Colts Healthier in Returning to Practice
INDIANAPOLIS — A beneficial bye week of rest has hopefully improved the timetable on three injured Indianapolis Colts returning to the lineup.
All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard, who has missed the last two games with a groin injury, practiced on a limited basis on Wednesday.
The decision on two other Colts placed on injured reserve — rookie wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (leg surgery) and third-year defensive end Kemoko Turay (ankle surgery) — will depend on how they practice. Both were back on the field as well.
The Colts (4-2) are at the Detroit Lions (3-3) on Sunday, and at the very least, would get a boost from Leonard’s return. He’s the defensive leader and catalyst. The Colts split two outcomes while he was sidelined, the defense allowed 50 points, and the unit struggled in the first halves of both games.
One player missing on the practice field was tight end Mo Alie-Cox, who missed a Week 6 home win over Cincinnati with a knee injury.
As expected, Colts head coach Frank Reich said each player will be evaluated as the week continues.
Linebacker Darius Leonard suffered a groin injury in Week 4 at Chicago.
Jenna Watson/USA TODAY Sports
In the case of Leonard, Reich made it clear the team was playing it safe in the past two weeks.
“We were just evaluating it day-by-day and if we would’ve felt like he was 100 percent, he would’ve played,” Reich said. “We wouldn’t have given him extra rest just because we had the bye. We knew we were playing a good football team in Cincinnati. We wanted him to play, he just didn’t get to that spot.”
The Colts were ranked No. 1 in total defense when Leonard suffered the groin injury on a freak misstep late in the first half of a Week 4 win at Chicago. The Colts have since dropped to No. 2 behind Pittsburgh in total defense.
“He’s just a consummate playmaker,” Reich said of Leonard. “He just has that knack. He has that knack to make plays. He is an emotional leader. I think those are the two things that stand out the most. With that being said, the guys have done – ‘Walk' (Anthony Walker), Zaire (Franklin) and Bobby (Okereke) – a great job in his absence and have provided a lot of leadership, juice. and the whole bit. Obviously Darius, his numbers and his playmaking ability has already established itself. So he is going to make a few plays here and there that just nobody else makes.”
Because Pittman is on injured reserve and Turay was placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list in September, the team didn’t have to list their practice involvement on the injury report. Pittman had compartmental leg syndrome surgery after a Week 3 home win. Turay has yet to play since fracturing his ankle last season in a Week 5 road win at Kansas City. Because he's on PUP, he could not begin to practice until after six weeks, and now that he has, the team has three weeks to decide on if/when to activate him.
“I think the general statement – not that I overstated with Kemoko, but I think in general I would say we put a guy out there like in Kemoko’s time, and we think it might take couple weeks but that could be accelerated or it could be slowed depending on what you see,” Reich said. “I think that is true with all of our guys. You have an idea of what it is going to take. We have an idea of how long we think it’s going to take Pittman and we have an idea of how long we think it is going to take Turay, but that can be accelerated or slowed down depending on what we see.”
Pittman, selected 34th overall in the second round with the Colts’ first draft pick in April, has nine receptions for 73 yards. More than that, he brings a physicality to the position that benefits the run game when he’s blocking outside.
“(Quarterback) Philip (Rivers) has a history of liking to throw to big, tough receivers. I think ‘Pitt’ was just starting to hit his stride,” Reich said. “We’re getting more and more confidence. He’s a great blocker in the run game so that helps. I just think he brings a toughness to the offense. I love the way he plays.”
(Phillip B. Wilson has covered the Indianapolis Colts for more than two decades and authored the 2013 book 100 Things Colts Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. He’s on Twitter @pwilson24, on Facebook at @allcoltswithphilb and @100thingscoltsfans, and his email is phillipbwilson24@yahoo.com.)
