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In a little over a month, the Colts will head up I-69 to Anderson, Indiana for Training Camp in the brutal July and August heat.  Football, or at least a huge lot of football practice, is drawing nearer.  In the meantime, we’re going to preview some potential camp battles.  Is it too early to start examining the epic drama of training camp and the competitions for those last few roster spots?  Probably.  But that’s just how much we all miss football around here. 

Today, we’re tackling wide receiver, where the potential exists for six players, all of whom possess decent to very good potential, to be fighting for one roster spot. 

To begin, let’s look at the receivers on the roster right now (from Colts.com), with the players who will be battling for the last roster spot in red and those who’s places are safe in blue:

Earlier this week I took a look at the Colts' positional offensive strength and weaknesses. Today we do the same for the defense. 

The defense potentially has six different starters in 2013, and should look very different from the unit that finished 31st in defensive DVOA in 2012. The Colts have the potential to be an above average squad in 2013, but will still have some weaknesses to work out. 

Each position has additions and improvements, but no position looks perfect on paper for 2013. Let's take a look at why. 

Nov 18, 2012; Foxborough, MA, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) congratulates wide receiver T.Y. Hilton (13) after making a touchdown catch during the first quarter against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The Colts have done a great job over this offseason to improve the team across the board. Despite winning 11 games and reaching the playoffs in 2012, Ryan Grigson and the Colts' brass realized that their roster really was one of the least talented groups in the league. 

Armed with the most cap space Indianapolis has had in years, Ryan Grigson went out and improved every single position in free agency and the draft, including up to 11 new starters. 

It's the biggest overhaul in recent memory for a playoff team with a franchise quarterback, but one that should pay great dividends both in 2013 and in the long run. 

With the unfamiliar roster, where can we expect to see the Colts both succeed and struggle in 2013? To answer that question, we'll take a look at each position's biggest strength and biggest weakness. 

Oct 28, 2012; London, UNITED KINGDOM; General view of opening kickoff of the 2012 NFL International Series game between the New England Patriots and the St. Louis Rams at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

Rumors abound regarding one of the league’s teams – let’s call them “the Shaguars” – relocating to London.  According to Gil Brandt from Sirius XM NFL Radio, the NFL is focused on moving whatever team it may be,  the right way, with as much support and re$ource$ as possible, before continuing to try to expand the Europe market.  But I don’t think the plan will work, as heavily resourced as it may be or as much attention as it gets from the NFL.
 

Jun 11, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) goes through passing drills during minicamp at the Indianapolis Colts Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Grigson Looking for Better Blocking, Fewer Backfield Jailbreaks

Ryan Grigson has been a busy man.  The Colts General Manager has worked tirelessly this offseason to improve a roster that went 11-5 last year but lacked talent and/or depth at several key positions. 

One of those areas in need of improvement was the offensive line, a group that struggled to run block, and, more importantly, pass block allowing Andrew Luck to be sacked a franchise record tying 41 times (Jim Harbaugh went down 41 times in 1997). 

Grigson’s full quote really drives his point home.  “Again, we said it before, we have to do a premium job of protecting our quarterback,” he began. “He’s obviously an outstanding player. We don’t need him running for his life. We need him to feel as comfortable as possible. Now Andrew’s (Luck) the type of guy that if he has a jailbreak every down, he’s the type of player that could still find a way to get something done. We want to just have the conditions be optimal for him because that’s the only way it’s going to really develop him to the player that he can be.”

Yesterday, Colts fans were treated to a sort of open house at Lucas Oil Stadium, at the end of which, the team practiced in front of the crowd.  Spectators were able to get an early look at many of their favorite players as well as several new faces as they ran through drills all over the field. 

One reluctant spectator, however, was newly signed running back Ahmad Bradshaw, who remains sidelined while recovering from foot surgery.  When asked about the frustration of having to sit and watch, Bradshaw resorted to the usual lines about injury recovery, which, while not exciting, is exactly the type of restrained, one day at a time optimism that an injured player should have.    

When it came to whether he plans to be ready for training camp, Bradshaw was very direct.  “Oh definitely,” he said. “We just decided to get back into the boot just to rest a little bit for the maintenance. It’s something that the Colts organization wanted me to do. I’m just going to take it slow like I said. It’s a process.”  Once again, the team is taking a responsible approach to injuries during the offseason.

Minicamp Practice Open to the Public

First, a reminder that the Colts will have an open Minicamp practice today at Lucas Oil Stadium.  It’s a free event, and they will provide free parking in the Tire Barn South Lot.  Here’s the info from the Colts’ release:

"On Wednesday, June 12, the Indianapolis Colts will host an open Mini-Camp at Lucas Oil Stadium. The event, which will give fans the opportunity to watch practice and enjoy a variety of activities, is free and open to the public. Doors will open at 2 p.m. for fans to enjoy access to the field, give-a-ways, half price concessions and more. Practice is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m."

Fans won’t get a chance to see the team take the field again until training camp at Anderson University.  Unless otherwise detained by my other job (It’s a busy time for Realtors), this writer/blogger/guy sitting at a computer intends to be there, getting my football fix and seeing how some of the new players look on the field (send a tweet and come say hi). 

And now, the Notebook:

All about LaRon

The Colts are in the middle of a three-day mandatory minicamp that began yesterday and will finish up on the 13^th. The big stories have been the Ahmad Bradshaw signing (more from Mr. Bradshaw shortly) and Safety LaRon Landry’s first practice as a Colt. During voluntary OTA's Landry continued conditioning on his own in Scottsdale, AZ, where he works out each offseason with fellow Colts Safety Antoine Bethea. (Continued after the jump)

Jim O'Connor-USA TODAY Sports

At 1:38 EDT, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Colts and Ahmad Bradshaw had officially agreed to a one-year contract. 

It was a bit of a roller coaster of news on the matter with instant updates coming from everywhere.  Bradshaw visited the team complex last week, but contract talks stalled out shortly after.  Then, on June 7, the Indianapolis Star’s Mike Chappell reassured Colts fans that the deal wasn’t dead, but that the team and Bradshaw were still trying to work something out.  Yesterday, Pro Football Talk claimed that the former Giants running back might be considering the New England Patriots… Again, Chappell reassured fans, this time saying they were close to some kind of resolution.  No Patriots visit.  Bradshaw is a Colt, for a year, anyway. 

Ahmad Bradshaw spent his first 6 seasons with the New York Giants after they picked him in the 7^th round in 2007.  Bradshaw quickly became an important part of New York’s RB rotation, gaining key yards in both Super Bowl Wins over New England.  Bradshaw rushed for 1015 yards and 6 touchdowns last season, averaging a healthy 4.59 yards per carry in 12 games.

November 8, 2012; Jacksonville FL, USA; Indianapolis Colts inside linebacker Jerrell Freeman (50) gets ready to rush during the second half against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field. Indianapolis Colts defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-10. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Throughout the offseason I'll be doing a number of topical series, including some brief looks at interesting nuggets in the Colts' contracts for 2013 and beyond. 

While these looks will likely bounce around both the positive and negative side of things, today's note is an extremely positive one. 

When looking forward to the 2013 NFL free agency and NFL Draft, just about every position was noted as one that could use improvement in the offseason. Quarterback was largely ignored, due to Andrew Luck's promise, but outside of that, just one unit was ignored due to it's depth and overall talent: inside linebacker. 

Although there is no "star-level" talent at inside linebacker, the trio of Jerrell Freeman, Kavell Conner, and Pat Angerer was a solid one, with three 'backers  to fill the rotation that were relatively trustworthy compared to the rest of the roster. With the addition of Kelvin Sheppard in the offseason, the Colts added another linebacker with able skills in coverage, completing the Colts' rotation with Conner the dedicated run stopper and Freeman and Angerer the well-rounded linebackers of the group. 

The brilliant thing about the group, however, is not their respective talent, but the value they provide due to their extremely cheap contracts. 

Nov 11, 2012; Cincinnati, OH, USA; New York Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw (44) sits on the bench in the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Twitter was all the rage Thursday afternoon as free agent running back Ahmad Bradshaw visited the team's complex today. 

Free agent running back @ahmadbradshaw is visiting the #Colts today. BLOG: oak.ctx.ly/r/5yyb twitter.com/nflcolts/statu…

— Indianapolis Colts (@nflcolts) June 6, 2013

With the Colts officially promoting Bradshaw's visit, it was pretty likely that a deal would follow, and contract talks were reported later that afternoon.

#colts interest in RB Ahmad Bradshaw is real. Both sides talking $$$.

— Mike Chappell (@mchappell51) June 6, 2013

The talks would then stall later in the night: 

Talks between Ahmad Bradshaw & Colts have reached stalemate, source says. Contract described earlier as close to done now may not be.

— Kimberly Jones (@KimJonesSports) June 7, 2013

The contract is still impending, and has a high chance of getting done today or Saturday, although Bradshaw's money demands are one reason why he was cut from New York. 

Bradshaw is arguably the most proven free agent on the market, with a alot of talent when healthy. Bradshaw was ProFootballFocus' highest rated pass blocker as a running back last season, and the 6th highest overall. He's one of the most well-rounded backs in the league, and would be a welcome addition to the Colts' thin group of running backs. 

So if Bradshaw signs, where does he fit in Indianapolis?