The Indianapolis Colts officially begin their offseason training program Monday, and there will be plenty to keep an eye out for over the next nine weeks.
Even though no pads or contact will be present during the nine-week program, there are still trends that take place during this time. Some players can get a boost during the spring workouts while building some momentum entering training camp.
Here are four storylines to watch during the Colts offseason workouts:
Two new additions in free agency
The Colts stuck to their word of being relatively quiet in free agency. They re-signed a handful of their own players but wound up making two significant signings with outside players in the form of wide receiver Devin Funchess and edge rusher Justin Houston.
It won’t be fully clear how both additions will fit in their new roles during the spring. Because there is no contact or pads being worn, it is impossible to make a true judgment of the impact they might have. But seeing how they work with the rest of the group will be important.
This especially goes for Funchess, who will be working with a new quarterback in Andrew Luck. Building momentum for the fall is important, and it begins in the spring.
Andrew Luck finally returns for a normal offseason
No more rehab. No more worrying. No more wondering if he will be ready. Barring any changes, the franchise quarterback will be working in full this offseason building off of his most efficient campaign in 2018.
Luck has had to deal with abnormal offseasons due to injury for many recent seasons. However, he finally got to work as healthy quarterback this offseason and will continue to do so during OTAs and minicamp.
Entering Year 2 of Frank Reich’s offense, it’s a huge development that Luck will be able to work fully during the spring as they implement new aspects of the scheme.
Vital offseason for contract players
There are several players the Colts will be expecting a leap in production from during the 2019 season. Some players are entering the final year of their contract while others must prove they belong in the starting lineup.
Among those entering a contract season include Anthony Castonzo, Eric Ebron, Jack Doyle, Jabaal Sheard, Le’Raven Clark and Hassan Ridgeway. Guys like Castonzo, Ebron and Doyle have a better chance of re-signing, while Clark and Ridgeway must prove they belong.
Other players that face a vital offseason include Quincy Wilson, Nate Hairston and Tyquan Lewis to name a few.
Competition is everywhere
One aspect general manager Chris Ballard has preached since arriving in 2017 was the need for competition throughout the roster. The Colts have achieved that.
There will be competition on both sides of the ball in several areas. The wide receiver corps and tight end room will be ones to watch on the offensive side, while the defensive line, safety and cornerback rooms will all be littered with competition.
The Colts still have their selections in the draft to add to the competitions, which likely means some very good players will be cut when the roster shrinks from 90 to 53 players.
