Colts Camp Notebook Day 4: Laiatu Latu Stands Out In Full Pads

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INDIANAPOLIS – Full pads, welcome.

The Colts returned to practice on Tuesday morning, donning full pads for their first day at Grand Park.

Here are some takeaways from Day 4 of Colts training camp:

• The first day in full pads always bring more of a run-game focus, so that meant limited arm workload for Anthony Richardson. It was a 4-of-6 day from Richardson, with a Michael Pittman Jr. drop and a batted down screen pass by Ronnie Harrison Jr. marking the two incompletions. Richardson completed his 4 passes to AD Mitchell, Michael Pittman Jr., Mo Alie-Cox and Kylen Granson. Again, it was a quiet day of 11-on-11 passing work for the Colts on Tuesday. Richardson did have a really nice chunk connection to Josh Downs during a 7-on-7 period. Early in Tuesday’s practice, it appeared Richardson got stepped on and fell to the ground briefly before getting back to his feet. Shane Steichen said Richardson was “good” after practice. After a brief limp/favoring of his left ankle/foot area, Richardson remained in practice and didn’t miss a single rep. Through 5 days of camp, Richardson is 23-of-31 in team drills, completing his passes to Josh Downs (6), Michael Pittman Jr. (4), Kylen Granson (3), Alec Pierce (2), Mo Alie-Cox (2), AD Mitchell (2), Will Mallory (1), Jonathan Taylor (1), Drew Ogletree (1), Jelani Woods (1).

• Easily the most anticipated player in full pads on Tuesday did not disappoint. Laiatu Latu donned full pads for the first time in his NFL career, and the rookie rusher caused plenty of issues for a variety of Colts offensive tackles, including Bernhard Raimann. Latu had a “sack” of Anthony Richardson towards the end of practice where the rookie’s motor was on full display. It was interesting to hear Raimann talk about Latu after practice mentioned how “impressive” the rookie has been. What was particularly noteworthy from Raimann was describing how Latu is also difficult to block in the run game based off the twitchiness he brings. Latu continues to check the boxes presented to him as a rookie. The thought when drafting Latu was he could be an early impact rusher, which isn’t a given for young guys. So far, there’s plenty of evidence to show he could do that.

• First, the season-ending injury to veteran DE-Samson Ebukam (Achilles), which Shane Steichen confirmed on Tuesday, is a notable one. Yes, the Colts have notable resources invested in their defensive end group, but Ebukam earned the coaching staff’s trust last year as a 3-down presence, showing disruption as a run defender and in the pass rush game. It was Ebukam, and not former first-round pick Kwity Paye, who kept that 3-down role throughout the 2023 season. Ebukam played 702 snaps last season, second to only DeForest Buckner among Colts defensive lineman. When the Ebukam news broke on Monday, many pegged rookie Laiatu Latu as the automatic replacement, at the end spot opposite Paye. But I don’t think the answer is that easy. Yes, Latu should (will) have a major pass rushing role in 2024. However, handing the rookie all that early-down responsibility on those run downs isn’t a lock. The Colts still have options like Tyquan Lewis and Dayo Odeyingbo, who have proven themselves as quality depth guys at a variety of defensive line spots. I could easily see the Colts first looking there, while keeping Latu with that primary rush focus. That could change over the season/Latu’s career, but is something to keep an eye on early on. Lewis got the initial starting look on Tuesday, with Latu rotating in after 3 plays. The Ebukam news certainly means more on the plate of Paye and heightened contract years for the likes of Lewis and Odeyingbo. Any defensive line loss would fall into this category but the Colts put so much on that group’s plate with a lack of blitzing and a very inexperience secondary, so that adds to why the loss of Ebukam is a headliner.

• Speaking of Ebukam, this news does open up my first spot off this projected 53-man roster from back in the spring . I kept 9 defensive linemen on that cut down, leaving a trio of defensive ends off the team: Genard Avery, Isaiah Land, Titus Leo (assuming he’s healthy, see more below). Land is someone this staff has mentioned on a couple of occasions as an intriguing guy. Does he benefit all the way to getting a roster spot now?

• For the second straight practice, a Colts defensive end was carted off due to a lower body injury. Second-year defensive end Titus Leo (knee) was carted off near the end of Tuesday’s practice. Leo, a 6 ^th round pick out of Wagner in 2023, suffered a season-ending knee injury during last year’s preseason, so he certainly needs/deserves a healthy camp. Again, a healthy Leo is certainly a guy who could benefit from the unfortunate Samson Ebukam news.

• The Colts are continuing to rotate AD Mitchell and Alec Pierce with the starters/second unit. It’s a nice benefit for the Colts to have Joe Flacco guiding that second team, allowing for a good/truer evaluation for those younger wideouts.

• Veteran right tackle Braden Smith got his first starting action of the 2024 offseason as the Colts ease him back into practice. Smith’s team workload on Tuesday didn’t last long though, with an expected increase of his workload moving forward. With Smith back though, it allowed for rookie Matt Goncalves to get some second-team work at left tackle, after the third-round pick has mainly worked at right tackle so far in his rookie campaign. Goncalves and Blake Freeland are competing for that swing tackle position.

• Speaking of the OL, the center rotation on Tuesday was Ryan Kelly (first team), Danny Pinter (second team), Tanor Bortolini (third team). Pinter is a bit of a forgotten man after a season-ending ankle injury happened last August.

• Given that full pads still doesn’t mean live tackling, it remains hard to truly evaluate the run game. But, on Tuesday, the Colts run game sprung a variety of what looked to be second/third level runs, all throughout their depth chart.

• We are seeing a little bit of free safety rotation. Nick Cross is still the favorite to start there, but Ronnie Harrison Jr. made a nice play on Tuesday when getting a look with the starters.

• When rookie Jaylon Carlies was drafted, he entered an NFL team with an opening for a 3 ^rd linebacker spot. Carlies has certainly turned some heads with safety speed now playing linebacker.

• Couple of offensive negatives from Tuesday: a drop from second-year running back Evan Hull who is competing for some depth role at RB and a fumble/drop by veteran tight end Mo Alie-Cox.

• Sunday brought a fight between Michael Pittman Jr. and Jaylon Jones. Let’s call Tuesday a scuffle between Pittman Jr. and E.J. Speed early in practice. The two were quickly separated as chirping was loud on the first day in full pads.

• Here is how the starting offense looked on Tuesday: QB-Anthony Richardson, RB-Jonathan Taylor, WR-Michael Pittman Jr., WR-AD Mitchell, WR-Josh Downs, TE-Kylen Granson, LT-Bernhard Raimann, LG-Quenton Nelson, C-Ryan Kelly, RG-Will Fries, RT-Braden Smith.

• Here is how the starting defense looked on Tuesday: DE-Tyquan Lewis, DT-Grover Stewart, DT-DeForest Buckner, DE-Kwity Paye, LB-Zaire Franklin, LB-E.J. Speed, CB-Kenny Moore II, CB-JuJu Brents, CB-Jaylon Jones, S-Julian Blackmon, S-Nick Cross.

• Guys that stood out at Tuesday’s practice: DE-Laiatu Latu, QB-Joe Flacco, LB-Jaylon Carlies, RB-Trey Sermon, RB-Trent Pennix

Injury Report : The following players did not appear to be participating at Tuesday’s practice: DL-Dayo Odeyingbo (calf), DE-Samon Ebukam (calf), DB-Ameer Speed (undisclosed). The following players remain on the PUP or non-football injury list: CB-Chris Lammons (ankle), DT-Raekown Davis (illness, high blood pressure, should return soon).

2024 Colts Training Camp Schedule

-7/31 (Wednesday): 10:00-11:30 AM practice

-8/2 (Friday): 9:00-10:45 AM practice

-8/4 (Sunday): 4:00-5:30 PM practice

-8/5 (Monday): 2:00-3:30 PM practice

-8/7 (Wednesday): 9:00-10:30 AM practice

-8/9 (Friday): 10:00-11:00 AM practice

-8/11 (Sunday): 1 ^st preseason game vs. Broncos (1:00)

-8/14 (Wednesday joint practices with Cardinals): 6:00-8:00 PM practice

-8/15 (Thursday joint practices with Cardinals): 6:00-7:20 PM practice

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