Tag: colts injury updates

Jelani Woods looks like man on a mission in workout video

Jelani Woods shows off some real progress.

Indianapolis Colts tight end Jelani Woods lost the entire 2023 season dealing with nagging hamstring injuries, but he appears to be on track to making an impact in 2024.

His absence was nothing short of disappointing considering the explosiveness he brings to the offense. Not being able to see what he looked like in Shane Steichen’s offense was a major letdown.

But a workout video he posted Wednesday should give Colts fans a little hope that we’ll see him on the field in 2024.

The uber-athletic tight end posted some medicine ball workouts emphasizing explosiveness and body control. It’s easy to forget how mammoth of a person Woods is after not seeing him for an entire season.

Woods posted a 25-312-3 receiving line on 40 targets during his rookie season, showcasing some immense explosiveness despite a limited role.

The Colts are likely to address the tight end position one way or another during the 2024 offseason, but this development should bring a sliver of hope for Woods’ return after a long absence.

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Colts HC provides update on Anthony Richardson’s rehab

Anthony Richardson is ‘making great progress’

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson continues to work his way back from shoulder surgery that claimed the majority of his rookie season, and the updates seem all positive.

After missing the typical press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine due to an illness, head coach Shane Steichen met with the media Tuesday in order to make up for the absence.

Without going into great detail, as expected, Steichen offered some positive news on Richardson’s rehab program.

“He’s been doing a little bit of both. He’s been here (Indy), he’s been in Florida doing his rehab. But he’s making great progress. You guys have seen obviously through social media, he’s throwing,” Steichen said. “I’m not going to put a timetable on his return, but he’s in great spirits, feeling good. Obviously, going through stuff but he’s making really, really good progress.”

Whether Richardson will be ready for the start of the spring workouts in April remains to be seen. Steichen offered some hope that could be the case during the 2023 regular season, but a lot of time has passed since then.

The No. 4 overall pick from last year’s draft showed immense promise both as a passer and a runner despite the small sample size. He’s far from a finished product, but the fact that he didn’t look overwhelmed in the slightest is extremely encouraging.

The likelihood of having a strong supporting cast around him increased this week as well. The Colts used the franchise tag on top wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. with the expectation of signing a long-term deal.

“When you have a reliable player like Pitt (Michael Pittman Jr.) that is going to show up every Sunday and make plays like he does, it definitely helps a young quarterback,” said SteichenTo keep getting that chemistry with those two guys, building, will be huge for Anthony’s (Richardson) growth.”

The Colts won’t begin spring workouts until the middle of April, and the on-field work doesn’t come until after the 2024 NFL draft.

But it all seems positive for Richardson as he continues his rehab work ahead of a crucial second season.

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Colts’ Braden Smith had successful knee surgery

Braden Smith underwent successful knee surgery this offseason.

Indianapolis Colts right tackle Braden Smith underwent successful knee surgery this offseason to repair the nagging injury he played through at the end of the 2023 campaign.

General manager Chris Ballard told reporters Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine that Smith’s surgery was successful. Whether Smith will be ready to participate in the spring workouts remains to be seen.

Even though injuries limited Smith to just 10 games last season, he was a vital piece of the offense. He didn’t allow a single sack and his 14 pressures allowed were the third-fewest among offensive tackles with at least 300 pass-blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

On top of that, Smith was one of the best run blockers in the NFL when he was on the field, ranking in the top 10 in ESPN’s run-block win rate metric.

The starting five on the offensive line rarely played together at the same time with only a handful of games featuring the starting unit. But they were as strong as any offensive line in the league when they were healthy.

The emergence of Bernhard Raimann at left tackle coupled with Smith’s dominant play when healthy has given the Colts bookend tackles they can rely on heavily.

Hopefully, the surgery will prevent any issues moving forward, and the Colts right tackle can get back to dominating the edge in 2024.

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WATCH: Colts’ Dallis Flowers dunking on Achilles rehab

Dallis Flowers is progressing well in his Achilles.

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Dallis Flowers is making strong work of his rehab from the surgery to repair a torn Achilles he suffered during the 2023 season.

A starter on the boundary for the first four games of the season, Flowers suffered the Achilles tear during the overtime loss against the Los Angeles Rams. The non-contact injury made it clear the situation was dire.

However, Flowers posted a video showing just how far he’s come during his rehab.

It may seem insignificant that an NFL player with Flowers’ incredible athleticism can dunk a basketball. However, it’s a bit more than that. The biggest issue in a return from an Achilles tear is regaining explosiveness. This clip is just evidence that Flowers is making strong progress in his rehab.

He also posted an update earlier in February with some low box jumps focusing on exploding up and controlling the landing.

Losing Flowers in the secondary was an underrated blow to the Colts in 2023. He was faring pretty well as a starter, allowing a 98.1 passer rating, 10.5 yards per reception and three pass breakups in coverage, according to Pro Football Focus.

Adding to the secondary is a massive need for the Colts this offseason, but they’ll also get a potential boost with the return of Flowers if his rehab continues to progress well.

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Colts’ Will Mallory suffers hamstring injury vs. Texans

Will Mallory (hamstring) won’t return in Week 18.

Indianapolis Colts tight end Will Mallory suffered a hamstring injury against the Houston Texans and will not return to the Week 18 matchup.

It isn’t clear what play Mallory suffered the injury on, but he was ruled out for the remainder of the game halfway through the second quarter.

With Mallory out and Andrew Ogletree on the Commissioner Exempt List, the Colts have two tight ends on the active roster in Mo Alie-Cox and Kylen Granson.

 

Colts’ Zack Moss expected to play vs. Texans in Week 18

Zack Moss (forearm) is expected to play against the Texans.

Indianapolis Colts running back Zack Moss is listed as questionable for Saturday’s matchup against the Houston Texans but is expected to play in the Week 18 regular-season finale.

Moss, who has been dealing with a forearm injury, started the week as a limited participant during the walkthrough but logged full practices during the final two sessions of the week.

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported that Moss is expected to play during the prime-time game Saturday night despite his questionable tag.

The Colts offense should be near full health on Saturday night. The offensive line is a bit banged up with left guard Quenton Nelson (ankle), center Ryan Kelly (ankle) and right tackle Braden Smith (knee) all questionable. However, all three are expected to play as of this writing.

Meanwhile, the tandem of Moss and Jonathan Taylor will be on the field for the first time since the Week 12 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Texans defense has done very well against the run recently, allowing the fourth-fewest rushing yards to opposing running backs over the last five weeks.

Regardless, having as much firepower on offense will be vital in this must-win game.

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Colts vs. Texans: Updated injury report for Week 18

Here’s the updated injury reports for the Colts and Texans on Wednesday.

The Indianapolis Colts (9-7) and Houston Texans (9-7) released their updated injury reports Wednesday ahead of the Week 18 matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Here’s a look at the updated injury report for the Colts in Week 18:

Notes

  • The Colts returned to practice Wednesday after starting the week with a walkthrough.
  • C Ryan Kelly continues to miss practice and was seen wearing a walking boot. He still has a chance to play, but it’s something to keep in mind with one practice remaining this week.
  • Encouraging news that CB Kenny Moore II, G Quenton Nelson, RB Zack Moss and RT Braden Smith all practiced in full Wednesday.
  • The Colts will release the final injury report with designations Thursday afternoon.

Here’s a look at the updated injury report for the Texans in Week 18:

Notes

  • All four defensive linemen on the Texans injury report are the team’s sack leaders. They have all yet to practice entering Thursday.
  • Starting LT Laremy Tunsil returned to practice Wednesday.
  • Houston could be without two of its three starting wide receivers with Noah Brown and Robert Woods listed as DNPs entering the final practice day.

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Colts’ Ryan Kelly wearing walking boot at practice

Ryan Kelly was spotted wearing a walking boot at Wednesday’s practice.

Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly did not practice Wednesday and was seen wearing a walking boot on his left ankle/foot.

Kelly suffered an ankle injury during the Week 17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, but he was able to play every snap of the game so it isn’t clear how severe the injury is.

The Colts could simply have him wear the boot as a precaution throughout the week, but it’s certainly something to monitor considering the stakes at play in Week 18.

Kelly has returned to his Pro Bowl level of performance this season despite missing three games due to injuries, both of which were concussions.

Monitoring Kelly’s practice level for Thursday will give us a better idea of whether he can play against the Texans on Saturday night so there’s still a chance he will suit up.

If he can’t, the Colts will again lean on second-year undrafted center Wesley French, who has made three starts this season.

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Colts vs. Raiders: Updated injury report for Week 17

Here’s the updated injury report for the Colts and Raiders in Week 17.

The Indianapolis Colts (8-7) and Las Vegas Raiders (7-8) released their updated injury reports Thursday ahead of the Week 17 matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Here’s a look at the updated injury report for the Colts in Week 17:

*DNP = Did Not Participate — LP = Limited Participant — FP = Full Participant*

Notes

  • The Colts returned to practice Thursday after starting the week with a walkthrough.
  • WR Michael Pittman Jr. is progressing through the concussion protocol and shed his non-contact practice jersey.
  • RT Braden Smith practiced in full for the first time since suffering his knee injury.
  • RB Zack Moss seems to be on track to return as he’s practiced in a limited fashion to begin the week.

Here’s a look at the updated injury report for the Raiders in Week 17:

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Report: Colts’ Julian Blackmon could return for potential playoff run

Julian Blackmon reportedly could return if the Colts make a deep playoff run.

Indianapolis Colts safety Julian Blackmon will miss the remainder of the regular season due to a shoulder injury, but there’s a slight chance he could return if the team makes a deep playoff run.

Blackmon is forced to sit out at least the next four games, and it hasn’t been made clear how severe the shoulder injury is. In theory, Blackmon would be eligible to return if the Colts made the playoffs and advanced to the AFC Championship Game.

That obviously would be a pretty big surprise even with the Colts in the thick of the playoff hunt, but crazier things have happened.

Still, James Boyd of The Athletic reported that Blackmon could return for the playoffs, suggesting this isn’t a long-term injury.

Blackmon was enjoying a Pro Bowl caliber season up to this point. In 15 games (all starts), Blackmon recorded 88 tackles (65 solo), four interceptions (team-high), eight passes defended and five tackles for loss—all of which were career-high marks.

With Blackmon out for the rest of the regular season, the Colts will rely on second-year safety Nick Cross to take the role of the strong safety next to fellow second-year Rodney Thomas II. They also signed Henry Black off the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad.

Another big question surrounding Blackmon is his future with the Colts. Coming off a career year, he’s also in the final year of his rookie contract.

His performance in 2023 certainly warrants the discussion of a new deal, but the team also has to factor in an extensive injury history that includes a torn ACL (2019) and a torn Achilles (2021). He hasn’t played a full season since he was drafted in 2020.

While that discussion is best suited for the offseason, the Colts defense will take a massive blow without Blackmon in the secondary, and there’s a strong chance his 2023 season is over.

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