INDIANAPOLIS — Parris Campbell gave it a go with his surgically-repaired right hand in practice over the past few days, but his return to game action will have to wait at least another week.
The Indianapolis Colts have announced their inactives for today's Week 13 home matchup against the Tennessee Titans, a list that includes Campbell for a fourth straight game.
Campbell was one of four Colts players labeled questionable heading into today's contest; the three others — tight end Mo Alie-Cox, safety Khari Willis and cornerback Rock Ya-Sin — are all active.
Among those joining Campbell on the inactives list today: tackle/guard Le'Raven Clark, defensive tackle Trevon Coley, wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, quarterback Chad Kelly, running back Marlon Mack and cornerback Quincy Wilson.
Campbell has been working his way back from a fractured right hand that he suffered late in the team's Week 9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. After missing the Colts' next three games against the Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans, the 2019 second-round pick out of Ohio State was a limited participant in all three days of practice this past week, but head coach Frank Reich cautioned on Friday that he wasn't quite sure Campbell was ready to return to game action just yet.
"We are going to wait another day," Reich told reporters on Friday. "I'm not so sure he is going to make it this week, but we are going to wait another day to make that decision."
Reich said it's important for Campbell to feel confident making plays with whatever protection or padding he'll ultimately need for his hand.
"It's more making sure that he is ready to go — physically ready to go with what he has to wear on his hand and how he feels; that that all feels like, 'Hey, I can go play a football game,'" Reich said. "Let alone a division, physical football game."
Campbell suffered the injury midway through the fourth quarter of the Colts' Week 9 game against the Steelers; he caught a two-yard pass on a slant play from quarterback Brian Hoyer and said Steelers cornerback Joe Haden was trying to make a play on the ball when he accidentally struck his hand with his helmet.
The speedy rookie, who had just returned from an abdominal injury that forced him to miss three games, was able to see his role increase significantly in that Steelers game; he was targeted five times and caught all five passes for 53 yards, and he also had three rushing attempts for 27 yards.
With Campbell inactive today, and with news on Thursday that top wide receiver T.Y. Hilton suffered a setback with his calf injury and will miss today's game, the Colts will continue to turn to their four remaining wide receivers to make plays: Zach Pascal, Chester Rogers, Marcus Johnson and Ashton Dulin.
Willis, Ya-Sin return
It's good news for the Colts' secondary today, as two key young playmakers are back in the mix after missing their first games of the season Week 12 against the Texans.
Both Willis and Ya-Sin are active today, as is Alie-Cox — all three of whom were questionable heading into today's game.
Willis suffered a concussion in the Colts' Week 11 victory over the Jaguars; he did not practice the following week as team prepared to take on the Texans. The 2019 fourth-round pick out of Michigan State was able to progress through the league's concussion protocol in recent days, however; he was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, and a full participant on Thursday and Friday.
Reich told reporters after Friday's practice he was hopeful Willis would be cleared by an independent league neurologist later in the day.
Ya-Sin, meanwhile, suffered an ankle injury Week 11 against the Jaguars. He was originally labeled as questionable to return before being downgraded to out.
He, too, missed the Texans game, but the 2019 second-round pick out of Temple was able to return to be a full participant this past week on Wednesday and Friday.
Both Willis and Ya-Sin have been among the more productive rookie defensive backs in the NFL this season; both rank tied for sixth among all rookies in solo tackles (35).
The Indianapolis Colts are in the building at Lucas Oil Stadium ahead of their week 13 matchup with the Tennessee Titans.