball State product has been performing out of his skin since camp started. What makes that so noteworthy is that the Colts have been bouncing him around at unfamiliar positions, including guard and center.

With the Cardinals, Pinter played the majority of his snaps at right tackle, so it’s clear that Indianapolis sees him as a player who could fill the void at any of the five positions if a starter were to go down with an injury. After all, he was the only offensive lineman the franchise selected this year.

2. Parris Campbell

There hasn’t been much buzz surrounding Parris Campbell of late, but that’s because he was placed in the concussion protocol following a minor car accident.

Before that, however, the 23-year-old wide receiver was receiving seemingly endless praise from the Colts coaching staff.

The injury isn’t said to be serious, so we can expect Campbell to be back bamboozling defenders on the practice field sometime in the next week so long as he passes the required concussion examinations. Highlights from camp have shown why Indianapolis used a second-round pick on the him last year.

And last year, pre-injury, he was ready to explode, too. This should come as no surprise.

This setback, if you can even call it that, shouldn’t take away from the remarkable camp the Ohio State product has put together since arriving for preseason. He’s even made a strong impression on quarterback Philip Rivers. Not many young wideouts can say that! In our eyes, Campbell’s spot at No. 2 on this list is fully deserved.

1. Tyquan Lewis

Tyquan Lewis is facing a make-or-break season, as he’s appeared in just 17 games (six starts) since entering the NFL as a second-round pick in 2018.

The young defensive tackle has been filling in for projected starter DeForest Buckner (hand) the last few practices, and he’s apparently playing as if he’s fully aware of his precarious situation.

Lewis is coming off a sophomore campaign in which he started zero contests and somehow played fewer snaps than he did as a rookie. In his limited playing time, the former Ohio State stud has tallied 18 tackles, two sacks and nine quarterback hits.

Nobody within the Colts organization knew what version of Lewis was going to show up to camp, so his performance has easily been the most impressive thus far. The comeback narrative is on full display and we are absolutely here for it. Don’t look now, but the 25-year-old could play a pivotal role up front for Indianapolis in Year 3.