Camp observations: Phillip Dorsett is back, and has work to do
INDIANAPOLIS – Go back to this time two years ago, back to when there was genuine Super Bowl chatter in Indianapolis, a starting quarterback on the field every day, a buzz around the city about what the tantalizing first-round pick could add to an already-stacked offensive unit.
Seems like forever, doesn't it?
To be clear: The Colts’ puzzling selection of a receiver in the first round in 2015 was never Phillip Dorsett’s fault, but it did become his burden. First-round picks have to produce. Quickly. When Dorsett didn’t, he became another black eye on Ryan Grigson’s already blemished résumé.
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But two seasons do not define a career. Early on, Dorsett did nothing to dim the brimming ambitions that trailed that Colts’ offense, or the hope that he’d become another versatile weapon. Frank Gore and Andre Johnson were new in town. Duron Carter — yes, Duron Carter — was making plays every single day in training camp. In Dorsett, the Colts added another element. You can never have enough speed.
And throughout that first camp, Dorsett held his own. He hauled in bombs from Andrew Luck deep down the field, consistently creating separation from the defensive backs. One veteran teammate even stated, flatly, “He’s ready. He’s arrived.”
Then two seasons happened, injuries happened, disappointment happened. Dorsett caught just 51 passes in two years, hauled in only three touchdowns and now finds himself entrenched in a race for the third receiver spot on this roster — and maybe his job altogether.
An encouraging start to training camp was curtailed this past week due to a hamstring injury — Dorsett missed four consecutive practices and Sunday’s preseason opener. For a third-year wideout whose yet to lock down a starting spot, that’s valuable time.
“It’s training camp, you want to be out there,” he said.
He’s been back on the field this week, flashing that tantalizing speed once again, and expects to play Saturday night when the Colts face the Cowboys in Dallas. Dorsett pointed out after Wednesday’s practice that the hamstring injury that kept him out this past week wasn’t the same one that sidelined him during minicamp. “Just a nick,” he called this one.
He nonetheless finds himself in tight competition for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart with undrafted second-year player Chester Rogers — the Colts listed both in their first unofficial two-deep of the season — and, possibly, veteran wideout Kamar Aiken. The ensuing month, and three more preseason games, will decide that.
“Camp’s been going great,” Dorsett said. “I think I’ve been doing everything I can. I feel like I’ve been improving every day.”
Pegged as a prototypical slot receiver early in his career, Dorsett has been diversifying his repertoire of late, playing inside, outside, anywhere the coaches line him up. “I feel comfortable overall,” he said. “I just don’t want to work on one thing.” But barring an injury to T.Y. Hilton or Donte Moncrief, they’ll be the ones manning the outside slots on the Colts’ offense. Dorsett will have to do his thing on the inside.
For now, the receivers wait for the offense to become whole again. Scott Tolzien’s passes aren’t Luck passes.
“They’re all great quarterbacks,” Dorsett said, referring to Tolzien, Stephen Morris and Phillip Walker. “But we all know the guy that’s going to be throwing the ball this season isn’t out there right now. I’m just trying to get better. Every time the ball comes to us, catch it.”
Green sticking at cornerback – for now
Two days in and he’s not going anywhere.
The Colts lined up second-year player T.J. Green at cornerback Wednesday for the second consecutive practice, even trotting him out there with the first-team defense for stretches. The experiment is not 48 hours old, but the fact that the Colts didn’t balk after first toying with the idea Tuesday afternoon tells you something. He’s catching on — slowly.
Defensive coordinator Ted Monachino summed up the move succinctly after the practice: “He wants to play.”
Sensing the depth at safety, the move makes sense. Green’s not limited physically. He’s 6-3 and 221 pounds and runs 4.3. What was holding him back last season? Listen to Monachino break it down.
“Last year, he was kind of a one-man show,” Monachino said. “He didn’t understand the whole structure (of the defense). Now he understands the structure, where he needs to help us in the run game. That transition from safety to corner, that’s a transition, but he still understands the structure so he’s got a fighting chance.”
Monachino added he won’t hesitate to throw Green into Saturday’s game in Dallas. Nothing like live bullets, right?
“I think that you see that he’s got a lot of talent, we’ve all known that, and we’re just at this point trying to scratch around and find out who are best four guys are (at cornerback). And if T.J.’s one of those four, we gotta find a place for him to play because the safety group is strong.
“The one thing that we know he can do is he can put his hands on people and he can run,” Monachino continued. “And those are two major factors with corners. As he learns more and more about technique and more and more about eyes and leverage, I think he’s going to prove to be a guy we can consider at that position. He’s not there yet.”
Other camp observations
>> Rookie safety Malik Hooker (shoulder) missed a second consecutive practice. The first-round pick out of Ohio State has been in and out of the lineup the past two weeks with various minor injuries.
>> Reserve quarterback Morris saw his first practice reps in more than a week Wednesday. The entirety of the snaps had been going to Tolzien and Walker.
>> Starting linebacker Antonio Morrison returned to practice, and rookie running back Marlon Mack was back out there as well. Look for Mack, who got the majority of second-team reps Wednesday, to make his preseason debut Saturday in Dallas.
>> Among those missing practice: Linebackers Tarrell Basham and Edwin Jackson, and wideout Chester Rogers.
>> It was another rough day for the quarterbacks, who have struggled to find any semblance of consistency throughout training camp.
Call IndyStar reporter Zak Keefer at (317) 444-6134. Follow him on Twitter: @zkeefer.