Report: Colts OG Jack Mewhort believed to have torn ACL

The offensive line of the Indianapolis Colts has long been an area of concern. Things just got worse, as offensive guard Jack Mewhort is believed to have torn his ACL during Sunday’s shootout against the Detroit Lions.

Since being selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, Mewhort has started 31 games. He was one of the strongest performers on a rather dismal line before this injury.

In addition to being a capable pass protector, Mewhort will be missed in the running game as well.

The Colts are razor thin in terms of talent on their offensive line. It looks like it might be up to rookie Joe Haeg, who was selected in the fifth round of this year’s draft, to take over.

Colts training camp: 5 hot topics

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The anticipation ramps up as each player arrives on the Anderson University campus Tuesday morning, carrying boxes stuffed with personal items, laptops/iPads and anything that might make the next three weeks more comfortable.

A dorm room is home-away-from-home until camp breaks Aug. 11 and the Colts complete their preseason preparation at their Indianapolis headquarters. Until then, the schedule calls for just 11 practices, all of which are open to the public free of charge. Players are on the field for the first time Wednesday.

As we head into yet another summer in Anderson, here are five hot topics we’ll be especially monitoring:

Who’s ready?

Several prominent players missed most or all of the team’s offseason work while recovering from surgery or an injury. The list includes defensive tackles Henry Anderson (knee) and Art Jones (ankle), wide receiver Donte Moncrief (toe), cornerback D’Joun Smith (knee), guard Hugh Thornton (unknown) and rookie linebackers Antonio Morrison (hamstring) and Curt Maggitt (hip).

A few of those, including Anderson, probably will open training camp on the physically unable to perform list while they complete the rehab process. But it’s important for Thornton and Smith to be ready ASAP. Thornton must mount a serious challenge to be the starting right guard. Smith’s rookie season was limited to four games by knee surgery and he encountered some type of setback during the offseason.

It will be interesting to see how the team handles Jones, who missed all of 2015 after undergoing ankle surgery in September. He has been suspended for the first four games of the regular season for violating the NFL’s performance enhancing substances policy, but is allowed to participate in all preseason activities, including games.

Summer rerun:

Yet again, no area will be under more scrutiny than the offensive line. And for good reason. Owner Jim Irsay made quarterback Andrew Luck the highest-paid player in NFL history with a five-year, $123 million extension, and he’s tired of watching the franchise’s most indispensible player getting roughed up behind a shoddy and ever-changing line.

Management took steps to ease the concerns of Irsay and the abuse of Luck by using four of its eight draft picks on offensive linemen. The last time one draft produced four offensive linemen: 1983, when the Colts still called Baltimore home.

Ryan Kelly was inserted into the center slot the second the team snatched him with the 18th overall pick in the draft. He’ll be Luck’s sixth starting center, and must provide interior stability.

The left side of the line is set with Anthony Castonzo at tackle and Jack Mewhort at guard, and Joe Reitz is the starting right tackle. But what of right guard? Thornton? Denzelle Good? Jon Harrison? And how quickly can the other three draft picks – Le’Raven Clark, Joe Haeg and Austin Blythe – get up to speed?

Stay tuned.

Again.

Making progress?:

A player normally makes his biggest jump from year 1 to year 2. That in mind, the Colts are expecting better things from members of the 2015 draft class: wide receiver Phillip Dorsett, safety Clayton Geathers, nose tackle David Parry, Anderson, Smith and Good.

Dorsett figures to draw the most attention. The first-round pick had a quiet debut (18 catches, 225 yards, one touchdown) while missing time with a broken leg and learning the system, but everyone is expecting so much more. The Colts likely will transition from a two-tight end offense to one featuring more three-receiver sets, but that will require Dorsett to handle a much heavier load while complementing T.Y. Hilton and Moncrief.

We’re most interested in whether Smith, a third-round pick, is full-go at the start of camp. Vontae Davis and Patrick Robinson are the starting cornerbacks, but Smith needs to push Darius Butler for the No. 3 spot.

Where’s the rush?:

At the risk of really angering Robert Mathis, we’ll keep asking that question until the Colts adequately answer it.

Even at 35 and in his 14th season, we expect Mathis to tack up a double-digit sack season. He’s another year removed from the Achilles injury, and motivated to once again prove his doubters wrong. But after that, we wonder. The list of pass-rush threats includes Trent Cole, who equaled a career-low with 3 sacks last year; Erik Walden, whose primary responsibility is holding the edge against the run; seventh-round pick Trevor Bates; and Curt Maggitt and Ron Thompson, a pair of undrafted rookies.

Again, where’s the rush?

Depth concerns:

A few areas catch our eye.

Of the 12 receivers on the camp roster, five are rookies, one (Josh Stangby) has never played in an NFL game and another (Quan Bray) has yet to catch an NFL pass.

Hilton, Moncrief and Dorsett could be an exciting trio. But it’s going to take four or five legitimate receivers if coordinator Rob Chudzinski is going to make liberal use of three-receiver sets.

At safety, Mike Adams’ resume includes 175 games and 102 starts. The other six share 66 games and seven starts. Three are rookies.

At tight end, Dwayne Allen and Jack Doyle sit atop the depth chart. Behind them: Erik Swoope, who’s been marinating on the practice squad the past two seasons and has appeared in one game; undrafted rookies Mike Miller and Darion Griswold; and recently-signed Emil Igwenagu, who might be a fullback prospect.

Colts to report to training camp July 26

ANDERSON -- The Indianapolis Colts will report to Anderson University on Tuesday, July 26, for the team's annual training camp.

It's the seventh straight year AU has hosted the Colts for camp.

With players reporting on July 26, the first practice is scheduled for Wednesday, July 27. 

The Colts will break camp on Thursday, Aug. 11, after just one preseason game, the Hall of Fame Game against the Green Bay Packers on Aug. 7.

The rest of the camp schedule is expected to be released some time this week.

Colts Hugh Thornton Hoping that Being Trimmer Leads to Better Blocking

According to Colts.com’s Kevin Bowen, Indianapolis Colts offensive guard Hugh Thornton has ‘slimmed and trimmed’ down this offseason, as he’s shed his weight from 324 to 315 pounds:

“Thornton, a guy has previously been listed at 336 and 324 pounds with the Colts, dropped all the way down to the 300-pound mark earlier this offseason. He says he’s around 315 pounds now,” writes Bowen. 

“This is probably the best I’ve felt in a long time,” Thornton says. “Going back to college, high school, probably just the most well-rounded—physically, mentally, spiritually. I’m just in a great place and I’m excited to see how this transformation is going to take place on the field.”

“In dropping the weight, Thornton decided earlier this offseason such a change was necessary,” added Bowen. 

“Slim and trim,” is how Thornton describes his new look in 2016.

If nothing else, the Colts offensive line’s physique just got collectively better if ESPN ever decides to take another shoot for their “body magazine” again (*shudders*, but somewhere Jack Mewhort is smiling).

Jokes aside, the former 2013 3rd round pick has looked as good as he ever has in a Colts uniform–or sleeveless “T” for that matter these days:

There’s no question that Thornton has been plagued by both injuries and inconsistency in 3 seasons with the Colts in which he’s made 32 career starts. While he has at times shown flashes of his potential, it simply hasn’t been consistent or often enough.

With his starting right guard job up for grabs and entering the last year of his Colts contract, it makes sense that Thornton is entering this offseason in the best shape of his professional career.

Simply put, this could be a make-or-break year for the 4th-year veteran and ultimately decide whether he’ll remain a Colt or be forced to pursue his professional career elsewhere.

While Thornton has his fair share of critics, he still apparently has strong support in Colts owner Jim Irsay, who apparently believes that the young offensive lineman can still become a high end starting guard for the team:

“(Hugh) Thornton has all the capabilities of being an outstanding guard in this league, but he has to stay healthy and he has to mentally make sure that he does everything to prepare himself and avoid penalties on the field,” said Irsay earlier this offseason via the IndyStar’s Stephen Holder. 

One thing that Thornton still does have going for him is youth, as he’ll turn 25 years old in June and theoretically may have time for further development.

Perhaps under the tutelage of new offensive line coach Joe Philbin, who’s been highly regarded for his teaching methods, Thornton can finally reach his full potential:

“Just being in meetings with him and obviously Phase 2 started this week, having the chance to see how he coaches and the style and the passion that he brings to the field I think is going to be great for us,” said Thornton recently regarding Philbin. 

Maybe even the Colts scheme change to more of a zone-blocking system will serve the young offensive guard well, who should be noticeably lighter on his feet.

There’s talent there after all that once made Thornton such an early round selection by the Colts.

For Thornton’s sake, time is of the essence to tap it however.

The Colts brought in four new offensive lineman in this year’s NFL Draft and already cut ties with another early round underachieving offensive lineman, Khaled Holmes(their 2013 4th round pick), recently this offseason.

With last year’s starting center Jonotthan Harrison potentially transitioning to the right guard position and a new batch of rookie bodies (as well as perhaps holdoverJoe Reitz) in the mix, and there appears to be much more competition than ever before at Thornton’s starting right guard position.

Certainly much more than departed veteran offensive guards Lance Louis or Todd Herremans ever provided for Thornton in recent seasons.

That being said, a “trimmer and slimmer” Thornton is clearly taking this offseason seriously and putting himself in the best position he can to maintain his starting right guard job in what is shaping up to be a pretty healthy competition this offseason.

Buckeye Cruise for Cancer: Fun with a serious purpose

We recently returned from the Buckeye Cruise for Cancer. It was the ninth cruise and our eighth; many of us return each year because we have been affected by cancer and want to see it eliminated.

Being an avid Buckeye fan doesn't hurt, either!

The Cruise raised more than $1.7 million this year. The proceeds over the years have funded many projects. For instance, we helped furnish the rehab exercise room at the Stefanie Spielman Center. We have also purchased a mass spectrometer and a high-powered microscope to be used in research.

The athletes participate in the event willingly and give their time throughout the year. They attend various fundraisers and put up with all our requests for pictures. One year, three athletes paid for a family to go on the cruise because their seriously ill child told them that she wanted to go.

Several athletes participate in the Second and Seven Foundation, which works to promote literacy with economically disadvantaged kids. Others visit classrooms to encourage children to work hard, listen and stay in school. Jack Mewhort (a Buckeye and presently an Indianapolis Colt) recently visited our daughter's classroom in Indianapolis. He spent time answering their questions and encouraging them to be the best they can be.

Buckeye fans should be proud of the great things these athletes do for their community. Next year will be the tenth anniversary of the Buckeye Cruise. If you have ever thought of going, 2017 might be the year.

Speaking of community, SCOR has begun a drive to help Helping Hands, Reynoldsburg's local food pantry. We recently collected 200 bars of soap. We are currently collecting 200 tubes of toothpaste and toothbrushes. We are excited about this drive and the fact we are giving back to our community.

Here's what's going on in April:

* Thursday, April 7: At 9 a.m. is the second Men's Golf Meeting. Also, at 11:15 a.m., Arley Owens with Keep Reynoldsburg Beautiful will discuss what we can do to keep our community looking its best.

* Friday, April 8: We will attend SRO's presentation of Sweeney Todd.

* Saturday, April 9: the community celebration of Tartan Day.

* Wednesday, April 13: We will attend Fiddler on the Roof at Otterbein Theater. At 2 p.m., Franklin County Auditor Clarence Mingo will discuss the Homestead exemption program. Call the office at 614-866-5890 to reserve your spot.

* Friday, April 15: At 9 a.m., attorney James Hardgrove will present a discussion of the surviving spouse's rights in an estate.

* Thursday, April 21 at 9 a.m.: Shoes-4-Diabetics will conduct a shoe clinic for diabetics on Medicare and private insurance. Call the office to schedule an appointment.

* Wednesday, April 27 at 8 a.m.: We will depart for Sculpted Neon: The Artistic Side of Cincinnati. Call the office if you are interested.

* Friday, April 29 at 10:45 a.m.: We will meet, look over the movie options and head off to the movies and lunch.

Go Bucks --- beat cancer!

Debbie Mullarkey is a Reynoldsburg resident, a retired teacher and a longtime member of the Senior Citizens of Reynoldsburg.

NFL Mock Draft 2016: Another mock draft has Colts taking offensive lineman Taylor Decker

Another mock draft, another projected offensive lineman for the Colts in the first round.

I's Monday, and for two teams that means celebrating conference title game victories.  But for everyone not named the Broncos or the Panthers, the offseason is underway, and Monday is a time to look at mock drafts to see what people are predicting each team to do in the 2016 NFL Draft.

For the Indianapolis Colts, almost everybody has them taking an offensive lineman in the first round of mock drafts, and that continues today.  SB Nation's Dan Kadar has his most recent mock draft up where he has the Colts taking Ohio State offensive tackle Taylor Decker with the 18th overall pick.

The offensive line for the Colts still isn't completely figured out. Decker can play either tackle spot, so that versatility would go a long way in making the fix. A playmaking running back like Ohio State's Ezekiel Elliott would be a difference making option, too.

Kadar lists other potential options for each team in his most recent mock draft, and in addition to Decker, Kadar mentions Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliot and Michigan State offensive tackle Jack Conklin.

Decker is a very popular pick for the Colts in mock drafts right now, as it seems like he's the one who has been projected to the Colts the most in the early stages of the draft process.  The 6-7, 315 pound lineman was a three-year starter for Ohio State at left tackle, playing in 54 career games and starting 42.  He was a first-team All-American in 2015 and won a National Championship as a junior in 2014.  Though he was primarily a left tackle in college, he has the skills to play at either tackle spot in the NFL, which is a luxury and something the Colts would surely value.

If taken by the Colts, Decker would likely start at right tackle, taking the place of Joe Reitz (who could then either move to guard or be a backup for pretty much the entire line).  With Anthony Castonzo and Jack Mewhort already in place as young building blocks along the line, adding another one in Decker could be a big benefit.  There's still a long way to go before the NFL Draft, but the early mock drafts are all pointing to one thing: offensive line help for the Colts in the first round.

Playoffs have shown Colts the importance of a good offensive line

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts spent the season watching their quarterbacks consistently take a pounding from defensive players. In addition, running back Frank Gore was hit behind the line of scrimmage more than he should have been because of poor offensive line play.

The first step in attempting to improve the offensive line took place when head coach Chuck Pagano hired former Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin to coach the offensive line. Philbin has experience coaching offensive linemen from his days with the Green Bay Packers.

“They are the heart and soul of the football team, especially on the offensive side of the ball,” Philbin recently told Colts.com. “They kind of dictate the tempo of the team. As you know, we’ve got some outstanding skill players here in Indianapolis. Very, very fortunate [to have them]. It’s the O-line’s job to let those guys make plays in a game, when it counts. You have to be unselfish. There is a great coordination that has to take place with the offensive line working together.”

If giving up 37 sacks and 118 quarterbacks hits, which was second in the NFL, wasn’t proof enough, all the Colts had to do was look at the NFC Championship Game to get further validation of the importance of having a good offensive line.

Lost in the dominating performance of their defense was the Carolina Panthers’ ability to protect quarterback Cam Newton, who was only sacked one time. They also rushed for 144 yards on the ground against the Arizona Cardinals.

It doesn’t matter how many skill position players Colts quarterback Andrew Luck has around him if the offensive line can’t give him a clean pocket. New England quarterback Tom Brady found that out when the Denver Broncos hit him 23 times in the AFC Championship Game.

The Colts have to get tougher and better overall up front. At this point, you can probably say left tackle Anthony Castonzo and guard Jack Mewhort are the only two returning offensive linemen expected to start next season barring an injury. The other three positions on the line are up for grabs.