It seems the Colts are facing more disappointment after another defeat in Jacksonville. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Colts star will no longer be dealing with a lingering back injury in 2024.
Schefter’s report indicates that the wide receiver is expected to miss several games, and a stint on injured reserve—which requires him to sit out at least four games—has not been ruled out. The Colts (2-3) won’t have their bye week until Week 14.
In Week 3, he missed the last practice of the week because of a back injury and was listed as questionable for the game against the Bears, but he still played. Until Wednesday, that was the only time he appeared on the injury report this season. On Wednesday, he did not participate in practice but observed instead. Josh Downs also missed practice on Wednesday due to a toe injury.
Alec Pierce has demonstrated his ability as a significant deep ball threat, while the return of Josh Downs adds a dynamic option in the slot. AD Mitchell has also shown he can handle NFL coverage, but he needs to improve his finishing on plays as a rookie.
Pittman Jr. has had a relatively quiet start this season, aside from a standout performance with 6 catches for 113 yards against the Steelers. In the other four games, he hasn’t surpassed five catches or 40 yards. Nevertheless, he’s played 87 percent of the team’s offensive snaps, the highest among Colts skill players, including 62 out of 70 snaps against the Jaguars.
Aside from a concussion last December, Pittman Jr. has missed time in the NFL due to just two injuries: three games in 2020 from a calf strain and one game in 2022 due to a quad injury.
His absence adds to the growing list of key players the Colts will be without this season, which already includes Anthony Richardson, Jonathan Taylor, Josh Downs, Ryan Kelly, DeForest Buckner, Samson Ebukam, Tyquan Lewis, Kenny Moore II, JuJu Brents, and Julian Blackmon.
The Colts’ depth will be tested once again as they face a stretch of four road games in five weeks.
For those seeking reasons for optimism, two points stand out. First, unlike last year, the Colts’ wide receiver group has shown more depth and versatility, a significant improvement from recent seasons. Second, the Colts will face two struggling offenses in the Titans and Dolphins over the next two weeks, offering a chance for Indy to navigate these games before a more challenging schedule near the season’s midpoint.
On the injury front, it seems that Anthony Richardson, Ryan Kelly, Kwity Paye, and Kenny Moore II are all expected to return soon, while DeForest Buckner will remain on injured reserve for at least one more game.
Leave a Reply