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INDIANAPOLIS – With the 53-man roster set, it’s time to turn our attention to next Sunday, when the Colts open up their 2018 regular season.
The Colts will practice Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this coming week, with the first official injury report of the season sent out on Wednesday.
Entering the regular season, the Colts have a couple of key injuries to watch. Remember, each team has 7 inactives on game day from their 53-man roster.
Here’s a look at the Colts’ injuries to watch going into Week One of the regular season:
-DE-Denico Autry (leg): Autry didn’t practice or play after injuring his leg in Week Two of the preseason against the Ravens. The Colts originally listed Autry at day-to-day. Reich said after Autry’s injury the goal was to help the defensive lineman progress to be ready for the start of the regular season. The free agent pickup from March is a vital component to this defense in 2018. Autry is the starting three-technique defensive tackle.
-OT-Anthony Castonzo (hamstring): Castonzo has missed nearly a month after tweaking a hamstring he first injured while training just before the start of camp. The Colts and Castonzo are confident that their durable left tackle will be ready for Week One, but Frank Reich isn’t ready to commit to AC for sure participating on Monday, when regular season practices get underway. It goes without saying how important Castonzo is, especially after watching the other left tackles play in the preseason. Castonzo has pegged this coming week as his return to practice.
-S-Clayton Geathers (rest): Geathers missed the final two practices of the preseason after playing in preseason contests against the Ravens and 49ers. Geathers is a starting safety as he returns from lingering neck and knee injuries.
-OT-Denzelle Good (knee): The Colts are expecting Good to miss some time after he injured his left knee during the preseason contest against the 49ers. If healthy, Good could very well be this team’s starter at right tackle. Good is likely to be inactive for Week One of the regular season.
-CB-Nate Hairston (hamstring): The second-year corner hasn’t practiced since just before the team played their Week Three preseason game.
-LB-Darius Leonard (boot on left foot): Leonard was labeled at day-to-day after missing the final two practices of the preseason.
-DL-Tyquan Lewis (toe): Do not expect to see this Ohio State rookie for some time. Chris Ballard said on Sunday that the rookie defensive lineman will go on IR, but could return later in the season. Frank Reich said last week that Lewis is “not close” to returning. Lewis suffered a toe injury early in the preseason and it has not healed as quickly as the Colts thought it would.
-QB-Andrew Luck (foot): Luck missed the final two practices of the preseason with a minor foot injury. Reich said if last week was the regular season, Luck would have played. Reich said last week that Luck will practice on Monday, when the Colts get back to work after roster cuts.
-RB-Marlon Mack (hamstring): In the preseason opener, Mack suffered a hamstring injury that has kept him sidelined since. The Colts are very iffy on if Mack will be 100 percent for Week One. Mack could be another inactive candidate for the opener.
-CB Kenny Moore (rest): Moore missed the final practice of the preseason. He is the team’s most important/versatile corner in 2018.
-LB-Anthony Walker (groin): A groin injury took Walker out of the starting lineup and sidelined him for a month. We didn’t see Walker play in the preseason and he hasn’t practiced since late July. Walker is looking like an inactive candidate for Week One of the regular season.
-CB-Quincy Wilson (hand): The second-year corner suffered a right-hand injury about a week and a half ago and missed the final two preseason games. Wilson had his right hand bandaged up in a wrap when watching the final practices of the preseason last week. He’s listed at day-to-day with Reich hopeful that Wilson practices this coming week.
