Andrew Luck already has a blueprint for his month away from the Colts.ANDERSON – On his first day of Colts camp, rookie cornerback and Purdue graduate Brandon King took the field and looked up.
Pro Bowl receiver Reggie Wayne was lined up opposite him.
King allowed himself one quick moment to be starstruck, then he knew what had to be done: compete hard.
That’s the mantra for King and fellow Big Ten product Ray Fisher, a seventh-round pick out of Indiana, in their first NFL training camp.
“We’re doing the same thing, just out here trying to make the team,” King said after a one-hour morning practice Tuesday at Anderson University.
King and Fisher said they have been pleased with their performances so far in camp.
But they’re still spending as much time as possible studying their playbooks to learn the defenses. That’s been a bit tougher task for Fisher, who played receiver for three seasons before being switched to defensive back as a senior.
Fisher isn’t sure what his role is on defense, yet he has a different vibe about special teams.
Indianapolis is looking for players to return kickoffs and punts after releasing Chad Simpson and T.J. Rushing in the offseason.
At Indiana, Fisher had a 36.1-yard average on kickoff returns and took two back for touchdowns. He also averaged 9.7 yards on punt returns.
“I know for sure I’m going to be helping a lot with special teams,” he said.
“I feel like I’m doing everything I can do.”
King chose the Colts over several other offers after the draft because he thought they were thin at cornerback.
Besides projected starters Kelvin Hayden and Jerraud Powers, Indianapolis signed 12-year veteran Deshea Townsend as a backup and has second-year player Jacob Lacey.
Lacey was an undrafted free agent last season but wound up starting nine games with Hayden out with an injury.
King may add a different skill set.
At 5-foot-10, 194 pounds, King is an aggressive player who likes to hit. He thinks his physical style was one of the reasons the Colts were interested, and he’s excited knowing the franchise’s history of keeping undrafted players.
“They really don’t look at you as that,” he said. “They look at you as a football player.
“Not saying if you’re a first-rounder, a free agent is going to be over you, but they’re going to give you every opportunity to do what you can do and show yourself.”
Notes: The Colts announced Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday has had arthroscopic knee surgery to remove a “loose body” and will start rehabilitation immediately. The team didn’t say how much time Saturday will miss or which knee was repaired. … The team signed offensive lineman James Williams, an undrafted rookie from Harvard. To make room on the roster, the Colts released offensive lineman Andy Alleman. … Left tackle Charlie Johnson has not practiced since spraining his right foot Friday afternoon. … Rookie guard Jacques McClendon missed his second straight morning workout Tuesday. Also missing was right tackle Ryan Diem, whose wife gave birth to the couple’s first child last week.
