Strong showing from Colts' Anthony Richardson, Daniel Jones in padded practice
Monday's training camp practice for the Indianapolis Colts was the first full day in pads for the team, and both quarterbacks, Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones, had strong showings.
Nate Atkins of the Indy Star would post that Monday was the best day for the quarterbacks "by far."
Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan would post in his camp takeaways article that Richardson was 6-for-6 in the team portion of practice, adding that he wasn't "too flashy" but was "solid, methodical, and on-target."
As Richardson described recently, a priority for him this offseason has been on those short-to-intermediate routes. A key element to being more accurate on those passes is footwork, which Richardson also prioritized.
Jones, meanwhile, according to Bowen's notebook, was 4-for-5 on his pass attempts. Bowen adds that he doesn't give either quarterback an advantage over the other at this time.
Shane Steichen is looking for the most consistent player of the two. What that all entails was detailed by Colts' passing game coordinator Alex Tanney.
"It's quite a few things," Tanney said via Locked on Colts. "It's command of the offense and the huddle. It's command of the line of scrimmage--if you have multiple plays called, getting us in and out of the right play. Moving guys pre-snap, snapping things at the right time, and then making good decisions with the football, and being the leader of the offense. It's all-encompassing. There's a lot of things that go into it."
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New York Times
4 hours ago
- New York Times
Colts' Charvarius Ward opens up on 49ers exit: ‘Mentally, I was somewhere off the grid'
WESTFIELD, Ind. — When Charvarius Ward gets into a groove, his energy and enthusiasm are palpable. In those moments, the ball-hawking cornerback known as 'Mooney' has a sunny disposition that permeates the practice field, even amid the grind of training camp. Such was the case last Friday as Ward, the Indianapolis Colts' prized free-agent signee of the 2025 offseason, leaned back against a chain-link fence bordering the practice field following the team's third workout of the summer and provided an unprompted assessment of his new fit. Advertisement 'The blue looks good on me — obviously,' Ward said while gripping his practice jersey and grinning broadly. Then Ward went ahead and answered the question he knew was coming: 'I'm doing good, man — physically, mentally and emotionally. I'm doing way better than what I was. At first, it was hard to see the light at the end of that tunnel, but I kind of got my joy back, my happiness back, my smile back, and everything like that. I've got a lot of optimism right now.' Ward, a second-team All-Pro in 2023, is coming off a traumatic season that transcended his football-related frustrations. Last October, Ward's daughter, Amani Joy, died shortly before her second birthday. Though Amani was born with Down syndrome and a heart defect that required surgery, her death was sudden and unexpected. Ward, understandably, went into a dark place as he and Amani's mother, Monique Cook, mourned their loss while awaiting the birth of their son (Charvarius Jr.) in December. When he returned to the San Francisco 49ers after missing three games, Ward was a broken man. 'Once I came back,' he said, 'every game after that, I was just like, 'I don't give a f— what happens. I don't care if I win this rep; I don't care if I lose this rep.' I was there physically, but mentally, I was somewhere off the grid, off the globe.' As he tries to move forward, fresh off a three-year, $60 million deal he signed with the Colts last March and his engagement to Cook earlier this month, Ward, 28, is motivated to help the Colts reach the playoffs for the first time since 2020. His current mindset stands in stark contrast to the one he carried into the 2024 campaign. Coming off an overtime defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII, the 49ers made a final stab at keeping their collection of high-priced veterans together, ultimately giving out a slew of big-money extensions. Ward, after a career year in which he led the NFL with 23 passes defensed, wanted a raise, too. When 49ers general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan made it clear that wouldn't be happening, instead allowing Ward to play out the final year of his contract, he didn't take it well. Advertisement 'Even before everything happened with my baby, I really wasn't super motivated,' Ward admitted. 'Because after the year I had in '23, I wanted a contract extension — because I wanted to stay — and I knew I wasn't getting a contract offer. They came to me and kind of told me what it was, 'cause they had (other) people to pay. So it kind of had me in my feelings a little bit. I just never made it public. 'I was hurt when I realized I wasn't getting a contract extension or even an offer for an extension. So, I wasn't motivated; like, from OTAs all the way through camp, I was kind of pissed off. I knew when the season started it was a wrap for me in the Bay.' Ward, who had core muscle surgery shortly after the Super Bowl, was further perturbed by the fact that running back Christian McCaffrey, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and left tackle Trent Williams all received lucrative extensions after skipping team activities. (McCaffrey stayed away from voluntary OTAs; Aiyuk staged a training camp 'hold in' and didn't practice, citing a back injury; Williams held out until shortly before the start of the regular season.) 'There was a lot going on, bro,' he said. 'Because if you're winning, s—, everybody wants to get paid. Everybody feels it. Everybody feels that when certain guys are not around and certain guys are around but not participating. Like, I was there. I had surgery after the season under the advice of them, and I was rehabbing with them. I had (been) All-Pro, too, and I didn't get paid so I was like, 'What the f—?' Like, people are not showing up and getting paid, and I wasn't. 'So, it definitely made me feel some type of way. That type of stuff, it does take a toll on the whole team.' The 49ers, after three consecutive NFC Championship Game appearances, struggled from the start in 2024, ultimately finishing last in the NFC West with a 6-11 record. During a 30-24 victory over the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium in late October, Ward began to snap out of his malaise. 'When that Cowboys game came, I was like, 'OK, I'm gonna start back balling, get back in my AP (All-Pro) bag.' I was covering good, playing hard. Then boom, the next day, the personal situation (Amani's death) happened. And that just made it a hundred times worse.' Advertisement Ward never made it personal with Lynch and Shanahan. 'They kept it real all year,' he said. 'They never hid anything from me, so that's why I respect those guys. It's all love.' He remains on good terms with both men, who congratulated him via FaceTime shortly after he signed with the Colts. Though he didn't get the answers he wanted during the 2024 offseason, Ward understood his bosses' perspective. Lynch and Shanahan planned to sign quarterback Brock Purdy to a massive extension after the season. They also prioritized cornerback Deommodore Lenoir over Ward, signing the 25-year-old to a five-year, $92 million extension last November, while Ward was away from the team. 'Obviously quarterback is way more important than a corner,' Ward said. 'And they got Demo (Lenoir), so … I mean, you know, they drafted him, and he's younger than me. They probably like Demo a little bit better. He's a little more physical and aggressive than me. I can lock anybody down. Kyle and John, they want head-busters. I mean, I'm not mad. He got what he deserved. All-Pros don't grow on trees, though.' When Ward returned to the team following his daughter's death, he clearly wasn't right. He played in five of San Francisco's final six games, all but one of them losses, but quickly regretted his decision to come back. After the mid-December defeat to the Los Angeles Rams that essentially killed the Niners' playoff hopes, Ward told me, 'It's been hard for me personally to go to work every day, every game — even to practice or go to meetings. I almost left a couple of times. S— , I know fans probably hate me (for saying that), but f— it, it's real life.' Nonetheless, Ward stayed, dissuaded by the financial ramifications of possibly losing game checks if he left without the organization's blessing. 'I feel like I shouldn't have come back,' he said. '(Initially) I didn't want to come back. I thought I was going to be able to (return to the field), but once I came back, I tried to leave again. But I wasn't going to get paid. So, I had to make my money.' (A 49ers source said the team remained supportive of Ward throughout the tragic ordeal.) Advertisement 'I just tried to tough it out,' Ward said. 'All those games after I came back, I gave zero f—-, to be honest. I didn't really care about being coached. Anytime I got a coaching point, I was like, 'F— it, I don't care.'' Ward isn't necessarily proud of that; he's just being real about his grief. 'You can say you'd do this and do that,' he said, 'but till you go through a situation like that, you would never understand what it feels to feel like that. It's like, you don't always want to be here. It's like, 'Take me instead of my child.'' As he headed into free agency for the second time — Ward, after four years with the Chiefs, signed a three-year deal with the 49ers in 2022 — the former undrafted free agent sought a fresh start. He wanted to feel wanted. And, of course, he wanted to get paid. The Colts and New Orleans Saints (whose newly hired defensive coordinator, Brandon Staley, was on Shanahan's staff in 2024) both obliged, with each team making a strong push for his services. All the above. — Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) June 18, 2025 'Did I really have to watch tape?' Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo asked rhetorically before Friday's training camp practice. 'I did, obviously, but it just confirmed what I already knew. He's a premier corner — a tall guy who can run with length, is smart, and has great ball skills. I'm a huge fan.' Ward is determined to 'go out there and repay' the Colts by playing at a high level — and by helping to set a standard of excellence that his younger, less seasoned teammates can emulate. Indy's financial commitment is especially resonant given what he went through in 2024. 'You want to feel wanted,' he said, referring to the way his 49ers tenure ended. 'You want to feel like those guys want you to play for them like no matter what. Like, 'We'll pay you whatever to keep you around.' It's about the money, but it's not about the money at the same time. It's kind of like a respect thing. 'If you want me to be the best corner in the world, to follow the best receiver around, that's a hard-ass job to do. So obviously I'm gonna want to be compensated. 'Cause I'm gonna be stressed out every f—ing day trying to cover these good-ass receivers.' It's early, but Ward has already made a strong impression. 'I've seen him make a lot of plays and also, I see him being perfect on the (practice) field as far as the technique,' said Colts safety Cam Bynum, another of the team's marquee free-agent signees. 'He's a lockdown corner. His mindset is good. He's focused. But he also has fun. I like playing with those types of guys.' Advertisement Ward's state of mind was buoyed by his engagement to Cook, which occurred after he pulled off an elaborate surprise. After telling Cook that he was planning a party near their Dallas-area home to celebrate the end of the offseason, he staged a conspicuous proposal in front of family and friends with the help of R&B singer Fridayy, who sang two of his songs — 'When It Comes to You' and 'Baddest in the Room' — to punctuate the moment. 'She was totally caught off guard, totally shocked,' Ward said. 'And she hasn't stopped smiling since then. I've been wanting to do it for a while, because this is like the first time in my life where I was ever scared to lose a woman. Like, when I was working out this offseason, I'd tell her, 'Come to the field with me, come run around the track while I'm working out.' I just want her with me all the time. Because we've been through the highs of the highs, and obviously the lowest of the lowest. She stuck by my side and I stuck by her side.' Now, Ward and his fiancée — and 7-month-old Mooney Jr. who, according to his father, is in the 99th percentile in terms of height and weight for his age — will try to come out the other side of their unimaginable heartbreak. Obviously, it's an ongoing process. 'I'm still bouncing back from it, man,' Ward said. Part of the healing process, he hopes, can include a return to the level of play he displayed in 2023. 'I'm in my AP bag,' he insisted, forecasting another All-Pro selection. 'I'm gonna try to speak it into existence.'
Indianapolis Star
6 hours ago
- Indianapolis Star
With a new defensive staff and a history of injuries it's a make-or-break season for JuJu Brents
WESTFIELD -- Colts cornerback JuJu Brents lined up in press coverage across from Anthony Gould in a red-zone drill in a matchup of size versus speed. Gould cut inside on a slant, hoping to use the green space and inside leverage as safe harbor from this 6-foot-3 cornerback. But Brents was ready for this twist, and he blanketed the 5-foot-8 receiver until the pass arrived. Then he stretched his gangly arms around Gould's compact frame in order to tip the ball up in the air and into the arms of safety Rodney Thomas II. Four practices in, Brents is healthy, for now. He's back from the meniscus tear that derailed his second season, back from the numerous surgeries that have combined to limit him to just 11 games played in two seasons. He's back in the northern suburbs of his hometown, in a literal shadow of the building where he received the call from the Colts in the second round back in 2023. That's when the dreams launched of running out of the Lucas Oil Stadium tunnel with an Indianapolis jersey on and starring at a premium position for the hometown team, only for a knee and a quad and a nose and an ankle and a wrist to turn the dream into a cruel joke at times. Heading into a make-or-break third season, those scars turned into jet fuel this offseason. "I was just working my (expletive) off," Brents said. If he needed any more fuel for the fire he's stoked through those 23 missed games, he's getting it on the field. The Colts have thrust him into a three-man battle for the starting outside cornerback spot opposite newly signed All-Pro Charvarius Ward, along with third-round Minnesota rookie Justin Walley and two-year starter Jaylon Jones. "I think if you're a competitor, you love this type of competition," Brents said. "For me, it's just a challenge every single day. But it makes us all better." INSIDER: 10 thoughts on Anthony Richardson vs. Daniel Jones and the first week of Colts camp Thanks to Ward, and with Moore in the slot, it's one spot up for grabs among three hungry men. One is a seventh-round pick in Jones, another is a rookie with a name to carve out in Walley and the third is a hometown kid with perhaps one last runway at a local dream in Brents. "It's just an aggressive mentality: he comes downhill and brings some crafty plays with it. He'll hit someone in the flat," Jones said of Brents. "... We always be joking with him about being the 'neighborhood hero' and 'the prince of Indy.'" Walley's edge is that he was drafted by the current coaching staff, with a skill set directly built for the scheme. By hiring defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and assistant defensive backs coaches Jerome Henderson and Chris Hewitt, the Colts are embracing more of a sticky man-coverage approach, which fits the 5-10 Walley more than it does the 6-3 Brents or 6-2 Jones, who were drafted for Gus Bradley's Seattle-style approach with hulking outside cornerbacks who lived more in short-area zones. Jones has the experience edge over the two with 27 starts in 34 games. He also allowed just one touchdown pass last season, though he did give up 8.1 yards per attempt. Brents' edge is still on upside and skill set. He was the highest drafted of the three as a second-rounder, and though he has hulking length at 6-3, he also has the light frame and foot speed to move smoothly within it, like he did in blanketing Gould on the slant route. "I can't wait to see the ceiling that he reaches in the league," Moore said. "I can't wait to see the ceiling he reaches being an Indianapolis Colt." That light frame has led to a rash of injuries he could never believe could be real. But for the first time as a pro, he's coming off an offseason with no surgeries and no lingering injuries. His time is now. And for as long as it lasts, he's coming for it all.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Colts ink $100 million contract to protect Anthony Richardson's blind side
Whether he's on the move or in the pocket, Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson can't do it alone. He needs a reliable offensive line to anchor his offense. That's why the most recent signing by Indianapolis' front office is so important. The Colts signed OT Bernhard Raimann to a four-year, $100 million contract, Mike Garafolo reported on Monday night. The contract includes $60 million guaranteed makes him the sixth highest-paid tackle in the league tied with Lane Johnson and Laremy Tunsil. Who is Bernhard Raimann? Raimann, 27, was drafted in 2022 and has been a mainstay of the Colts' offense ever since. Most of his career he's protected Richardson (when healthy) and has paired with Quenton Nelson to fortify the left side of the line. Raimann has an interesting background. He grew up in Austria until he was a junior in high school when he came to Michigan as a transfer. He returned to Austria to serve in the military and then committed to play at Central Michigan when he completed his service. He was a tight end for his first couple seasons until he found success as a tackle. He was later drafted in the third round by Indianapolis. Beyond his backstory, Raimann is a solid piece for the Colts present and future. Indianapolis has not committed to Richardson or Daniel Jones as their starting quarterback, but this contract shows they are setting either one up for success. MORE: Jets' Breece Hall gives concerning update on contract extension
