INDIANAPOLIS – With the feel of an August training camp practice beating down on the practice field, the Colts began their three-day mandatory minicamp on Tuesday afternoon.
The Colts had nearly full participation for the final week of the 2014 offseason program.
Here are a few takeaways from Tuesday's first day of minicamp that was open to the media:**
Nearly Full Participation**
LaRon Landry and Cory Redding were the only two Colts not present for the start of the 2014 minicamp.
Following Tuesdays' practice, Chuck Pagano said Landry was meeting with team doctors and getting a physical.
The physical makeup and "getting in shape" has never been a question for Landry and now he will spend the next couple of days and the early part of training camp establishing a cohesion in the backend of the Colts defense.
"He's still getting looked at by our doctors, going through a physical, things like that," Pagano said of Landry.
Pagano said Redding is absent with some non-serious family matters.**
Colts Dip Back Into Free Agency With Veteran Safety Mike Adams**
Last year, the Colts dipped back into free agency with the signing of Ahmad Bradshaw during minicamp.
In 2014, another veteran has joined the Colts with the team signing safety Mike Adams on Saturday morning.
Adams has played 146 games (73 starts) over 10 NFL seasons, including starting 23 contests with the Broncos the last two years.
"All Mike wanted was an opportunity," head coach Chuck Pagano said following Tuesday's practice.
"(Adams) said first thing to me when I talked to him on the phone, when he was trying to make a decision, was, 'Coach, I don't want to be handed anything. I don't want you to give me anything. I just want a fair shot. I just want an opportunity."
The Colts placed safety Corey Lynch on IR last week so Adams will now be added to the competition that will undoubtedly extend well into August.
Spoken like a true, true veteran, Adams repeated the word "earn" on several occasions when talking about the open starting safety spot.
Do The Colts Have A Kick Returner In Donte Moncrief?
A 6-2, 221-pound kick returner?
That just might be in the works for the Colts and rookie receiver Donte Moncrief.
The move makes sense on several levels.
First, Moncrief has elite speed and certainly the frame to be able to break tackles going full steam ahead.
Moncrief says he worked as a kick returner some at Ole Miss during his first two seasons and likes the early work he has gotten back there during his initial NFL offseason.
"It's just being able to open the game up with a big play to start the offense up," Moncrief says.
"They put me back there for a reason."
Special teams coach Tom McMahon said last week that the Colts have about six or seven guys in the mix for kick returner (that number is up from one or two last year) and doesn't foresee someone emerging until after the first couple of preseason games.**
Defense Highlights Tuesday Action **
Even with three potential starters in the secondary sitting out Tuesday's first day of minicamp, the backend was making some noise.
New safety Colt Anderson got his hands on an Andrew Luck pass for an interception.
Late in practice though, Luck and the offense began to move the ball down the field with some consistent success.
Da'Rick Rogers made a beautiful over-the-shoulder grab under close pressure from cornerback Josh Gordy.
Also, the Colts had a full officiating crew at Tuesday's minicamp with Chuck Pagano wanting execution as a point of emphasis over the next three days.
