INDIANAPOLIS – A trio of OTA sessions this week will take the Colts into their four-day holiday weekend.
OTA No. 2 of the 2017 offseason occurred on Tuesday, with the Colts opening up their two-hour practice to the media.
With several starters missing time Tuesday, the Colts had new faces all over the field.
Here's a look at three takeaways from Chuck Pagano and Clayton Geathers meeting the media after the second OTA of the offseason:
Clayton Geathers on his March neck surgery:
"It's frustrating. It's adversity.
"We all go through it at some point in our life, our career. I'm just trusting the process and it's going to be all right."
Bowen's Analysis: After weeks and months of consulting doctors and his family, Clayton Geathers elected for neck surgery in March. Geathers is on the mend, doing more movement, but a return to the practice field has not been decided upon.
Geathers admitted on Tuesday that he knows the seriousness of a neck injury, particularly for a player as physical as him. Surgery was a last option for Geathers, once the bulging disc in his neck was not showing signs of shrinkage. The Colts need a healthy Geathers for their defense to truly reach the necessary variety in order to defend opposing offenses.
Chuck Pagano on the newness defensively:
"From a communication/learning the defense (standpoint), it's vital all those guys are here learning together."
Bowen's Analysis: With a naked eye Tuesday, the participation on defense looks to be very close to 100 percent during the voluntary portion of the offseason. But the defense was without three expected secondary starters on Tuesday, with Quincy Wilson, Malik Hooker and Clayton Geathers all dealing with various injuries.
Pagano is not worried about the talent on the defense. The communication aspect of things and defining roles for guys must be solved in the coming months though. Keep your roster handy when looking at the defense of the 2017 Colts.
Chuck Pagano on second-year tackle Le'Raven Clark receiving the early first-team reps at right tackle:
"He's got talent. He's a big man and he's strong.
"Another year in the system, I think things are slowing down for him."
Bowen's Analysis: There doesn't appear to be many offensive starting jobs up for grabs in 2017. One is at right tackle, where Le'Raven Clark got the starting nod on Tuesday. It was Clark who ended last season as the starting right tackle for the final three games.
Clark's growth as a pass blocker must continue for the Colts to have a stabling presence opposite Anthony Castonzo. Pagano made it clear on Tuesday that the Colts have to protect better in order for their bevy of offensive weapons to be properly used. That's been an obvious area of improving, with the play of Clark helping to decide what direction that goes in this coming season.
INJURY NOTES
- DE-Kendall Langford (knee): As expected, Langford is rehabbing right now before getting back for Training Camp.
- LG-Jack Mewhort (knee): Mewhort did not participate on Tuesday, after going through Monday's OTA session. This is part of the plan for Mewhort as they ease him back into a full workload. Mewhort went on injured reserve last December with a knee injury. Mewhort will practice Thursday, during the team's third OTA.
- CB-Quincy Wilson (right foot): The team's second-round pick watched Tuesday's OTA session with a boot on his right foot. Pagano said Wilson was sore and had some swelling after Monday's OTA. The Colts were going to have Wilson get an MRI on Tuesday afternoon.
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