All Donald Brown really wanted was to get into training camp on time and get to work.
On Monday, the Indianapolis Colts’ first-round pick accomplished both goals.
Now the rookie running back from Connecticut must prove he can master the Colts offense, understand the maze of audibles and prove to coaches that he deserves playing time.
“Having guys like Joe (Addai) and Peyton (Manning) and Reggie (Wayne) helps a lot,” he said. “I think practice went. I think I made a couple of mistakes but you have to learn from them.”
Brown reported to training camp with the rest of his teammates Sunday after agreeing to contract terms. Brown, the last of Indy’s eight draft picks to sign, agreed to his deal before Monday morning’s practice. That gave him the opportunity to get on the field on time, too.
Financial details were not available; the team typically signs first-round picks to five-year deals.
New coach Jim Caldwell appreciated Brown’s timing.
“One of the things you can’t discount is to be able to start our first day without any distractions,” Caldwell said. “Donald Brown is a guy we expect to move quickly, so it’s good to see him in pads.”
Apparently, Addai, the one-time Pro Bowler, is helping Brown get acclimated.
“When I first got here, I talked to Edgerrin (James) and I was behind Dominic (Rhodes), so you have to be a teacher no matter what,” Addai said. “It happens. It’s a team thing.”
HOLD THE MAIL: Peyton Manning hasn’t bid farewell to Brett Favre yet.
And he doesn’t sound completely convinced that Favre is finished with football.
The Colts quarterback, who has started all 191 career games including playoffs — the second-longest streak to Favre’s 291 — likes to send retiring quarterbacks a letter. Favre’s isn’t even in the mail yet.
“I haven’t had much contact with him and have been following it from afar, and if it is really over then maybe I’ll have a comment or two,” he said. “But I’ll wait till that first regular game to see what happens.”
To put the starting streak in context, Manning would have to start another six full seasons — and one playoff game — to tie Favre’s streak. Manning is 33.
THE SMELL: Jeff Saturday, like most players, would prefer having the comforts of home around training camp.
But getting away has its advantages, too.
The Colts Pro Bowl center said Sunday that when he arrived at training camp that there’s nothing like the smell of football in the air.
“As far as the football side goes there is nothing better,” he said. “The smell of the grass, the early morning dew, all those things that people talk about and read about — that is all true. The smell of the pads and the helmet and the cracking and the noise, that is what I get excited for.”
Fortunately for Saturday and the Colts, the typical hot days at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology have not appeared yet. Monday morning’s practice was cool, and temperatures rose to 82 degrees for Monday afternoon’s second workout.
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