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Wrapping up the 2009 Indianapolis Colts mandatory minicamp
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The end of the Indianapolis Colts' 2009 mandatory minicamp Sunday doesn't mean the end of the offseason. But it means the end is nearing.
It's also a good time to take a look at what we know -- or at least, what we think we know.
So, with the 2009 organized team activities ending Wednesday, now's a good time to look back at the three days of mandatory work at the team's Northwest Indianapolis training facility, and weigh in with a few observations. It was a busy weekend, with plenty of pertinent news. We'll cover a lot of these stories more in depth on Examiner in the time between now and training camp, and we covered a few in more detail on Indy Football Report this weekend, but here's a chance for the in-case-you-missed-it overview.
Here are a few thoughts from the weekend:
* Lilja feeling good. OF Ryan Lilja said he's feeling as good as he has in a year and a half and hopes to work full speed in training camp. He missed last season with a knee injury, and his absence hurt the Colts' running game, which finished 31st in the NFL last season. There's a long way to go, and nothing's guaranteed, but a healthy Lilja equates to a huge offseason addition.
* Vinatieri undergoes surgery. Colts veteran kicker Adam Vinatieri underwent surgery on his right hip late last week. The team says he'll return for training camp, and there's no reason to think that's not the case. But with a 36-year old kicker, and with the right hip being important to a right-footed kicker, it's safe to say this will be worth monitoring come August.
* They're coming back. Offensive coordinator Tom Moore and offensive line coach Howard Mudd are returning as consultants. They retired last month over pension concerns, but Colts Owner and Chief Executive Officer Jim Irsay reiterated over the weekend what he has been saying for a while, that the duo will return in significant roles. That means they will essentially be coordinating the offense and coaching the offensive line. And for Colts fans, that's a good thing.
* Manning happy. Colts QB Peyton Manning made headlines with his comments about poor communication within the team regarding the retirement and potential return of Mudd and Moore. There was a lot of buzz for a week or so, but Manning -- being the media-savvy guy he is -- sufficiently unbuzzed the whole situation Friday when he met with the media and said, "I do know that (Head Coach) Jim Caldwell has a plan, as he told me an either or scenario, and that plan sounds good to me. I’ll be there to support it in whatever direction it goes.” Even when the national media/blogosphere was taking off with this story, I thought it was much ado about not very much. With Moore and Mudd returning to something very close to their old roles, that's even more true.
* It ain't over yet. Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell said the final three days of OTAs will be pivotal for the team's rookies. The offseason in this era of rookies needing to contribute immediately are crucial, and Caldwell wants to be sure the younger players don't waste the final three days of team work. “I think these next three days are really going to be pivotal,” Caldwell said. “They're important days. We're going to have to be certain that we ramp it up and they have to be able to keep pace, but I think that will happen. I think I would say overall they all are doing what we anticipated and expected. We'll go through another phase of evaluation during training camp once we get the pads on.”
* The right guy. I didn't mention this much on Indy Football Report this past weekend, but as I was writing this post, I kept thinking about something I've been thinking a lot this offseason, and that's that Caldwell is the right guy at the right time for the Colts' head coaching job. A lot of my friends in the media have cited the change from Tony Dungy to Jim Caldwell as a reason for concern, with some predicting a slip from the playoffs for the first time since 2001. Never say never, but if the Colts do slip, I can't see Caldwell being the reason. He has handled a tough situation -- taking over for a legend, making a few changes in a stunningly successful system -- with dexterity and he has respect in his building. He's a bit more forceful than Dungy, and while I can't imagine a better NFL coach than Dungy, Caldwell has been smart enough to know you don't copy Dungy's easy, smooth-all-the-time demeanor; you just take the best parts and be your own guy and Caldwell is nothing if not that. Over the last month, the Colts have faced an uncertain situation involving two high-profile assistants, some public criticism from the face of the franchise and a potentially touchy situation with the drafting of a first-round running back (Donald Brown) at a position that already features a first-round running back (Joseph Addai). The season hasn't begun yet, but the ripples of the last month are smoothing, and there seems little indication that anything that has happened has caused any sort of a distraction on a level to prevent solid preparation from taking place at the Colts' complex. Spend any time around there, and it seems very much business as usual for a franchise that has prided itself on consistency, focus and doing things within the context of a system. It's impossible to grade Caldwell yet, but if you grade a guy for staying cool in a less-than-ideal offseason, so far I'd take his report card.
OTHER EXAMINER COLTS TOPICS . . .
- Mudd, Moore return inevitable, happy end to long story
- Colts to allow sponsors on practice uniforms
- QB Peyton Manning willing to be patient regarding assistants
- A look at the defense entering 2009 minicamp
- A look at the offense entering 2009 minicamp
- QB Peyton Manning among three Colts players ranked highly in Madden 2010
- Hints Emerging about potential Colts defensive changes
- QB Peyton Manning must let assistant coaching situation play out
- Top Five Real Issues Facing Colts Entering 2009
- Why Frank Winters and Ron Johnson fit the Colts' philosophical approach
- Why Colts QB Peyton Manning is primed for another big season
- OTAs begin for Colts
- Preseason dates and times
- Former Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy essays on Michael Vick
- Uncertainty over timing of Mudd, Moore return
- New Era Gets Really, Really New
- Huge Day of Change May be Drawing Near for Colts
- The Top Five Myths Surrounding the Colts
- The Colts' Top Five Underrated Players
- On Loss of Dom Anile
- Top Five Breakout Players for Colts in 2009
- Loss of Moore, Mudd would be end of an era
- Ex-Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy meets with Michael Vick
- Re-signing DT Ed Johnson makes DT situation even better
- Top Five Nonissues facing Colts in 2009
- Peyton Manning Top 10 underrated moments.
- Breaking Down the 2009 Colts Schedule
- Colts Rookie Minicamp
- Top 10 rookie free agents in the Polian era
- On the re-signing of LB Freddy Keiaho
- Too early to quit on Addai
- A recap of the Colts' 2009 NFL Draft
- Colts had to do what they did with RB Dominic Rhodes
- Signing of S Matt Giordano solidifies position
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