Colts camp observations: Edge rusher Laiatu Latu making a difference

WESTFIELD — Laiatu Latu has been a wrecking ball in training camp since the Colts put on full pads.

Working off both sides of the defensive line, Latu has routinely been disruptive.

He made a few more eye-popping plays on Sunday.

Latu came flying off the edge to affect Anthony Richardson early in practice, then recorded a pair of “sacks” on Daniel Jones in the final two periods, combining with rookie strong safety Hunter Wohler to corral Jones on one play, then beating a blocker so badly up the middle on another that Jones would have been swallowed before he’d ever finished his drop in a real game.

“I think he’s made a hell of a stride,” Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen said of Latu. “I just think his body obviously, he’s maturing more going into Year 2.”

Latu had trouble finishing rushes as a rookie, producing pressures but just four sacks.

The goal for Latu this season is to turn those pressures into sacks, and the Colts have been encouraged by his production in training camp.

“The way he’s getting off the ball, the way he’s able to bend around the edge, his pass-rush ability has been phenomenal. The way he moves – his euro chop, speed to power. You can see the development going into Year 2.”

Peaks and valleys

The quarterback battle between Jones has been back and forth throughout.

Sometimes even in the same practice.

Richardson opened Sunday’s session with one of his biggest completions of training camp, an underthrown deep ball that Alec Pierce went up and took away from undrafted rookie cornerback Johnathan Edwards, and it set the tone for a productive opening drive. Richardson missed his next throw wide, but on third down he found Josh Downs on a crossing route; on his next third down, Richardson bounced back from a Samuel Womack III pass breakup to find Pierce at the back of the end zone for a touchdown while under pressure.

Jones had a very different opening to the practice. After a beautiful deep throw was dropped by wide receiver Anthony Gould, Jones completed just 2 of 7 in the opening period, getting a pass broken up by veteran cornerback Duke Shelley, an overthrow of Ashton Dulin, a wide miss to Adonai Mitchell and another miss over the middle while producing just two completions — an out to Mitchell and a short hitch to Gould.

In 7-on-7, Richardson threw wide of Pierce on a deep ball, then had his second pass broken up by Charvarius Ward before finding completions to Will Mallory and Tyler Goodson, although he likely took too long in the pocket on the Goodson completion. Jones hit on all four of his throws in 7-on-7, mostly short completions to Laquon Treadwell, Mitchell and two consecutive tosses to Mallory.

Richardson was given a lone two-minute drill in the middle of practice, but after a big gain on a crossing route to Michael Pittman Jr. — who beat Edwards across the middle — Richardson fired too wide for rookie tight end Tyler Warren, likely took a sack from Tyquan Lewis on a short completion to Jonathan Taylor and then missed incomplete again before hitting Taylor for a short throw to end the series.

The two quarterbacks switched offensive units for the next two series, putting Jones with the starters and Richardson with the No. 2 offense.

Jones completed 4 of 5 in his first session with the starters, missing Warren on his first throw before hitting Josh Downs on a short pass, running back D.J. Giddens on a flare, Pittman over the middle and then Downs again, although he likely would have taken a sack on the play.

Richardson was sacked by J.T. Tuimoloau on his first dropback of the period, and then he followed that up with a short completion to Tyler Goodson that was immediately swallowed by undrafted safety Ladarius Tennison.

Jones finally hit Warren to start the final series of the day, a red-zone period, got a completion to Downs on a play that might have been a sack by Latu, then hit Adonai Mitchell on an out-breaking route near the goal line for a touchdown before an incompletion ended his day at 9 of 16 in 11-on-11, a solid bounce back from his 2 of 7 start.

Richardson has struggled at times in the red zone, and in his session, he completed three short throws to Goodson, running back Ulysses Bentley IV and Mallory, but he also threw incomplete twice, including a pass broken up by Alex Johnson.

Colts QB camp counter

Richardson: 82 of 140, 9 TD, 2 INT in 11-on-11; 28 of 44, 3 TD, INT in 7-on-7

Jones: 104 of 151, 12 TD, INT in 11-on-11; 29 of 45, 4 TD, 3 INT in 7-on-7

Injury report

Veteran slot cornerback Kenny Moore II left practice early due to a knee injury, and wide receiver Alec Pierce left practice midway through the session with a groin injury.

Colts injury update: Kenny Moore II, Alec Pierce leave Sunday’s practice

Defensive end Kwity Paye (groin), strong safety Nick Cross (hip flexor), cornerback Jaylon Jones (hamstring), cornerback JuJu Brents (hamstring), center Danny Pinter, running back Khalil Herbert, wide receiver D.J. Montgomery and tight end Sean McKeon missed practice due to injury.

Richardson briefly came up walking gingerly after a run, but he was not examined by trainers and did not leave practice.

Quick hitters

Rookie strong safety Hunter Wohler has played in the starting lineup in Cross’s absence. … Wesley French snapped a ball over Jones’s head for a fumble. … Defensive tackle Tim Smith had a key pressure on Jones. … Undrafted wide receiver Blayne Taylor fumbled the ball after a catch in the open field was chopped out of his hands. … Linebacker Jacob Phillips had a huge hit on wide receiver Ajou Ajou to force an incompletion on a throw by Riley Leonard.

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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts camp observations: Edge rusher Laiatu Latu making a difference

Colts camp observations: Edge rusher Laiatu Latu making a difference

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