Indianapolis Colts 2010 Training Camp: Early thoughts

A few thoughts on a whirlwind first day of Indianapolis Colts 2010 Training Camp . . .

1. If Bob Sanders isn't healthy, he's fooling everyone. This becomes a more significant story by the day. Yes, we're only in the first day of training camp, and yes, Colts fans have every right to be cautious and skeptical when hearing that Sanders looks healthy and could play a key role this season. But he does. And he could. Sanders, who practiced with the Colts Monday morning, laughed when asked about a recent report by Michael Lombardi of NFL.com that his career might be over. Sanders, who missed 26 games the last two seasons with knee and biceps injuries, said he feels as healthy as he has felt in a long time. One significant thing about Sanders is what was just mentioned in this post: Sanders laughed on Monday, and he's been smiling a lot lately – first in organized team activities and on Monday in camp. You can't tell everything by how a player interacts with the media but during the early part of his career, he was one of the better interviews and more pleasant superstars around the organization. In recent years, he seemed to enjoy interviews less – understandable considering most media types wanted to know about his injury status. Sanders seems more like his old self, and said he feels great entering the season. It's no guarantee, of course, but considering his recent history, neither is it a bad sign.

2. WR Anthony Gonzalez is ready. This understandably has been an off-season topic of intense interest, with Gonzalez missing all but one game last season with a knee injury and missing much of organized team activities with a hamstring injury. He worked with QB Peyton Manning for three days in Tennessee in July, and Manning said when the Colts reported that he believed Gonzalez's hamstring issues were behind him. He looked quick and confident Monday, working extensively with Manning and the offense. Gonzalez said Monday he felt entering OTAs he was in as good a shape as he had been in, which made missing it disappointing. But he said he feels confident entering training camp, and as significantly, Manning continues to emphasize the importance of Gonzalez in the offense, and as long as he does, it's hard to imagine him not being a major factor this season if he's healthy. He may not start, but you also get the feeling that with Gonzalez, Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie, starting won't mean much and that the Colts will play all four receivers – including, of course, Reggie Wayne – extensively.

3. The Colts really could be better this season. Again, it's hard to predict a Super Bowl berth in August and it's just as hard to predict a record. But with the addition of Jerry Hughes as a third pass rusher, and with Sanders and Gonzalez having a chance to contribute, there are significantly more playmakers in the lineup than at the end of last season. Important, too, will be the health of CB Kelvin Hayden, who was hampered by injures much of last season. Any team in the NFL is dependent on staying healthy, but if the Colts can avoid catastrophic injury, they should be deeper, more talented and more versatile than a year ago.