The Indianapolis Colts held their second minicamp practice on Wednesday as the spring workouts come near an end, but there were still some notes to take away from the session.
The Colts will have one more minicamp practice before breaking for summer. Here are five notes from the second practice at minicamp on Wednesday:
Defense got the better of Jacoby Brissett
The usual backup to Andrew Luck, Brissett has been running the first-team offense as the former is held out due to a calf strain. It’s been a rocky spring for Brissett, who has had his share of ups and downs through OTAs and minicamp.
The defense appeared to get the better of Brissett on Wednesday with the secondary forcing some incompletions and even interceptions. Per Kevin Bowen of 1070 The Fan:
“It’s not often you say the defense gets the better of the offense consistently this time of year. But it’s mostly felt that way watching the Colts work in the spring. Jacoby Brissett just hasn’t been as sharp as he usually is in practice. Brissett was off on Wednesday, with the starting offense lacking much consistency in the passing game. To be fair to Brissett, he had one 7-on-7 session where Marlon Mack, Devin Funchess and Eric Ebron all dropped very catchable balls.”
Mo Alie-Cox continued his strong spring
The tight end position is one of the deeper rooms on the roster, but the Colts have been able to see some of the players lower on the depth chart this spring due to the injuries keeping starters Jack Doyle and Eric Ebron out for the most part.
This has given Alie-Cox the chance to prove he deserves a bigger role in the offense, and it appears he’s done just that. Wednesday’s practice was no different as the former VCU basketball standout continued to shine.
Per Zak Keefer of The Indianapolis Star:
“Thus it was Alie-Cox, the former hoopster-turned-football-project, who got the bulk of reps with the first team offense. Simply put: He made the most of it.
Alie-Cox caught a steady diet of passes throughout the spring, often in heavy traffic, flaunting an improved route-running ability that should elevate his game come this fall. Already equipped as an excellent blocker – you should see the size of this guy’s hands – Alie-Cox is working to further hone the pass-catching element to his repertoire.”
CB depth showing out
The Colts have some major competition throughout the entire cornerback room to sift through this fall. From the top of the depth chart to the reserves, it appears the entire room is having a strong spring.
That continued Wednesday as rookie Rock Ya-Sin grabbed another interception while Nate Hairston and Jalen Collins continued their strong spring workouts with another splendid outing.
Per Kevin Bowen of 1070 The Fan:
“But reserves Nate Hairston and Jalen Collins made some plays in coverage. Hairston made a terrific leaping interception of Brissett. These two will need to continue that playmaking in camp, plus show consistent play on special teams, if they are going to secure a roster spot among a very deep cornerback group.”
Parris Campbell being used in several roles
One of the Colts rookies that has the most hype coming out of the draft is Campbell, who is expected to be a big part of the offense once he fully develops his game. How the Colts will use him should be an intriguing development to watch this fall.
Given his skill set, the Colts have been using Campbell in several roles. He will primarily work from the slot as a pass catcher, but he’s also being used on reverses and as one of the primary punt returners.
It would be in the interest of the Colts to get the ball in Campbell’s hands in as many unique ways as possible. His speed alone makes him a dangerous weapon—but it’s his vision as a ball carrier that takes his upside to the next level.
Le’Raven Clark seeing time at guard
One of the players in a vital contract season, Clark is typically the backup to left tackle Anthony Castonzo. However, he was seen lining up on the interior Wednesday. His arm length makes his ideal position on the edge, but he may have to find a way to be versatile if he wants to remain with the Colts following the 2019 season.
With the starting offensive line already intact, there aren’t many players that have a locked in depth spot up front. Clark might have a better chance than most to grab a roster spot, but he may have to do so with a position switch.
