INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts' injured reserve list continues to shrink in size.
Linebacker Matthew Adams, who has been on IR since Sept. 26 with an ankle injury, is returning to practice today, as the Colts begin on-field preparations for Sunday's Week 9 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
Indianapolis now has 21 days to decide whether to move Adams back to the active roster or revert him to IR for the remainder of the season.
The 24-year-old Adams has been a key piece of depth at linebacker as well as a top special teams contributor since being selected by the Colts in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft. In 34 total games played with nine starts, Adams has collected 44 total tackles (six for a loss) with two quarterback hits and one fumble recovery, as well as nine special teams tackles.
Adams had logged one special teams stop early in the year when he suffered an ankle injury in the Colts' Week 2 victory over the Minnesota Vikings; he was placed on IR the following week.
The Colts, who entered the season with seven linebackers on their active roster, have been able to weather the storm in recent weeks without Adams or starting WILL linebacker Darius Leonard, who just returned to game action last Sunday against the Detroit Lions after missing the previous 2 1/2 games due to a groin injury. It was Bobby Okereke, Anthony Walker and Zaire Franklin who picked up the slack, with E.J. Speed and Jordan Glasgow remaining available as key pieces of depth if needed.
Adams could become the fourth Colts player to return from IR this season; tight end Trey Burton (calf), defensive tackle Sheldon Day (knee) and wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (lower leg) have been moved back to the active roster in recent weeks.
If Adams does indeed officially return to the active roster, the Colts will have just three players left on their IR list: wide receiver Parris Campbell, safety Malik Hooker and running back Marlon Mack. Reich is yet to officially rule Campbell out for the season as he works his way back from knee surgery, while both Hooker and Mack are done for the year with Achilles injuries.
Defensive end Kemoko Turay, meanwhile, remains on the Colts' Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, though he returned to practice last week; his return to the active roster is believed to be imminent.
