Witt healthy for Colts' offseason program

By JASON JUNO

sports@yourdailyglobe.com

Indianapolis Colts offensive tackle Jake Witt is back for his second offseason program, fully healthy and ready to go after a hip injury ended his rookie season before it started.

Witt was drafted in the seventh round last April then completed the off-season program and part of training camp before landing on the season-ending injured reserve.

That injury is in the rearview mirror, though, and the Ewen-Trout Creek graduate is ready to earn a spot on the roster.

Witt was officially cleared during exit physicals earlier this year. He’s been training in the city with the team’s strength and nutrition staffs over the last couple of months to get ready for the offseason program that started last week and continues in phases through early June.

“I feel better than I did before honestly,” Witt said after Monday morning’s team activities. “With the injury I had, there was some just genetic things that predisposed me to that injury. So they went in and cleared those up. My hip feels better than it did before and there will be no issues with the hip compared to that previous injury that I did have.”

Even though Witt has yet to play in a game because of that injury, he’s not a rookie anymore. Besides just going through an offseason program before, he was on the sidelines for all of the home games, he was in the meetings, he was part of the team.

This year’s program is a chance to get back to work with his teammates again, and focus on the “physical portion of playing the tackle position,” he said.

“I think that experience of at least being able to be on the sidelines and spend an entire season with the team, seeing how they prepare on and off the field every week, knowing what to expect, and how veterans act during the week is big for me now,” Witt said. “I can go into this season, this offseason, with that much more experience off the field and in the playbook. Obviously I didn’t play at all on the field, but I’m confident that my physical abilities combined with our great coach, Tony Sparano, he’s going to put me in good positions to succeed this offseason. I’m excited to see what happens.”

Going into it with a clear mind can’t hurt either. He doesn’t have to worry about getting drafted, adjusting to a new city and a new team, or being a rookie. Witt can have one singular focus now, football.

“It’s a lot easier just for me to learn the playbook, to learn the position this year because I’m not a rookie,” Witt said. “I don’t have rookie duties to do anymore, that’s all behind me now. Combine that with the off-the-field experience I had last year — being on the sideline and learning the playbook through the entire year, I was in every single meeting we had still. That was all super beneficial to where I can just focus on learning my position and not have to worry about any of that extra stuff.”

The Colts had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL last year — Pro Football Focus ranked them third in the NFL at the end of the regular season — and the entire unit is returning for the 2024 season. Witt can still provide depth on the line and take advantage of any opportunity that arises. In the meantime, it’s possible his first action could come on special teams.

While nothing is guaranteed in the NFL. the fact the Colts stuck with him through his injury shows that is all realistic.

“Our offensive line coach, coach Tony Sparano Jr., he’s fantastic,” Witt said, “and he, throughout the whole process, was telling me that he’s super excited to get me back and that there’s a very big spot for me in that offensive line room and he’s excited to see what we can do. All the players have been very encouraging as well. It’s very telling. And for me, it pushes me as well. They kept me through the injury when they could have just waived me and gone on with their business. But they kept me. I think since they drafted me as a developmental guy, I think that they’re going to be a little bit more lenient with those things because they want to see it out, see what I can do on the field.”

Witt didn’t have a ton of experience at tackle, only picking it up late in his second-to-last season at Northern Michigan University. But he excelled at it in a short period of time, blew scouts away with his athleticism for someone with a 6-foot-7, 300--pound frame, and was drafted.

As this year’s draft in Detroit nears — it starts tonight — a lot of memories come back to Witt, who is happy not to be going through that process again.

“Last year at this time, I didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “There was so much uncertainty, there was a lot of stress and anxiety, too. We were taking multiple calls every single day, we were doing private workouts at this time, right before the draft. Looking back on it now, I’m at the facility and I see people coming for their 30 visits, I hear the trainers talking about the private workouts, all that kind of stuff. It’s crazy that was a year ago for me. But it definitely is weird looking at it, remembering how stressed and anxious I was at that time. It’s kinda cool to look back, but it’s also kinda nice that I don’t have to worry about that process again.”

Witt is currently in the first phase of the Colts’ offseason program, which includes only meetings and strength and conditioning work, according to the Colts’ website. After that two-week session, the three-week phase two can also include walkthrough-speed drills. Drills that pit the offense against the defense are not allowed, however.

Phase three takes up the last four weeks and incorporates OTAs and a mandatory veteran minicamp. All of the other off-season programs are voluntary, even though just about everyone takes part, Witt said.

There’s a lot of buzz around sports in Indianapolis. The Colts just missed the playoffs despite quarterback Anthony Richardson’s injury, coming up just short in the final game. The Indiana Pacers are taking on the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Playoffs. And of course, Caitlin Clark was picked first in the WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever.

“We as a team had a winning record last season, we were 15 yards from winning our division, making playoffs, which is the first time that’s happened in a few years for the team, so everyone’s excited about that. Everyone’s excited about the Pacers making playoffs, they’re playing good basketball,” Witt said. “I think the most exciting thing everyone’s excited about is Caitlin Clark getting drafted to the Fever. She’s probably the biggest athlete in sports right now, the athlete that has the most buzz. We’re excited for her. I can’t wait to make it out, see her play.

“...She’s the biggest draw in basketball, regardless of men’s and women’s right now, and that’s awesome, awesome for women’s sports and awesome for the city of Indianapolis, too.”

The Colts’ schedule hasn’t been released. They know who they’ll play, though, and that includes a run through the NFC North. They host Detroit and Chicago and travel to Green Bay and Minnesota.