Colts call on The Red Hulk
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Red Hulk.
Chances are that strong safety LaRon Landry wouldn't mind using that for a nickname as he begins his first season as a member of the Indianapolis Colts' retooled secondary.
Landry's prized possession, which sits on the top shelf of his locker, is a red Incredible Hulk figurine. He has had it since his college days at Louisiana State and the former Bayou Bengal defender has taken it every place he has played in the NFL, including previous stops with the Washington Redskins and the New York Jets.
Now it's Indianapolis and the hard-hitting safety with the body-builder physique admits that the Hulk character is a good fit for his on-field demeanor.
"That's my guy. That's my alter ego," Landry said Tuesday before taking the field for his first full-scale minicamp practice with the Colts.
He missed the team's three-week organized team activity sessions, which concluded last week, opting instead to work out on his own in Scottsdale, Ariz.
"My trainer and my whole medical staff (are located in Scottsdale)," he explained, adding that he and veteran Indianapolis free safety Antoine Bethea shouldn't have any issues forming a strong bond.
"I worked out with him in Arizona anyway. We have a familiar background with each other. I've been knowing him for a while. So it's like a brotherhood back there, I reckon. The chemistry is going to go well."
Many Indianapolis fans have questioned why Landry decided to skip the OTA workouts, especially since he was joining a new team with a somewhat different defensive system than he was used to playing with the Jets.
He understands the concerns, but isn't worried about learning the intricacies of the Colts' 3-4 hybrid package.
"I'm giving 110 percent all the time. I'll do anything to help my team win. Anything. So that's what they're going to get from me. Put me in the front line and I'm doing it for the guys behind me," Landry offered.
"Coming off (a right hamstring injury suffered in 2011, ironically in a game against Indianapolis), I just wanted to make sure everything was fine. Last year was my first time that I completed a full season in the past three years. I had that Achilles' injury that I went through two years in a row. Last year, I participated in a full season and went to the Pro Bowl."
Colts coach Chuck Pagano came away from Tuesday's practice impressed by what he saw from Landry.
"You could tell he had been studying that stuff (his playbook)," Pagano said. "He had a great first day.
"His arms are bigger than anybody on the planet. He looks like The Incredible Hulk. We know he can run all day."
