Colts’ head coach Shane Steichen said after Tuesday’s joint practice with the Bengals that tight Jelani Woods will be out for a while. Joel Erickson of the Indy Star then reported that Woods will undergo surgery on his toe.
Jelani Woods is expected to undergo surgery on his toe, according to a source.
— Joel A. Erickson (@JoelAErickson) August 20, 2024
Woods exited the Colts’ most recent preseason game against Arizona with a toe injury and did not return. A timetable for his return hasn’t been reported.
Woods is coming off a 2023 season in which he missed the entire year dealing with hamstring injuries.
In the passing game, Woods brings an impressive combination of size and speed to the tight end position that has the potential to make him a matchup problem over the middle. In the preseason snaps we saw from him, it also looks like he’s grown as a blocker.
However, from the sounds of it, that potential hasn’t been consistently recognized in training camp, with Erickson recently leaving Woods off of his 53-man roster prediction.
With the new IR rules this year, the Colts do not have to put Woods on the initial 53-man roster and then move him to injured reserve in order for him to return. He can be one of two players placed on injured reserve on cutdown day and still be eligible to return this season.