Erik Swoope making strides

As Erik Swoope enters his second season with the Indianapolis Colts, it may be time to stop thinking him as a former college basketball player. 

Instead, head coach Chuck Pagano says Swoope is blossoming into an NFL tight end.

"He's doing a nice job," Pagano told reporters Wednesday, according to Stampede Blue.  "He's turning into a football player right before our eyes.  The guy is a hard worker.  He's got talent.  He can run.  He's got a big catch radius.  He understands things obviously better now than he ever has, so he's able to play faster like I mentioned before.  He's making plays."

Swoope, who signed with the Colts after playing basketball at the University of Miami, spent last season on the team's practice squad. It was his first season playing organized football.

While Pagano said the progress has been evident, he stressed Swoope still has more to do to earn a roster spot.

"Like we tell all those guys, and I mentioned it when we first got together in here and even after the draft, they've got to find a way to become necessary and make it to where as a coaching staff, we sit back and we say at the end of the day, ‘We've got to have this guy.' 

"Again, it'll be with all those guys that are fighting for roster spots, special teams are going to play a major role in that as well.  Until we get the pads on though, we could all dress out and look pretty good out there right now. Most of us."


(foxsports.com)