INDIANAPOLIS — The young (second-year quarterback Andrew Luck) and the old (wide receiver Reggie Wayne) have developed quite a working relationship despite their short time together with the Indianapolis Colts.
They have also become of like minds when it comes to the continued development of the team’s passing attack.
With new offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton now running the show, the Colts are in the middle of a metamorphosis from the downfield, big-play system that was utilized by former coordinator Bruce Arians to more of a West Coast scheme that will look to make more use of the short, controlled passing game.
According to Luck, so far so good.
“I think we’re rolling,” he said. “I definitely think that we’ll take advantage of the rest of the OTAs and what we have left. But heading into minicamp will be big for us.
“It will be nice to be out there. It’s been a positive segment so far. Let’s finish this segment out well and go to the next one.”
The continued maturation of the young Indianapolis receiving corps — primarily T.Y. Hilton and LaVon Brazill — is also paramount.
“They’re going to be a big, big part of this offense,” Luck said. “They were a big part last year. They caught a lot of balls, a lot of big balls. For us to be productive, we’re going to have to have every man on the offensive side of the ball contribute.”
Through the final week of OTA practices, the Colts’ quarterback likes what’s transpired so far.
“We’re better. And we’ll continue to get better. We’re nowhere near perfect. I hope we wouldn’t be perfect right now. But we realize that we still have a lot of work to do,” Luck said.
As for Wayne, being one of the few veterans on the team remaining from Indianapolis’ long run of playoff appearances in the early and mid-2000s, he will be learning his third offense in the last three seasons.
“I’m still trying to figure it out,” Wayne said of Hamilton’s offensive system. “I’m still doing some of the things that I did last year. I’m still trying to figure some things out. But hopefully I can continue to build on what I did last year and show that it’s not time for me to hang it up yet.”
The Pro-Bowl receiver also wants to be a good example for guys like Hilton and Brazill.
“I’d like to see them just get better,” he said. “We don’t have room right now to stay the same. We want to see everybody continue to grow and get better.
“Build off what we did last year, as well as myself, but as a team. We’ve already set that bar so high, it’s going to be tough. But if anybody could do it, it’s the guys in this locker room.”
–Safety LaRon Landry, a veteran free agent pickup from the New York Jets, has not participated in the Colts’ OTA sessions. Landry has been working out on his own, but is expected to take part in the team’s mandatory minicamp next week.