Indianapolis signs 1st-round draft pick Phillip Dorsett

By foxsports
Published

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Receiver Phillip Dorsett has a lot of work to do this offseason.

First, he needs to learn the Colts' playbook, then he wants to develop a rapport with Andrew Luck, and only then will he ponder how to spend his first big paycheck.

As the Colts conducted another offseason workout Wednesday, the former Miami star became the NFL's newest millionaire. Terms of the deal were not released by the team, but under the rookie cap, it will be for four years somewhere between the $8.7 million Baltimore's Breshad Perriman got and the $7.7 million given to New Orleans' Stephone Anthony. Perriman was drafted No. 26 overall, Dorsett went No. 29 and Anthony was taken 31st.

The Colts also have a fifth-year option.

''Straight to the bank,'' Dorsett said with a laugh when asked how he would spend the money. ''Honestly, I don't know what I'm going to do once I get it. It's going right into the bank account.''

Indianapolis plans to cash in on its surprise investment, too.

Most expected the Colts to fill more glaring needs on defense. Instead, they selected the fastest player in the draft.

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound speedster joins a receiving corps that already included Pro Bowler T.Y. Hilton, seven-time Pro Bowler Andre Johnson, emerging second-year player Donte Moncrief, and Duron Carter, the highly touted son of NFL Hall of Famer Cris Carter.

That should give Luck even more ammunition to stretch the field this season, and so far, the Colts like what they've seen in the light workouts.

''He's got rare, rare speed and burst. He's so smooth that he doesn't look like he's running until he's five yards past you,'' coach Chuck Pagano said, explaining that Dorsett has dropped only a handful of passes since arriving in town in early May for rookie camp.

Dorsett expects even more out of himself.

With the Hurricanes, he caught 121 passes for 2,132 yards and 17 touchdowns. Last season, he caught only 36 passes but finished with 871 yards and 10 TD catches. This year, he wants to prove the Colts can bank on him by catching everything thrown his direction.

''They don't give it (money) away for free. You definitely have to earn it and I'm glad I did,'' Dorsett said. ''All I can say is I'm blessed. I'm blessed.''

Six of Indianapolis' eight draft picks are now under contract. Everybody except the Colts' two third-round picks, cornerback D'Joun Smith and defensive tackle Henry Anderson, have signed.

Notes: The Colts have continued fine-tuning their roster this week by signing free agent cornerback Chance Casey and rookie free agent guard Will Corbin after putting cornerback Josh Mitchell on the waived-injured list. Mitchell will go on Indy's injured reserve list if he clears waivers. ... Indy also has released 6-foot-8, 294-pound offensive tackle Demarco Cox, who played basketball in college at Mississippi and then at Georgia Tech.

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