Follow Me on X @JustinRTBColts: https://x.com/JustinRTBColts

Subscribe, Listen & Review The Riding the Bench Colts Podcast on:

➡️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-riding-the-bench-coltscast/

➡️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10UnFDzjYl6wjEtawnEMDp?si=d252023f9cf84ab1

👤 Follow us on:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ridingthebenchcoltspod?_t=8o8k0IfYFqA&_r=1

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theridingthebenchpodkast/

Indianapolis Colts training camp is just one day away and we continue or position previews with the skill position battles! Lucky for the Colts, not all that much to see here. Not so lucky for us – it makes for somewhat of a dry episode. That being said, it doesn’t mean there is NOTHING to discuss. The Colts backup RB spot is a hot battle, as is the TE room being first round pick Tyler Warren. Lets talk about it!

Timestamps:
0:00 Intro to Skill Positions
5:15 Backup RB Battle
10:52 Colts WR Room
12:29 Colts TE Room

***Intro Music: Maximalism by Punch Deck

Link to song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAacTpYwJc0

All right, so we’re going to continue the positional previews for the Indianapolis Colts headed into training camp. And today we’re going to be doing the skilled position players on the offensive side of the ball. That’s running back, wide receiver, and tight end. And there’s good news and there’s bad news. Which one do you want first? I’ll give the good news. [ __ ] it. Let’s be positive. The good news is that you got to feel pretty good about where the Colts stand right now in terms of talent across the board at these positions. Like in terms of knowing who it is that’s going to be getting the majority of the reps and being confident in that. The Colts going to have everything in place at these positions. So that’s quite nice. Not a whole lot of controversy here, but that does lead to the bad news, which is ultimately that leads for somewhat of a dry episode when it comes to positional previews. But nonetheless, that’s not to say there’s absolutely nothing to talk about. Like there are some position battles going on and there are some stories to watch at all of these positions. So, let’s allow this episode to serve more so as a, you know, you kind of had the marquee, you had the main event when we were talking about the quarterback position. And that’s the one that not only is the biggest story for the Colts roster. Again, that’s one of the biggest stories in the entire league. When you have a quarterback battle, that’s going to be what’s talked about. An episode like this, far more of kind of a refresher, right? Let’s get back into the groove of things and just make sure we have an understanding of what the picture is here and kind of some of what it is that we should be watching for as stories start to come out of camp. By the time you’re watching this, you’ll probably, unless you’re watching it the night I release it, you know, you’ll likely have seen the media availability that the Colts had on the 22nd, and perhaps it’s already July 23rd and there’s a practice going on as we speak. But with all of that said, here’s what we have to go over at each position. Running back Jonathan Taylor, we already know that’s a oneman show. We know what he brings to the table. But in terms of his backup, we had Trey Surman last year and Tyler Goodson kind of as the primary options. The Colts brought in some new faces to the running back room and that backup running back battle is one that is wide open. And in all fairness, even though I just said kind of a dry episode, at the same time, I mean, a backup running back is a guy that has an impact every single week. So, that’s a real important role for the Indianapolis Colts to fill with a guy they trust. So, we’re going to talk about that. The wide receiver room, we know the main four, Michael Pitman Jr., Josh DS, Alec Pierce, and Adani Mitchell. That’s your core at the wide receiver position. and a young promising core at that. But there is a battle going on for the fifth and maybe the sixth spot at wide receiver on this roster. You have a few guys that are candidates, but only one or two of them can make it. We’ll talk about that. And then finally, at the tight end position, the Colts have done tight end by committee now for what feels like forever. I mean, has it been since Jack Doyle? Since the Colts really had kind of a fulltime, we know who the tight end is. Okay, now he got Tyler Warren. And even though we expect him to be the full-time starter, I do suspect that there’s a couple more reps to go around than most of us think there are at the tight end position and only so many guys that we currently have on the roster that are really familiar faces. Only so many of them are going to be able to eat those leftovers. So, we’re going to go over again the openings that we have at each of these respective positions. Talk about the guys that are right now in contention for said openings and then what exactly the Colts need out of the guys that are in position to win those jobs. We’ll cover it all, but before we do, you know what it is. We got to introduce the show. My name is Justin. This right here is the Riding the Bench Colts podcast. As always, ask anyone watching on YouTube and enjoying the show. Go ahead, shoot a like. It’s going to help me get out to as many Colts fans as humanly possible. Of course, subscribe if you want to be a part of the journey. We’re on our way to 4,000 over here. We’re closing in on 3500. If you keep coming back and enjoying the show, or perhaps it’s your first day here and you say, “You know what? This ain’t too bad. I didn’t fall asleep yet.” Well, before you fall asleep, make sure to hit that subscribe episode. Help me on that journey to 4,000 and never miss another episode again. But of course, no pressure. We’ll be doing this for a very, very long time. audio listeners, leave a fivestar fivestar fivestar review. Let the people know how much you’re enjoying the show. But most importantly, if you plan to engage in the comments section on YouTube, be civil with one another. You don’t know what the person on the other end of the keyboard is going through today. We just want to elevate the level of discussion over here, okay? We don’t need to tear people down. There’s plenty of that on the internet. Like, if you’re the type of person trying to insult people on the internet, or even worse, the type of person looking to get insulted on the internet, there’s plenty of places for you to go. It doesn’t have to be here in this comment section. Again, this is a place where we’re all rooting for the same thing, right? Whether we agree or disagree, it’s it’s a cult show, right? We’re out here rooting for the Indianapolis Colts, so we’re all on the same team. Keep that in mind in the comments section. But without further ado, let’s get back into what is the most exciting topic we’ve ever had, which are positional previews at positions that quite frankly are relatively set in stone in terms of the guys we’re going to be seeing on Sunday come September. But nonetheless, that backup running back position, we’re going to start there because it’s basically been a disaster for the Indianapolis Colts since Zack Moss departed to go to the Cincinnati Bengals. And there really has not been anyone to take the reigns in a way that gets you excited. It’s not to say that there’s been no production, but ultimately Trey Surman, I mean, [ __ ] oof, right? Like I actually was a Trey Surman advocate and very few times have I been wrong about the Indianapolis Colts in my entire life. In fact, almost never. Trey Surman is the reason I have to amend that to say almost as opposed to never, right? It is what it is. And then Tyler Goodson, I do think has a little something to offer, but at this point, Colts fans mostly associate him with that fourth and two drop or bad throw, right? The debate remains, but that fourth and two against the Texans in week 18 of the 2023 season that kept the Colts out of the playoffs. Like Tyler Goodson still has the stink of that play on him. And that’s kind of when you know, well, okay, even if he’s been all right, he hasn’t exactly taken the bull by the horns. So, it’s no surprise that the Colts went out, they got a guy in Khil Herbert Herbert who’s kind of been a journeyman at the running back position whose skill set really much like a Jonathan Taylor is that of a downhill runner, right? Not known for his versatility, not known for his ability to pass protect, not known for his ability as a receiver. And the reason I point that out is because when you talk about what the Colts need at the backup running back position, in my humble opinion, I I feel the Colts are really missing what Khil Herbert is missing, what Jonathan Taylor is missing, right? A guy that you can truly call your third down back. Because whether or not you think Jonathan Taylor is capable of being that guy, it doesn’t really matter because the Colts have made it abundantly clear with Shane Stiken as the coach that they don’t want JT as the guy in those obvious passing situations. Like they would literally rather it be Tyler Goodson. And again, that is really not so much of a testament to Tyler Goodson as it is an indictment at least on the way the Colts perceive Jonathan Taylor. And if they think it’s that way, quite frankly, um, you know, who are we to disagree on that front? Okay, so now in comes DJ Giddens, who they drafted in the fifth round. And he’s a really exciting guy at the running back position. Explosive, elusive, kind of slippery, one of these guys where it’s like one second he’s here, next second he’s there, right? I believe they called him the human glitch in college. And he has everything it takes in theory to grow into that third down change of pace role for the Indianapolis Colts. but he wasn’t exactly a prolific receiver at the college level. And in terms of pass protection, I mean, that’s going to be a work in progress for any running back coming into the league, particularly one that’s a fifth round pick. Nonetheless, he is going to be the guy not named Jonathan Taylor in this backfield that everyone is going to be watching in training camp. And I’m sure he’s going to look good because when it’s something like training camp, speed ultimately is what people are going to find impressive. And Giddens has speed in in droves, right? I mean, he I I believe is a a 43 and change 40 type of guy. So, rightfully so, are people going to be watching him? And but a name, right, everyone talks about Khil Herbert and DJ Giddens, and that’s fine. But a name no one is mentioning is Son Amed, who has been with the Dolphins up to this point in his career, was signed to the Colts practice squad, I believe in December or something to that effect. And I believe he should be out there in camp. I mean, I don’t have like the little sheet that they give you with all the guys, but as of right now, he’s a member of the Colts roster, and he has a you shown some ability in the NFL as a scatback who can catch the ball out of the back field and one that’s actually started a handful of games in his career. If you were talking about strictly putting your um you know qualifications on a resume and you were applying for the job third down running back for the Indianapolis Colts, you can argue that Sylvan has the best resume for that of the guys fighting for the position which again in my opinion threeman battle. Giddens, Tyler Goodson, and Son Amed in that pass catching role. Khalil Herbert I think more of a backup to JT’s role. You know what I believe the Colts are going to be looking for right now, the real position battle at running back is for someone to do something that JT does not do. And if it’s not going to be the three guys I keep mentioning in this battle, which are Giddens, Goodson, or Amed, then that’s tough stuff for the Indianapolis Colts. They’re either going to have to bring someone in last second or kind of just deal with what it is that they have at their disposal. Between those three, JT and Herbert, you already have more than you can roster for the Indianapolis Colts. So, that’s kind of the big thing here. Meaning, the three pass catching backs are likely fighting for two roster spots in my personal opinion. And before you think Giddens has to make one of those two spots, don’t forget a guy by the name of Darius Rush, former fifth round pick just like DJ Giddens, who was cut headed into the regular season of his rookie year. The Colts have shown, particularly under Shane Stiken, they will cut a guy if they feel like they have to, and they’ll do it like that. I I mean, whether you want it to be um you know, Tony Brown, uh Dallas Flowers again, Darius Rush, all corners, but nonetheless, or Deion Jackson was a guy that the Colts bang like the second he had a bad game. So, these guys are all fighting right here. The running back position is kind of when you hope that someone steps up and you look at them and say, “Okay, you can be another playmaker for this team.” DJ Giddon’s the fan favorite. Sana Med a guy that I think deserves a little bit more recognition in this group. We’ll see how it plays out. Wide receiver, as we said, Pitman, DS, Pierce, Mitchell are the guys that will get most of the snaps. Not much to see here. Really kind of a snoozefest. What you’re looking at really at the wide receiver position is a battle between Ashton Dulan, Anthony Gould, and DJ Montgomery, who I like by the way quite a bit, but that’s neither here nor there. Which of them is gonna make the roster? Only one of them? Two of them? I I don’t know. I I mean, Dulan and Gould both had a role in special teams last year. I anticipate the wide receiver room given that is going to be exactly the same as it was last year, which is the four that I mentioned and then dueling as your five. Anthony Gold kind of as your fringe guy who given uh depending on what you want to do for the week, right? 53man roster changes slightly week to week during the regular season. Gold kind of a guy who could come in and be part of the roster sometimes and not the other times. And then DJ Montgomery kind of the odd man out. But man, I’ll tell you what, DJ Montgomery, uh if you’re talking about between these three guys, a guy who I look at and consistently shows that he can make plays as a wide receiver, um he’s the guy. Uh uh but that being said, the problem is I’m guessing they’re going to be looking at the special teams aspect of it because they have their four wide receivers, if you will, and at that point you are looking at guys who already have experience in that role. Um and that’s kind of where that is, you know. Yeah. I I mean, I’m trying to come up with other words for the wide receiver position, but I told you it was dry, and that is pretty much what it is. Tight end, on the other hand, maybe a little more to talk about. I don’t know. Of course, all eyes on Tyler Warren. Obviously, we understand he’s the starter at tight end, even if it’s only to the tune of 70 to 80% of the snaps. The big thing to pay attention with with Tyler Warren is not going to be whether or not he starts at tight end. We get that. But it’s going to be how else they use him, right? Versatility was a huge part of his game at Penn State. Do they line him up at receiver? Do they line him up at fullback as one of the splitbacks in a two-back shotgun set, which I think is an absolutely money formation that the Colts need to utilize. But that’s neither here nor there. Does he play some wing? Right. His versatility plus Shane Stiken’s creativity can make for an potentially very exciting combination, an exciting pairing for the Indianapolis Colts. So very curious to see positionally where they line up. Tyler Warren that if I was at training camp would be the number one thing I’m probably looking at. I is that because you know his his usage in his rookie year can really vary greatly kind of based off of how creative they get with what they’re going to do with him. Now for the rest of the tight end room, you do wonder exactly what it is that they’re measuring. Like what role is it do they feel needs to be filled behind Tyler Warren? I think to some degree it depends on just how high they are on him as a blocker. Kylin Gransson a guy for the Colts past few years had a whole lot of snaps. Will Mallerie right now seems to be the guy that is a natural fit to fill in for Kylin Grant skill set wise. Sort of has a pure receiving threat at the tight end position and really kind of the only guy who has that specific set of skills where you say he’s kind of undersized for the position but he’s fast, he has good hands, he’s good with the ball in his hands and can really kind of give you a couple chunk plays. Will Malerie I think a lock to make the roster in that sense. Moali Cox another one super reliable now on a much team friendlier deal and has really been as much of a fixture as anyone on this roster. Pretty solid at everything at the tight end position. He also in my opinion is a lock to make the roster. So from there you have Galani Woods, Drew Ogulry and Albert Okabay. Some people view it as disrespectful and I mispronounce the name. This is not a popular guy. I can’t I there’s nowhere for me to refer to to be like let’s watch this person pronounce his name. I’d have to go back to the archives wherever. But nonetheless, he’s a former Bronco and he has had some starting reps in the league. Really, those are the three guys in my opinion fighting for a spot. Galani Woods, we know the upside. He has to remain healthy. How many tight ends will be on the active roster for the Indianapolis Colts? Let’s say we knew that Tyler Warren, Will Mallerie, and Moali Cox were all going to be on the roster. Well, the past couple years, the Colts have only rostered four tight ends headed into the season in terms of the active roster, despite having six or seven options going into camp. That being said, in all of those years, Galani Woods was a guy you anticipated was going to make the roster, but they didn’t have to make a decision on him because ultimately he wasn’t healthy and started each season on IR. So, his health could certainly muddy the waters a little bit, but there is a chance right now for the Colts where you really have three guys fighting for one spot. And now the question becomes, all right, is it going to be Woods or is it going to be Ogalry kind of as that big tight end that does a little bit of everything? Those guys, I think, the most comparable out of the tight end room, which is why I think those two are fighting against each other. And then that that’s kind of really what it is, right? So, that was an episode that was a position preview. Hopefully, I didn’t put you to [ __ ] sleep with that. I mean, there’s just not a whole lot to talk about in this one. But at the same time, I wanted to make sure you guys had the information that you needed. Perhaps you forgot. is that not everyone is like disgustingly obsessed like I am and willing to sit here and come behind the microphone and uh and talk about this stuff. So perhaps there’s things you forgot about and hopefully if you did I was able to refresh you on some of them. But until next time, my name is Justin. This right here is the Ride the Bench Colts podcast and as always, go Colts.

11 Comments

  1. I’m excited for the season but I’m going in with no expectations because this team disappoints every year.

  2. Goodson also dropped a 40 yard td vs the Texans the last time we played them. He’s a liability at this point

  3. I just wanna see consistency and growth from Anthony Richardson if not we have to move on and Daniel Jones is not the answer!

Write A Comment