INDIANAPOLIS – When the Colts report to Anderson for Training Camp in two weeks, one player's availability for September's regular season opener is in question.
Henry Anderson is in the final stages of his ACL rehab, after suffering the season-ending knee injury last November.
At the Colts' mandatory minicamp in June, Owner/CEO Jim Irsay said Anderson might not be ready for Week One.
"It makes no sense to get Henry out there at 80 (percent)," General Manager Ryan Grigson also said in June. "You want him out there at 100 (percent).
"We don't want to rush it, but if anyone is going to beat the odds, he can shrink that curve down more than the next guy."
Grigson has seen strides in the rehab of Anderson.
A focus on improving upper body strength is something Anderson has keyed on, while his lower body progresses through the rehab process.
"I'm obviously not back squatting after surgery, so I took some time to try to get stronger upper body wise, especially the core connecting the upper body to the lower body and strengthening the body as a whole," Anderson said in June.
Rehabbing an ACL injury is something Anderson had to deal with in high school.
Several factors have contributed to a smoother rehab this time around, with the technological advances from the high school to professional level over the past six years being the greatest.
"The (training) stuff here is a lot better and I think it's strengthens the quads and has helped facilitate the rehab versus what I couldn't do in high school," Anderson says.
"Certain devices help sort of get things warmed up. When I first started rehab, if I had to go into exercises cold without warming up, it would be a little sore. But some of the devices we have will help warm everything up and help get my knee activated and ready to go. That part is probably the biggest difference---just getting certain muscles to fire."
When will see those muscles going to work back on the field?
That's a question without an answer right now, and likely for a few more weeks.
The Colts are going to be patient with Anderson.
When he is ready, the Colts will have a player that rivaled any other on the roster for his play in 2015.
"The more reps I took, the more I kind of got comfortable going through the year," Anderson says looking back on his rookie campaign. "Unfortunately, I did get the knee injury in Week Nine when I was really starting to get comfortable and starting to get used to the speed of the game.
"Hopefully I can build on a good first half of my rookie year (in 2016)."
Highlights from Anderson's 2015 season!