Colts Lose Trio to Injured Reserve, Get Back Two Stars for Week 17

Injuries continue to plague the Indianapolis Colts, but there is good news for their game vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner (1) attempts to walk off the field on his own following an injury Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, during a game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Indianapolis Colts made a bevy of roster moves ahead of their matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

we have placed WR Anthony Gould, TE Drew Ogletree and DT DeForest Buckner on IR.
 
we have also activated WR Ashton Dulin from IR, signed DT Chris Wormley to the 53-man roster from the practice squad, and elevated C Jimmy Morrissey and G Josh Sills to the active roster from the… pic.twitter.com/7bgz5FkDn2

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) December 27, 2025

Wide receiver Anthony Gould (foot), tight end Drew Ogletree (neck), and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (neck) were all placed on season-ending Injured Reserve.

Gould may be replaced as a kick returner by Coleman Owen. As for Ogletree, his absence could give Will Mallory an opportunity to make some noise.

Lastly, and the most prominent, Buckner was on Injured Reserve before returning against the San Francisco 49ers. Now, after reaggravating his neck issue, his 2025 season is over.

Buckner's absence means that Grover Stewart will be relied upon to be the anchor of Lou Anarumo's defensive line. Backing up Buckner could be a combination of Adetomiwa Adebawore and Neville Gallimore.

DeForest Buckner x Trent Williams pic.twitter.com/9vWaGr2UPX

— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) December 23, 2025

Special teams ace, Ashton Dulin, will make his return in the nick of time against Jacksonville. Dulin has been out since Week 12.

Lastly, a trio of moves were made to solidify spots on the 53-man roster ahead of this pivotal divisional clash.

Defensive tackle Chris Wormley, will get another chance to shine in Buckner's absence. Wormley has 1.0 sacks, five tackles, and a tackle for loss on the year for Indy.

Jimmy Morrissey will fill in on the depth chart at center with Tanor Bortolini being ruled out with a concussion.

As for Josh Sills, he'll be added to the roster since Dalton Tucker has been ruled out for the Jaguars tilt.

we have removed the questionable designation for WR Ashton Dulin, T Bernhard Raimann and CB Sauce Gardner.

we have also downgraded G Dalton Tucker to out. https://t.co/Jc9NonYY3N

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) December 27, 2025

This update does bring three pieces of great news, as offensive tackle Bernhard Raimann and cornerback Sauce Gardner will suit up on Sunday.

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Nov 9, 2025; Berlin, Germany; Indianapolis Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner (1) reacts against the Atlanta Falcons during the NFL Berlin Game at Olympic Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Losing Buckner for this game is the worst possible scenario for a defense that needs all the help it can muster against Trevor Lawrence and a red-hot Jaguars offense.

However, bolstering the secondary with Gardner is a massive upgrade. Gardner has only seen two games of action since the Colts traded away their 2026 and 2027 first-rounder to the New York Jets for his services.

Expect Gardner to see action against Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, and Jakobi Meyers, as all three receivers have seen plenty of time on the outside.

Additionally, Raimann's return is crucial in stopping a player like Josh Hines-Allen. Raimann injured his arm against the Seattle Seahawks and missed the home contest against the 49ers.

Dec 22, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen walks off the field Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, after losing a game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christine Tannous-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images | Christine Tannous-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

The time has come for Indianapolis to win, as if they lose to Jacksonville tomorrow, they're officially out of the 2025 playoff picture.

Last time Indy met Jacksonville at EverBank Stadium, Daniel Jones went down with an unfortunate Achilles injury, subsequently ending his 2025 season.

Now, Philip Rivers will enter his third start of the year, hoping to help dig Indianapolis out of a horrific five-game losing streak while keeping slim playoff hopes alive.

As for the defense, they'll try to contain a Jacksonville offense that is averaging 34.2 points per game through their six-game winning streak.

On paper, the Colts are heavy underdogs, especially considering their mountainous-level of injuries that seem to continue plaguing this team.

But, there's something to be said about an NFL team that is playing for their season while in front of their home crowd.

We'll see if Steichen and Anarumo can help will their troops to an improbable victory and avoid what would be a nightmarish six-game losing skid.