INDIANAPOLIS -- The start of the Indianapolis Colts training camp at Anderson (Ind.) University is less than three weeks away.
There's been plenty of hype -- and deservingly so -- surrounding the additions the Colts made during the offseason. On the flip side, there are several players -- and a head coach -- who have plenty of pressure on them next season. It could because they're in their final year of a contract, they've failed to live up to expectations or because they have a teammate breathing down their neck for their starting spot.
We started looking at the players with the most pressure prior to my vacation last week. Running back Vick Ballard (No. 10), guard Donald Thomas (No. 9) and defensive lineman Josh Chapman (No. 7) started the top-10 rankings.
We continue with:
No. 7 OL Hugh Thornton
Why the pressure: The Colts have shown patience with Thornton, who they selected in the third round of the 2013 draft, but that patience is running out. The Colts have the depth at guard now that allows them to not wait around for Thornton. Jack Mewhort (if he's not starting at right tackle) and Todd Herremans will likely be the starting guards in Week 1 at Buffalo barring any injuries. But if Mewhort does end up starting at right tackle, Thornton will find himself in competition with Lance Louis, who got the majority of the first-team snaps at left guard during offseason workouts, for the starting spot. The Colts also have Donald Thomas, Ben Heenan and Joe Reitz at guard, so Thornton has his work cut out for him.
What he has to do: Stay healthy and be consistent. Sounds easy, right? Not if your name is Hugh Thornton. He missed five games last season because of injuries and his lack of consistency has been frustrating for the Colts, especially when you take into consideration that he's started 20 games the past two seasons. The ongoing mental errors have to stop for Thornton. Or else he'll be spending the majority of his time on the sideline watching.
Quotable: “My goal last year, and anybody's goal, is to play consistent, but when you're physically unable it hinders your consistency on a week-to-week basis. The biggest thing is to stay healthy and focus on the fundamentals and do my job to the best of my abilities.” --Thornton
