Colts 2012 rookie minicamp notes

I wouldn’t get too excited about all the praise Andrew Luck is getting for leadership and confidence right now. Remember this is a rookie minicamp. Of course he looks great to them, they were playing with guys like Wes Carroll and Tyler Tettleton just a little while ago. That’s no dis on Carroll or Tettleton, just that the No. 1 pick in the draft should look a hell of a lot better than them. Yeah, I know the coaches are getting in on it too, but it’s in their best interest to say so, and everyone’s enthusiastic at this time of the year. I’m sure Luck will be a great quarterback, but let’s keep our feet on the ground here, okay? I am, however, very impressed with his plan to work out with the Colts’ receivers away from OTAs. That’s a very Manning-like move.

Free-agent signee Micah Pellerin looks to have been moved from corner to free safety. Not only did he play there extensively in rookie minicamp, but his position is listed as “S” on Colts.com. That’s interesting because the Colts traditionally list all defensive backs — from the tiniest slot corner to the burliest strong safety — as “DB” on their official roster. The move makes some sense in that Pellerin has size but not very good straight-line speed. He’ll have to improve his angles and tackling method if he hopes to succeed at the position, though.

Similarly, although everyone and his brother (including me) wrote that rookie UFDA Jason Foster would move inside to guard after four years at left tackle for Rhode Island, he was working out at tackle at the rookie minicamp. The Colts appear to be hedging their bets by calling him a guard in the official announcement of his signing and a tackle on the roster. My guess is that he’s only working at tackle at rookie minicamp because there are lots of other guards there, but only two other tackles — Steven Baker and Justin Anderson — Foster, who’s not that tall, may still turn out to be a guard. That's him on the left, practicing at right tackle next to fellow rookie Hayworth Hicks. 

Also in camp (but without a contract) is kicker Austin Anderson. The son of NFL legend Gary Anderson, Anderson played at McGill in Montreal. He does not have a big-time leg, but he is accurate in close. He won’t compete for a kickoff spot, but could give Adam Vinatieri’s leg some time off in camp and preseason.