INDIANAPOLIS —With the Indianapolis Colts set to begin training camp soon at Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, Ind., Colts.com takes a look at the various injuries to keep an eye on heading into the season:
WHAT WE KNOW:
» Andrew Luck, quarterback: Luck missed the entire 2017 season after undergoing surgery to his throwing shoulder, and he was a very limited on-field participant during the Colts' offseason practices this time around. But Luck was able to significantly ramp up his throwing program the last couple weeks of the offseason, and the expectation is that he will head into training camp ready to take on more of a full practice load, so that he'll be good to go to start by Week 1 of the regular season.
» Malik Hooker, safety: Hooker was putting in a sensational rookie season last year and had already logged three interceptions when he suffered a season-ending knee injury Week 7 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Since that time, the 2017 first-round pick has been working hard in his recovery and rehab work to get back onto the field as soon as possible for his team in 2018. General manager Chris Ballard told reporters on Friday that Hooker will start training camp on the Active/Physically Unable To Participate (PUP) list, but hopes to have the safety back at practice by mid-August.
» Marlon Mack, running back: Mack, we learned this offseason, played through a good chunk of his rookie season in 2017 with a nagging shoulder injury. He underwent surgery this offseason and did not participate in the on-field portion of spring practices, and with a new offensive system to learn — and a new running-back-by-committee approach — Mack certainly has some catching up to do when he does return during camp. But after showing plenty of flashes his rookie season, it shouldn't take Mack too long to get back in the swing of things.
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GOOD TO GO:
» A number of current Colts players who suffered significant, or even season-ending, injuries last season — whether with the Colts or elsewhere — seemed to be, for the most part, full participants during the team's offseason workout program this spring. Those players included cornerback Pierre Desir (pectoral), center Ryan Kelly (concussion), guard/tackle Jack Mewhort (knee), running back Christine Michael (knee), defensive end John Simon (shoulder), guard/center Matt Slauson (bicep) and running back Robert Turbin (wrist).
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NEEDS ANSWERS:
» Then there's a handful of Colts players whose injury status was either unknown during the offseason or remains up in the air heading into training camp. Center Deyshawn Bond (quad) and wide receiver Krishawn Hogan (knee) each suffered season-ending injuries in Weeks 4 and 5, respectively, last season. Tight end Erik Swoope, meanwhile, was placed on Injured Reserve at the beginning of last season after undergoing a knee scope, and just couldn't get back to 100 percent to return towards the tail end of the season before reverting to the IR list. Swoope, however, did not participate in the on-field portion of offseason practices. Ballard said Friday he doesn't expect Bond, Hogan or Swoope to be on the Active/PUP list to begin training camp, though their reps could be limited the first week or two as a precaution.
» And, finally, comes a list of 10 Colts players who were either limited during the offseason or didn't practice at all, but their exact issues, because the team is not obligated to release an injury report during the offseason program, were unknown up until Friday. These players are safety Clayton Geathers, running back Nyheim Hines, linebacker Darius Leonard, defensive tackle/end Tyquan Lewis, safety Ronald Martin, wide receiver Chester Rogers, guard Jeremy Vujnovich, linebacker Anthony Walker and cornerbacks D.J. White and Quincy Wilson.
Ballard said Geathers, who had a minor knee procedure this offseason, will likely start training camp on the Active/PUP list, but that the safety is close to a full return. Leonard suffered a quad injury during the NFL Scouting Combine that he kept re-aggravating in recent months, so the team decided to shut him down for the offseason workout program to get him to 100 percent by the start of camp; Ballard said Friday he should be good to go. Vujnovich is battling a pulled calf muscle, and his availability for the start of camp is up in the air as of Friday. Walker, meanwhile, suffered a concussion during the second of three mandatory veteran minicamp practices to end the offseason program, but told Colts.com he has been cleared from the league's concussion protocol.
Ballard said all other players "dinged up" during the offseason workout program should be good to go to start camp, including White and Wilson, specifically. But be sure to keep it tuned to Colts.com on Wednesday, when the team reports to Grand Park for training camp, and when head coach Frank Reich could provide further injury updates.
