When the Indianapolis Colts start training camp, they will have several position battles that will take place until the season starts.
The Indianapolis Colts return for training camp on July 27 and it will be the start of what could be a magical season for Indianapolis. However, before Indy makes it to the regular season kickoff, there’s a lot that needs to be figured out.
There are a couple of off-field contract situations that need to be sorted but it’s time to focus on the things that will be handled on the field, like position battles. That’s what training camp is all about, guys competing for roster spots and playing time over one another.
The Colts traded for Matt Ryan this offseason so there isn’t a high-profile quarterback battle to follow but Indy does have several other competitions for fans to tune into. Here are four training camp battles Indianapolis will have before the season starts.
Colts will have a battle for left tackle
The battle for left tackle is probably the biggest position battle Indy will have this summer. At one of the most important positions, the starting job will likely come down to a veteran with limited starting experience in Matt Pryor, or a talented rookie in Bernhard Raimann.
Pryor is entering his fourth season in the NFL and has never been a full-time starter. In two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and one with the Colts, he has played in 44 games and started 15. However, his time as a reserve last season impressed Indy enough to give him the first shot at left tackle.
That didn’t stop Indianapolis from drafting Bernhard Raimann in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Raimann is a former tight end that converted to left tackle just two years ago. However, he took naturally to the position and uses his athleticism to his benefit.
While Pryor will start training camp as the No. 1, he will have to deliver every day to hold off the talented rookie that’s preparing as if he is the starter. This is a position that Indy has to get right because Matt Ryan needs to be protected in order to have a quality passing attack.
A battle to be the No. 2 receiver
This battle contains another rookie but it isn’t for a starting spot, but for a priority position. Colts’ top pick, Alec Pierce, will compete with Parris Campbell to be the No. 2 wide receiver in Indy’s offense. Michael Pittman Jr. established himself as the clear No. 1 last season.
While both Pierce and Campbell will likely be on the field as the two receivers accompanying Pittman, camp will be important to determine who’s the No. 2. That designation makes a difference in play calling and targeting from Matt Ryan.
Depending on who has the stronger camp of the two, Reich will likely get the better receiver involved in more action and line them up as a priority read. Additionally, camp is an important time to build chemistry with the quarterback. If one guy continues to do things the right way and finds himself open often, Ryan will build a rapport with him that will carry over into the season.
Pierce is a bigger body that can work on the outside and Campbell is a speedy receiver that can lineup on the inside. It will help the Colts if both Campbell and Pierce had fantastic camps but at least one of them needs to go out and establish themselves as a legit No. 2, something Indy didn’t have last season.
Who will be the second tight end?
Similar to the last battle, this isn’t for the top spot, but for the secondary option position. Over the last two seasons, the Colts have loaded up on large and athletic tight ends. Mo Alie-Cox signed a contract this offseason to return, Indy drafted Kylen Granson last year and doubled down in this year’s draft selecting Jelani Woods and Andrew Ogletree.
Frank Reich has previously mentioned that he will like to have a tight end-centric passing game, something that would work really well off Indy’s elite rushing attack. That means it’s best to have multiple tight ends that can play, so all four guys might see action.
However, there will still be a depth chart. Let’s assume Mo Alie-Cox will be the No. 1 tight end, he has the most experience and NFL production. Though, he could be pushed depending on how the young guys show up. But, assuming he’s the top tight end, there will be a battle for No. 2.
Granson has already promised that he will have a big second year but Woods and Ogletree have tremendous tools. With the Colts likely to use a lot of 12 personnel ( one running back and two tight ends), one of these young fellas will have to be ready to consistently deliver as a blocker and receiving target.
Battling for the final starting cornerback spot
This is an important position, a spot that can often be lonely and make or break a defensive unit. The Colts got security at one of the cornerback spots this offseason when they signed Stephon Gilmore but the other side should be decided in camp.
The cornerback spot opposite Gilmore will likely come down to two players that are competing to be full-time starters for the first time in their careers. Isaiah Rodgers, who’s been with the Colts since being drafted by the team in 2020, and Brandon Facyson, a player entering his fifth year that has played his entire career under Gus Bradley.
Rodgers’ early impact with Indy came as a return man, but he has also contributed as a cornerback. Starting just one game at corner in two seasons, Rodgers has impressed enough in his limited snaps that many are confident he’s ready to take the next step and start in his third season.
Facyson, on the other hand, has started just 13 games out of the 56 he’s played over four years, but, his tape makes it evident why Bradley brings him along everywhere he coaches. Facyson is a rangy corner with good speed and technique that has also flashed the skillset to be a starter.
With such a loaded defense, the Colts have the talent to be an incredibly dominant unit, but they have to have a solid guy at the last corner spot so that the defense doesn’t have a liability that opposing offenses can target. Training camp will determine who’s going to step up to the challenge.
With several top players on the Colts, the pressure is on Frank Reich to deliver results this season
The Indianapolis Colts have a really talented roster which means it’s up to Frank Reich and the coaching staff to lead the team to success.