WESTFIELD, Ind. — The rain and severe weather forced the Indianapolis Colts inside for practice number seven of training camp from Grand Park, but good work still being done in Westfield.
No new information as far as Jonathan Taylor goes, but in that running back room, the Colts welcomed in veteran Kenyan Drake to the squad to beef up that running back position. Drake, excited for the opportunity to be in Indy, said:
"It's just a great opportunity to come here and help a budding team win games. Obviously, I was on a plane yesterday at the same time and first day out here, I'm in pads. So, I'm just having fun and rolling with the punches."
"I just wanted an opportunity and Indy gave me an opportunity. I love this game, I love the grind, I love the hustle. It was the first time for me not being on a team throughout OTAs and camp. I had a good feeling about the regimen I did without a team, but being back here, being around this camaraderie, being in a locker room—it meant a lot. I can add my value to this organization."
Drake is a welcomed addition considering question marks around Jonathan Taylor along with the broken arm injury Zack Moss suffered.
Not new to Indy, but new to the field this preseason is rookie cornerback and second round pick JuJu Brents. The Warren Central alum finally put on those pads for his hometown team for the first time after missing the entirety of OTAs and training camp thus far with wrist and hamstring injuries. Brents says his wrist is fully healed and is feeling good after the hamstring injury he suffered during OTAs. In a room with so much opportunity, Brents is excited to be back on the field.
"It feels great. I've been really anxious to get out here for my first practice as an NFL player," Brents said. "It was a good day to just get acclimated, get my feet underneath me, and just be able to be out there and compete with my guys. So, it was a good first day."
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Speaking of injuries, Colts star linebacker Shaq Leonard has made sure to progress slowly but surely throughout this training camp. Leonard has been out there every day with the first team defense during team periods, but Saturday marked his first time going with the number one defense during a full contact 11 on 11 team period. Leonard says he is really happy with how his health is progressing ahead of the season
"It feels amazing. Especially having been away from contact for a long time, now easing back in and going out and just taking the fear out of making contact. It felt amazing to get back out there and make some contact," Leonard explained. "I'm starting to see somebody that resembles the guy I used to know. Now, I'm building more confidence, I'm shooting through gaps, I'm getting in windows and stuff like that. That's who I want to see on film. That's what I'm happy to see right now."
Noteworthy absences from Saturday's training camp practice: DeForest Buckner, Kenny Moore, Julian Blackmon, Mo Alie-Cox and Jelani Woods not practicing. As far as quarterbacks go, it was one of if not the best day for Anthony Richardson and easily as comfortable as he's looked throughout camp. Garner Minshew continues to be a smooth operator as well as things seem to be progressing nicely, and settling down, from Colts camp in Westfield.
The Colts are back at it again on Sunday, August 6th, and are one week away from its first preseason game against the Buffalo Bills.