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The Colts have added their third offensive linemen since the start of free agency, inking Oakland free-agent center Samson Satele.

“Samson is an experienced, productive and highly competitive offensive center,” general manager Ryan Grigson said in the team’s news release announcing the addition. "He has all the necessary traits to be one of the top centers in the NFL. He is not only a great player, but a great person and family man as well. We wanted him and we got him. We couldn’t be happier that he will now be a Colt for years to come and help us reach our ultimate goal.

Said Satele: “It’s a brand new team. In talking with Coach [Chuck Pagano] and everyone else, it feels like a family. It’s a fresh, new start for me and a fresh, new team. I can’t wait to get this rolling.”

Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. says Satele isn’t real strong, but has shown steady improvement.

“He’s a finesse, movement guy, which is odd, considering that offensive coordinator Bruce Arians came from a power scheme with big, heavy O-linemen,” Williamson said.

Satele joins right tackle Winston Justice, who was acquired from Philadelphia in a very cheap trade, and interior lineman Mike McGlynn, signed away from Cincinnati.

The Colts have Anthony Castonzo locked in at left tackle and will piece together the rest of the line from a group of those three newcomers, along with holdovers including Joe Reitz, who finished the 2011 season as the team’s left guard, Jeff Linkenbach, who finished the season as right tackle and Ben Ijalana, the 2011 second-round draft pick who tore an ACL a month into last season.

“It’s a C group all together, but I really like Castonzo,” Williamson said. “Also, they will add another piece in the draft at some point. Calling it functional might be a bit generous.”

INDIANAPOLIS -- Matt Hasselbeck will start at quarterback for the Titans as we expected, as he’s worked through the calf strain that knocked him out of last week’s loss to New Orleans.

But with Hasselbeck and Jake Locker (chest) dinged up, third quarterback Rusty Smith is active for the first time all season.

The Colts have two lineup changes.

Jacob Tamme starts at tight end in place of Dallas Clark.

Ernie Sims starts at strongside linebacker in place of Philip Wheeler.

Earlier, this post said Mike Pollak would start at left guard in place of Joe Reitz. But the Colts announced about 20 minutes before kickoff that was an error and that Reitz will start.

Titans:

• RB Javon Ringer
• C Kevin Matthews
• T Byron Stingily
• LB Gerald McRath
• WR Donnie Avery
• DE William Hayes
• DT Zach Clayton

Colts:

• QB Peyton Manning
• DB Mike Holmes
• TE Dallas Clark
• LB Philip Wheeler
• LB A.J. Edds
• T Quinn Ojinnaka
• DE Jamaal Anderson

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Greetings from LP Field, where the Titans will try to slow the Saints today minus starting cornerback Jason McCourty.

McCourty’s recovering from a concussion suffered last week in the win over Buffalo.

Alterraun Verner has been part of the nickel package and will start. That’s not a huge drop off. But now undrafted rookie Chris Hawkins from LSU will come in as an outside corner in nickel.

If I’m the Saints I look to test Hawkins early and often.

New Orleans is without defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis. Tim Johnson will start in his place.

A note from the three other teams of the AFC South:

• Rookie Chris Prosinski is starting in place of Dwight Lowery at safety, with Lowery out.
• Chris Rucker and Jacob Lacey are the starting corners for the Colts, with Mike Pollak starting at left guard for the inured Joe Reitz.
• Jake Delhomme is active as the Texans backup quarterback behind T.J. Yates. Jeff Garcia is inactive.

The full list from Saints-Titans.

Titans:

• QB Rusty Smith
• CB Jason McCourty
• LB Barrett Ruud
• LB Patrick Bailey
• C Kevin Matthews
• T Byron Stingily
• DT Zach Clayton

Saints:

• CB Leigh Torrence
• RB Mark Ingram
• LB Jonathan Casillas
• T William Robinson
• WR Adrian Arrington
• DE Turk McBride
• DT Sedrick Ellis

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- After crossing off inactives and drawing lines to move guys around and up the depth chart, my flip card for the Colts' offense looks silly.

Ryan Diem, Anthony Castonzo and Joe Reitz all didn’t travel.

So the line will look like this:

LT Jeff Linkenbach, LG Seth Olsen, C Jeff Saturday, RG Mike Tepper, RT Quinn Ojinnaka.

Three of those players -- Olsen, Tepper and Ojinnaka – were not on the Colts' opening day roster.

The group will start out blocking for running back Delone Carter, who is starting ahead of the injured Joseph Addai, who is dressed.

On defense, cornerback Jacob Lacey is a scratch and will be replaced by Kevin Thomas.

The Titans suffer one big lineup loss. Their primary blocking tight end, Craig Stevens, is out with a rib injury and Daniel Graham will start in his place.

The full lists…

Indianapolis:

• WR Anthony Gonzalez
• QB Peyton Manning
• CB Jacob Lacey
• G Ryan Diem
• T Anthony Castonzo
• G Joe Reitz
• DT Drake Nevis

Tennessee:

• QB Rusty Smith
• S Chris Hope
• LB Colin McCarthy
• OT Byron Stingily
• DT Zach Clayton
• TE Craig Stevens
• DE William Hayes

Through seven games the Colts have used four different starting offensive line combinations.

Sunday in Tennessee, we’ll see number five.

The team announced Joe Reitz, who has started every game at left guard, is out for an unspecified amount of time after arthroscopic knee surgery.

Indianapolis has signed two familiar players to restock the line: guard Jamey Richard and tackle Michael Toudouze. The team has also placed quarterback Kerry Collins and fullback Chris Gronkowski on IR.

That means the Colts’ offense belongs to Curtis Painter as long as he can stay healthy, with Dan Orlovsky as the backup. Of course there remains the possibility that Peyton Manning re-emerges late in the season.

Reitz is likely to be replaced by Seth Olsen, who filled in after Reitz was hurt during the blowout in New Orleans on Sunday night.

The health of two other starters is also in question. Left tackle Anthony Castonzo has missed the last three games and right guard/tackle Ryan Diem has missed four of the last five.

Both are dealing with ankle injuries.

It's likely the end for Collins, who had retired from the NFL before the Colts lured him back just before the season, concerned about Painter's readiness with Manning out.

Collins suffered a concussion Sept. 25 against Pittsburgh and hadn't played since.

Indianapolis' offensive line and interior defensive line are so thinned out by injuries that Jeff Saturday joked with Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star about deviating from the team’s next-man-up mantra.

"We (are) going to have to start bringing in some next men," Saturday said.

Monday night in a loss at Tampa Bay, defensive tackle Eric Foster dislocated his right ankle. Tuesday he had season-ending surgery. Starting left tackle Anthony Castonzo left the stadium with a boot on his left foot and walking with the aid of crutches and his replacement, Ben Ijalana, had to be helped off the field in the fourth quarter after damaging his left knee, Chappell says.

According to the report, Ijalana could be out for the season with ACL damage.

The team is expected to elevate one of the defensive tackles from its practice squad, Ricardo Matthews or Ollie Ogbu.

The Colts were already thin on the offensive line before Monday night’s game, with Ryan Diem out and Joe Reitz hurting. They signed offensive tackle Mike Tepper from the practice squad Monday afternoon. He wound up playing right tackle after Castonzo and Ijalana went down.

We’ll learn more about the offensive linemen today.

But things are certainly a mess on the injury front. Again.

UPDATE, 12:15 p.m.: The Colts put Ijalana and Foster on IR and waiveed linebacker Nate Triplett. They signed offensive tackles Michael Toudouze and Quinn Ojinnaka as well as Mathews.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 1:

Don’t overrate David Garrard. A lot of people seem to think that the Jaguars' cutting Garrard makes them a less dangerous team. I assure you, they are not thinking that way. They will be the same run-heavy offense. The Jaguars, who play host to Tennessee on Sunday, will look to an upgraded defense to be physical and bottle up Chris Johnson. And they expect a crisper performance from Luke McCown than they would have had from Garrard, who struggled throughout the preseason. If McCown doesn’t have a good day, let’s hold the talk that makes it sound as though Garrard would have played like Johnny Unitas.

Can the Texans' running backs help out blocking? Their underrated offensive line has its hands full against the Colts' pass rush, which features Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. But if Arian Foster is out or limited, the team could lean more on Derrick Ward for his experience than on Ben Tate for his potential. Tate ran great in the preseason, but can he take on a defender determined to bring down Matt Schaub?

Unproven pass rushes in Jacksonville. The Jaguars still haven’t solved their pass-rush issues. Aaron Kampman is back from knee surgery and Matt Roth is a solid addition. We know their middle guys can get push, but who’s going to make Matt Hasselbeck uncomfortable? Same goes for the Titans. Derrick Morgan is out, so Malcolm Sheppard will be in the mix at end behind William Hayes, Jason Jones (who's been hurt) and Dave Ball. They’re working with a more disciplined scheme to be sure they stop the run, but can those guys bother McCown working more technique than speed?

Spotlight on Kerry Collins. The whole football world is watching to see what the Colts look like without Peyton Manning. We’ve talked a lot about Collins' protection and how he’s picked up the system. But what kind of feel has he developed for his targets? Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Austin Collie and Joseph Addai make up a very reliable quartet that knows how to be in the right spots and get open. Collins didn’t have a crew like that during his time with the Titans. Does he have a feel for the talent?

Unveiling the 3-4. Wade Phillips is a master at turning around defenses, but he’s had a shorter time frame with this new group. Surely there are elements of what the Texans will do that they did not show in the preseason. Phillips’ defenses have fared great against Collins. As the Texans look to extend that streak of success, end Antonio Smith could be a big factor. He’ll probably be working against Joe Reitz and Jeff Saturday.

The Indianapolis Colts fell to 0-2 in the preseason, dominated by the Washington Redskins 16-3 at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The final numbers were ugly, as the Redskins finished ahead 415-150 in total yardage, 215-55 in rushing yardage, 22-8 in first downs and 36:29-23:31 in time of possession.

Tim Hightower gashed the Colts on a 58-yard run on the second play from scrimmage and Roy Helu had a 51-yard run early in the second quarter. Indianapolis doesn’t much care about preseason results, but it should care about struggling against the run to that degree.

Strong safety Antoine Bethea left the game after that first big run with an apparent hamstring injury, and the Colts lack of depth at safety showed.

They were without several receivers too, as Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie and Anthony Gonzalez all sat out.

The Colts shuffled the offensive line some in practice, but didn’t carry it all over to the game as Ryan Diem started at right tackle and Mike Pollak at right guard. The first team offensive line had two false starts -- back-to-back penalties against Pollak and left guard Joe Reitz. Pollak’s replacement, Kyle DeVan, got one in the first half too.

While there were spurts of good pass pressure, including three sacks of Washington starter John Beck, he threw for 140 yards and posted a 101 passer rating.

The Colts’ star of the game was Pat McAfee. The punter averaged 57.3 yards on four punts with a 46-yard net average.

Three things to look for in tonight’s preseason game for the Indianapolis Colts against the Washington Redskins at Lucas Oil Stadium, at 7 p.m. ET.

Even at its best the Colts' offense is unlikely to be very good while driven by Curtis Painter and Dan Orlovsky. So let’s focus on the defense. John Beck is starting at quarterback for the Redskins. Whoever is up front, the Colts should rattle the inexperienced signal-caller and get a read on their ability to stop the run, starting with Tim Hightower and Roy Helu. The Colts need to contain the running backs and show they can bring them down. That would be a good start.

Let’s see the offensive line assembly from the start. Indications are it will be, left to right, Anthony Castonzo, Joe Reitz, Jeff Saturday, Ryan Diem and Jeff Linkenbach. Castonzo could begin to take a vice grip on the job, and if Diem effectively slides inside it could help the cause as well. Some early signs of cohesion would be very good.

Don’t care too much. It’s hard to not be result-oriented, I know. But just force yourself. They don’t care if they lose or lose by a lot, so you need not to care.

Reading the coverage …

Houston Texans

Gary Kubiak reviewed Mario Williams’ play, writes John McClain.

The Texans are very banged up at running back, says McClain.

James Casey has the Texans talking, says Richard Justice.

Andre Johnson is mentioned in the Yahoo report on rule-breaking at Miami.

Daryl Sharpton is mentioned in the Yahoo report on rule-breaking at Miami.

Indianapolis Colts

The next Polian can be as good as the first Polian, writes Bob Kravitz.

Ryan Diem was at left guard in Tuesday’s practice, says Mike Chappell.

Joe Reitz is known for a missed dunk, says Phillip B. Wilson.

How soon is too soon to judge Jerry Hughes, asks Nate Dunlevy.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Eben Britton’s grandmother won an Oscar for her role in “Bonnie and Clyde” and is a big influence on the Jaguars’ lineman, writes Tania Ganguli.

Will Rackley is in the starting mix on the offensive line, says Vito Stellino.

Mayor Alvin Brown is pushing tickets, says Stellino.

Eugene Monroe is having his best camp, says John Oehser.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans aren’t such a hot ticket right now, says Duane Marsteller.

Financial context for Chris Johnson’s desire come from Charles Johnson, Tamba Hali and Brandon Marshall, says Jim Wyatt.

Wyatt sees a new energy from the Titans.

A Chris Johnson holdout tracker from Wyatt.

The case against paying Johnson, from Ryan Wilson.

Troy Kropog is going to miss time after a knee scope, says John Glennon.

Yamon Figurs is looking to stay in one place for a while, says David Boclair.

Colin McCarthy is mentioned in the Yahoo report on rule-breaking at Miami.

An alteration to a preseason Week 2 unofficial depth chart isn’t a big deal.

But the revised Colts’ depth chart flips left tackle Anthony Castonzo ahead of Jeff Linkenbach and left guard Joe Reitz ahead of Jacques McClendon.

It may merely be the team rotating guys, but it’s hard not to comment on the Castonzo “move.”

As a first-round pick, he should be a guy who can start from the beginning, particularly when he isn’t attempting to displace a proven NFL veteran but a player who was an undrafted free agent just a year ago, starting three regular-season games and one playoff contest.

It’s not an easy spot to jump into, especially with Peyton Manning at risk if Castonzo botches blindside blocking. But Manning’s developed an awfully good radar detection system regarding blocking breakdowns, and over the last four years he helped Tony Ugoh (who was bad) and Charlie Johnson (who did the best he could with what he had) avoid catastrophe.

(A blown block Friday night at Lucas Oil Stadium against Washington would be putting Curtis Painter or Dan Orlovsky at risk, not the still-rehabbing Manning.)

Castonzo’s pedigree from Boston College and the draft should be enough to make up for the four games worth of experience for Linkenbach.

The team is confident Castonzo has the makeup to contribute quickly or it wouldn’t have drafted him, because the Colts need the offensive line help now as well as later. The question is how quickly, of course.

The early intent was to ease him in as opposed to subjecting him to baptism by fire.

But I’d go baptism by fire now, particularly with Manning not in any danger. They can always flip Castonzo back if he gets singed.

ANDERSON, Ind. -- It’s trendy to call the Colts aging and to view the Texans and even the Jaguars as up-and-comers in the AFC South.

But if Indianapolis is healthy, it’s awfully risky to be ahead of the curve regarding its demise.

This is a team that lost a ton of talent to injury last season and still won the division at 10-6. It’s added some nice pieces on defense through bargain-basement free-agency. It drafted two offensive tackles who should be pillars, and also selected a short-yardage back.

There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about a big rebound year, and most teams aren’t even talking rebound when it comes to following a division title.

“I think it’s really the same team,” middle linebacker Gary Brackett said.

The same team is a major threat to win the division and compete for home-field advantage in the playoffs. Should it break through for the third Super Bowl appearance of the Peyton Manning era, a huge prize awaits: The game will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium.

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Manning’s health.

He spoke after signing his contract and has been seen around the team a couple of times during training camp at Anderson University. But like in 2008 following offseason knee surgeries, he’s not practicing.

This time it’s a result of neck surgery in May. It’s the second year in a row Manning had a neck procedure after the season. But he and the team have expressed confidence that all he needs is time and rehabilitation. It’s unlikely that a five-year, $90 million contract would have gotten done if the medical staff and management had any doubts.

While the Colts move forward without Manning, his absence also puts them in limbo. No matter how strongly they spin Curtis Painter’s performance, the defense isn’t being pushed in practice the way it would be if Manning was running the other side.

And no matter how precise the routes, how good the blocking or how well-timed the play, the offense will still need to sync it all up with the star quarterback once he returns.

That knee in 2008 limited him early, when the team struggled out of the gate. Coming back from a neck injury, Manning is less likely to have any sort of mechanical issues or physical limitations that affect his passing. That’s one case for expecting a better start after so much missed time.

The timetable for his return is unknown. You know the drill: They say he’s progressing well, that they are optimistic, etc., and no one outside a very tight circle has any real idea when he will re-emerge. He was spotted once throwing with what a witness called “decent velocity.” Hey, encouraging news is encouraging news.

2. Is the secondary deep enough?

Last season, the Colts were stretched virtually everywhere. Aaron Francisco wasn’t on the team for opening day, ranking as the fourth or fifth option at strong safety, and he played a good share of the season as the starter.

Behind free safety Antoine Bethea and re-signed and healthy strong safety Melvin Bullitt, there are unproven options including Al Afalava, Joe Lefeged, Mike Newton, David Caldwell and Chip Vaughn.

And after the top three corners -- Jerraud Powers, Justin Tryon and Jacob Lacey -- there also isn’t proven depth.

“At the safety position, I’m confident that we’re going to get two guys that will emerge there,” Colts vice chairman Bill Polian said. “We see enough signs to know that there is quality in that group.

“I also think there is some quality in the backup corners. Kevin Thomas is one of them. There are some interesting guys, and they’ll play themselves on or off the roster based on the preseason. But based on what I’ve seen thus far, I’d say we’ve got a good group and one or two guys will emerge.”

They will all benefit, of course, from a better pass rush. And if Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis are better supplemented by Jerry Hughes and Jamaal Anderson on the edges and Tommie Harris provides a solid nickel push in the middle, they could have one.

3. Will the passing game have enough consistent weapons?

The ability of the 2010 Colts to get production from the likes of tight end Jacob Tamme and receiver Blair White was remarkable.

But if they can’t count on often-injured receiver Anthony Gonzalez or Austin Collie, who was shut down last season after concussion issues, it will be harder to make things go again.

Reggie Wayne is in fantastic shape and working hard, and will be a key target for Manning as always. Dallas Clark is back from a wrist injury. If the Colts are calling plays for those two and Pierre Garcon, Collie and Gonzalez, they can be potent. If the group shrinks, the effort is more exhausting.

Manning averaged 6.92 yards per attempt in 2010. That’s the lowest mark in his career outside of his rookie season (6.5). The Colts need to find more big plays and move the ball with a little less effort to be the kind of team they want to be.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

If the Colts get a significant contribution out of Anderson, Harris or linebacker Ernie Sims, it’ll be a win. All three signed cost-effective one-year deals that amount to low-risk, high-reward scenarios. Polian said in a normal year, the market wouldn’t have given the team an opportunity to sign players like these, veterans who are all ideally suited for Indy’s defense. If they get something from two of them, it will make for a home run. Three-for-three amounts to a grand slam. Harris looks very good so far, while Sims is recovering from an appendectomy.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Polian was singing Philip Wheeler’s praises and saying that while the team loves starting strongside linebacker Pat Angerer, it loves Wheeler too. But he failed to hold the job last season and should be able to win and hold a starting job by now. Brody Eldridge gets a mention, too. He had knee surgery after last season, and a setback means he hasn’t seen the practice field yet. They need him to be part of the run game.

OBSERVATION DECK

• Delone Carter is coming into a perfect situation as a rookie. He’s unlike any of the Colts' other running backs and should get chances in short yardage and goal-line situations. If Javarris James ran for six touchdowns last season, Carter could run for 12 this fall. The Colts can continue to praise Donald Brown, but with Joseph Addai back and Carter in the fold, when does Brown get on the field?
• It was a surprise to find Lacey as the No. 2 cornerback at the start of camp. He was better as a rookie than in his second season. And he can be an effective piece of the secondary. But I’d bet on Tryon passing him before opening day.
• After one long and hot afternoon practice session, two players stuck around to catch machine-thrown balls: Wayne and Bethea. Those are some solid veterans and the kind of guys any team would like to have leading the way.
• Manning didn’t react well to TV crews that saw a recent throwing and running session. My understanding is that the Earth is still spinning, however. I understand being private, but everything and everyone cannot always be controlled. Did I miss the catastrophic outcome?
• The buzz is good on Hughes, and with him and Anderson in the mix, the Colts may pace Freeney and Mathis better. That could make for fresher stars in December and January.
• They won’t talk until after the season, but as of now I’d expect the Colts to try to keep both Wayne and Mathis with new contracts.
• Jacques McClendon or Joe Reitz could be an upgrade over Kyle DeVan at left guard. The big question on the line to me -- presuming Anthony Castonzo takes over left tackle reasonably quickly -- is right guard. Mike Pollak has had sufficient opportunity, and the team can aspire to be better there. Couldn’t they be better with Ben Ijalana there until he’s ready to displace Ryan Diem at right tackle?
• 'Tis the season for Garcon to prove he's a consistently reliable threat. He had too many drops and too many lapses last season. He needs to be more than fast. He spent more time with Manning this offseason, before the neck surgery, than he did last offseason.

ANDERSON, Ind. -- The Colts are not afraid to start a rookie offensive lineman.

Just last season, Jeff Linkenbach, an undrafted rookie out of Cincinnati, started in a Week 3 win at Denver and again in regular-season games against New England and San Diego and in the playoff loss to the New York Jets.

But they amounted to spot starts, created by injury situations.

The team’s top two draft picks, Anthony Castonzo and Ben Ijalana, are running with the second team now. They need to be pillars of a revamped offensive line for the last, five-year act of Peyton Manning's career.

But how soon will they be ready to move from understudy to lead?

"It's not going to be easy, obviously it's going to take a pretty unique guy who can catch on quickly and both of them have obviously the capabilities of doing so,” Colts coach Jim Caldwell said. “They are both very smart guys and guys that have also taken advantage of the break in time when we were so apart from one another and tried to learn as much as they possibly could. It takes a guy that's highly motivated. But it can be done. It's not an impossibility. But it's going to be difficult."

The Colts must be confident that Castonzo and Ijalana can protect Manning before they see the field. But let’s be honest, they aren’t trying to dislodge Tarik Glenn. Linkenbach is working as the starting left tackle, and he’s pretty raw himself. Veteran Ryan Diem took less money to remain with the team, but his game slipped significantly last year in his 10th season.

“You’ve got to go play against another team,” center Jeff Saturday said. “That’s the one thing you have to see. How they match up against each and every other end, what they look like when you are going through checks and different progressions and when you are going to audibles, and all those things that you really haven’t gotten into in the first week.

“Things are pretty basic right now. We’re beginning to add on to the foundation. But you haven’t seen any of those kind of reactions as of yet.”

At 6-foot-7 and 305 pounds, Castonzo matches Joe Reitz as the team’s tallest offensive lineman. At 317 pounds Ijalana is among the heaviest of the starting line candidates. The two bring the combination of size and athleticism the Colts haven’t had enough of at a high level in recent years with a largely patchwork line.

Indianapolis clearly has confidence that the two can contribute soon. They aren’t drafting projects in the first two rounds when Manning has only so many prime years left chasing another Super Bowl.

Dwight Freeney has plenty of experience against young tackles. Two years ago in the season opener against Jacksonville, he taught Jacksonville’s Eugene Monroe quite a bit.

“Our young tackles are definitely good, have a lot of potential, but it’s going to take some learning still,” Freeney said. “Offensive linemen, you don’t become really good until your third or fourth year. That’s always been my opinion. Your first year, you’re just trying to get used to your stance and the system. Then you really come into who you are going to be.

“It’s kind of a needy position, you obviously drafted them for a reason. But I know they’re not going to be as good (this year) as they’re going to be ultimately.”

Castonzo said his first practice work against Freeney was beyond a nightmare.

“I saw Freeney my first day in pads and that was really ugly, it really was,” he said. “He beat me every time he lined up against me. I’ve gotten a lot better since then, but obviously I’ve still got a lot of work to do. It’s definitely awesome to go against those guys every day in practice …”

What would it take for Castonzo to start on opening day in Houston?

“It basically comes down to communication and technique,” he said. “Once I know exactly what I am doing with the communication, it just comes down to trusting your technique, doing what the coaches tell you to do. I think if I can get those two things down, then I will be ready to go.”

ANDERSON, Ind. – A first look at the Colts’ first unofficial depth chart gives us some nuggets to consider:

• Jacques McClendon is the starting left guard over Joe Reitz, though they’ve practiced in the other order.
• The base offense is three wide, with Austin Collie in what’s technically the H-back spot.
• Tommie Harris is fifth at left defensive tackle, a spot he’ll surely move up from.
• Rookie Drake Nevis is the No. 2 left defensive tackle behind Fili Moala.
• Eric Foster is the No. 2 right defensive tackle behind Antonio Johnson.
• Undrafted rookie Joe Lefeged is backing up Melvin Bullitt at strong safety.
• Al Afalava is backing up Antoine Bethea at free safety.
• Devin Moore is the punt returner.
• Undrafted David Gilreath is the punt returner.

ANDERSON, Ind. -- Some quick, initial impressions from the first practice of Colts training camp I watched…

• Joe Reitz, who’s listed as a tackle, continues to work at left guard ahead of Jacques McClendon. He lined up with left tackle Jeff Linkenbach, center Jeff Saturday, right guard Mike Pollak and right tackle Ryan Diem to form the starting O-line.
• Justin Tryon ranks as the third corner right now, but count me among those who think he could wind up second. I watched him encourage and advise undrafted rookie Terrence Johnson during one-on-ones about being patient working against receiver Taj Smith. Good stuff.
• “Saturday,” a fan screamed and the center raised his fist before the rest of the line was delivered. “Thank you for the season.” He should hear that a lot based on his giant role in the CBA negotiations.
• It can't be a fun job to be the guy who holds up a three-ring pack of laminated sheets with the right package or play name on it to the camera before each play. But the coaches need to have some stuff labeled as “Alcatraz” of “Queso” when they review and look for landmarks of the sets.
• With Dwight Freeney out for the morning, the first-unit defensive line was, left to right, Jamaal Anderson, Fili Moala, Antonio Johnson and Robert Mathis.
• Special teams worked on punting out of the back of the end zone and the block team did well to get to one off of Pat McAfee’s foot. Special-teams coach Ray Rychleski didn’t care for close-but-no-cigar on another snap. Well, not even close, apparently. “Don’t go near the guy,"' he barked at one rusher. “You’re not even close. Block it or don’t go near him.” The broader point: Roughing the punter penalties kill.
• Watched some one-on-one pass rush and saw Tommie Harris win snaps against McClendon and Reitz. Anthony Castonzo and Ben Ijalana looked good to me. Drake Nevis and Jerry Hughes didn’t have a great period from what I could tell.
• Linebacker Ernie Sims is out two weeks after an appendectomy, according to Jim Caldwell.