A week into training camp, the Indianapolis Colts have already seen a pair of key offensive players lost for the entirety of the 2014 season.
Following major injuries to running back Vick Ballard and left guard Donald Thomas, coordinator Pep Hamilton emphasized Friday that the Colts are simply trying to survive the NFL's "war of attrition."
It just so happens that those two positions were already among the question marks preventing the Colts from joining the Broncos and Patriots as the AFC's superpowers.
Unless the Colts find solutions in the backfield, on the interior of the offensive line and throughout a defense that lacked backbone in last year's playoffs, they will be in danger of ceding even more ground as one of 26 have-nots.
Here's what else you need to know from Friday's training camps:
- The Colts aren't the only team losing the early battles in the war of attrition. At this point, the Dolphinscan't count onKnowshon Moreno giving Lamar Miller a serious run for the starting running back job.
- Jim Harbaugh said wide receivers Michael Crabtree and Brandon Lloydcould miss a week or two while working through minor injuries. Similarly, the Jaguars have lost rookie wideout Allen Robinson for a couple of weeks due to a hamstring injury.
- The Texans have a pair of stars nicked up. Andre Johnson hasn't practiced since pulling his hamstring on Monday, and Arian Foster is "day-to-day" with an undisclosed injury that was downplayed by coach Bill O'Brien.
- Packers fifth-round rookie wide receiver Jared Abbrederis is undergoing tests for a knee injury that the team reportedly fears is serious. Per NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, however, that concern is "premature."
- Not so fast on Brady Quinnleaving the NFL to work as a FOX Sports analyst. The free agent quarterback reportedly worked out for the Patriots on Monday and has a clause in his broadcasting contract that will allow him to leave if he can resume his playing career.
- The $1.5 million in converted bonuses and incentives that Marshawn Lynch received to end his one-week holdout? That offer had been on the table since May. Lynch was reportedly angling for $5 million more than the Seahawks ultimately surrendered.
- Tight end Zach Ertz and running back Ronnie Hillman are poised for expanded roles with the Eaglesand Broncos, respectively.
- All signs are positive in Derrick Morgan's transition from defensive end to outside linebacker in Ray Horton's Titans defense.
- Defensive end Jarvis Jenkins is having a similarly excellent camp for the Redskins. We might have been a year premature on his breakout.
- Idiot Wind is blowing through the defensive backfield in Philadelphia again.
- Quote of the day, courtesy of Vikings wide receiver Greg Jennings: "At some point, I'm going to tell my kids I played with Cordarrelle Patterson."
- Quote of the day II, courtesy of Steve Smith in response to a fan asking why he wasn't practicing: "I beat the defense up, so they wanted to give me the day off."
The latest Around The League Podcast breaks down Marshawn Lynch's belated arrival at Seahawks camp and debates which active NFL players are first-ballot locks for the Hall of Fame.
