Indianapolis Colts Training Camp: 5 Early Storylines to Watch

As the Indianapolis Colts head for their 2015 training camp, fans' eyes are on a number of tantalizing topics.

With the Colts reaching the AFC Championship Game last season, expectations are raised, both nationally and locally. The Colts are regarded as one of the AFC favorites for good reason, even Super Bowl favorites for some.

But if the Colts are going to reach their grandiose goals for 2015, it will begin in training camp, as the team attempts to get the veterans motivated and the rookies acclimated. The Colts have generally had strong offseason sessions, but that doesn't make them any less intriguing. 

So what should we, and the Colts, be looking for when training camp kicks off in a few weeks? 

How Much Impact Can the Rookies Make?

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One of the lesser-known factors in the 2014 Colts success was several rookies immediate impact.

Despite the team's lack of a first-round pick, there were numerous rookies who produced in key moments for Indianapolis.

Second-round pick Jack Mewhort took over the starting left guard spot in training camp and held a starting position all year. His versatility and first-year production make him one of the few bright spots on the offensive line.

Third-round pick Donte Moncrief was the Colts' second-best wide receiver as a rookie, as Hakeem Nicks disappointed and Reggie Wayne's body broke down. Moncrief was very efficient and scored a postseason touchdown against the Bengals.

Fifth-round pick Jonathan Newsome turned into the Colts' best pass-rusher by the end of the season and had a critical sack of Peyton Manning in the playoffs.

Now, in 2015, the Colts had their biggest rookie class of the Grigson era with eight draft picks. Which of them will contribute most in 2015? The Colts have more solid veteran depth than in the past, so they don't necessarily need the rookies to be great, but there will be key moments where rookie production is crucial.

Will it be explosive first-round pick Phillip Dorsett bringing the offense to a different level? Will it be cornerback D'Joun Smith or safety Clayton Geathers playing their way into the secondary rotation? Maybe it will be Henry Anderson providing a boost on the defensive line.

No matter who it is, the Colts will greatly welcome their presence. The team is lacking in young cornerstone pieces, and the 2015 class could be a key source for future candidates.

Integrating the Additions

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The Colts have had active offseasons over the last few years, with Ryan Grigson being unafraid to sign numerous free agents at various prices and make franchise-altering trades at the drop of a hat.

But aside from perhaps the ill-advised Trent Richardson trade, nothing put the national media in a tizzy quite like signing veterans Frank Gore and Andre Johnson (and, to a lesser extent, Trent Cole) did this spring. It was a big change for Grigson, who went from taking chances on lesser-known players (Ricky Jean Francois, Greg Toler, Donald Thomas, etc.) to signing older veterans with proven pedigrees.

While some would say the aforementioned studs' ages are too much to risk, Grigson and cap expert Mike Bluem structured these contracts so that very little is risked beyond 2015.

But will so much age already behind these players, there is pressure to perform right away. This is no long-term investment. Gore, Johnson, Cole and Todd Herremans are here to win right now. That means the skill players' integration into the offensive system, Cole's spot in the pass-rusher rotation and Herremans' fit on a teetering offensive line all must be figured out immediately.

This is where training camp and preseason will be critical and where the Colts must be focusing this August.

Stick with the Strengths

Mark Zaleski/Associated Press

Frank Gore's aforementioned signing should be a big boost for Indianapolis' running game for a number of reasons, but the first and most important reason is very simple: He's not Trent Richardson. Rotoworld's Evan Silva provided ypc averages for Colts receivers:

"

Yards-per-carry averages of #Colts RBs the last 2 years: Donald Brown 5.26 Ahmad Bradshaw 4.66 Dan Herron 4.63 Trent Richardson 3.09

— Evan Silva (@evansilva) July 17, 2015"

Every back in Indianapolis, save Richardson, has been able to have success, so Gore should soon join that club, and the Colts having a bell-cow back not named Richardson should be a tremendous increase in effectiveness.

Still, the Colts shouldn't be tempted to change who they are because of this. Yes, the Colts need to be able to run the ball better. That does not mean they need to run the ball more. The reason the Colts can be effective running the ball is because they pass the ball so often.

Andrew Luck and his incredible arsenal of pass-catchers must still be the core of the Colts offense. Gore and the run game will be a good complement, but Luck is the main attraction. If Pep Hamilton tries to take the ball out of Luck's hands again like he did to start 2013, it will be to Luck and the offense's detriment.

Let Luck establish the pass in order to open up lanes to run. Let Luck pass to get ahead and let Gore run to close the game. It will also have the effect of saving Gore's legs for the playoffs.

It's highly probable that Hamilton will put his weapons in the best position to succeed this season, but it's still something to watch in training camp and the preseason.

Healthy Bodies for Pass-Rushers

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Robert Mathis told Mike Wells of ESPN.com back in June that he's probably not going to be ready for training camp, but that he wants to be ready for Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills.

The Colts certainly hope so.

Indianapolis was in the top 10 in sacks last season without Mathis, but it had to rely on blitzing much more. According to Pro Football Focus, the Colts blitzed on more than 41 percent of plays in 2014, the third-most in the league. While blitzing in itself isn't bad, the analytics site only had the Colts as the 25th-most effective team at getting pressure when blitzing, and 31st at getting pressure without the blitz.

That's down from 19th without blitzing in 2013 and 15th with blitzing, according to PFF, both of which came with Robert Mathis in the lineup, of course.

The Colts desperately need more potency rushing the passer, and if Mathis is healthy, it makes a huge difference. Even if Mathis isn't at 2013 levels (remember, he was a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate), he can still change things.

Watch for Mathis to get healthy as August goes on, and don't forget to keep an eye on newly signed Trent Cole as well.

Defensive Difference?

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Is this the year that Chuck Pagano's defense finally shows up?

The Colts hired Pagano to bring a tough, defensive mindset to the Colts, assuming that Luck and the offensive coordinator (Bruce Arians at the time, now Pep Hamilton) could take care of the offense.

Well, the offense has been taken care of. The defense?

Let's just say there is still work to be done.

There have been glimpses, certainly. The 2013 win over San Francisco. Wins over Baltimore and Cincinnati in 2014. Both playoff wins this past January.

But just as often as the glimpses of brilliance have been the glaring, disastrous flops. Both playoff games in 2013. Losses to New England (twice), Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Dallas in 2014.

For the Colts to make a Super Bowl run, they'll need the defense to at least be consistent. Consistent mediocrity is better than swinging from very good to horrifying. Luck and the offense can overcome mediocrity.

There are a number of key additions on defense this season, all of which will need to find their fit. This will be the key for the Colts coaches in training camp.

How does Henry Anderson fit in a rotation with Kendall Langford at 5-technique defensive end? How do the veterans get repetitions at outside linebacker while also keeping their workload light? What exactly is D'Joun Smith's and Clayton Geathers' roles in the secondary? Is Nate Irving more than just a run specialist?

If the Colts can begin to figure these things out in training camp, they may be on their way to a different kind of defense.