INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts are in the process of finding a new starting right guard, just two days before they open up AFC South Division play on the road against the Tennessee Titans.
Head coach Chuck Pagano announced Saturday that guard Jack Mewhort will be placed on Injured Reserve, and will undergo surgery, after the fourth-year veteran experienced swelling in his knee on Friday.
"He's been battling for a long time with these things," Pagano said. "I mean, I think, to this point, two procedures on both knees … it's a tough deal. And I hate it — I hate it for Jack. And his teammates hate it, because they've got a great respect for him, just like I do and the rest of the staff."
Mewhort, whose knee had been an issue since training camp, had been sitting out one day of practice each week to rest once the regular season began. Pagano was just asked Thursday about Mewhort's status, and at that time it was believed the Ohio State product was "getting closer" to 100 percent.
"We're doing the best we can to manage him and give him the day on Thursdays – which will be tomorrow (Friday)," Pagano said Thursday. "But he's getting better and he's getting stronger. It just takes time. It's not the offseason; you don't have a bye week. You don't have two or three weeks. He's getting better."
Mewhort was also placed on IR with a knee injury late last season. He actually suffered a knee injury Week 6 against the Houston Texans and would miss the next three games before returning to start Weeks 11 through 14. But in that Week 14 matchup, also against the Texans, Mewhort was rolled up on a screen play to running back Frank Gore, and he wouldn't return to the field for the rest of the season.
Pagano said Saturday there are several candidates on the current roster who could fill in at Mewhort's right guard spot, including Le'Raven Clark and recently-signed free agents Mike Person and Kyle Kalis. In a corresponding move to placing Mewhort on IR on Saturday, the Colts also signed guard Isaiah Williams off the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad.Doyle cleared; Walker out
Pagano also said Saturday that tight end Jack Doyle, who suffered a concussion two weeks ago against the Seattle Seahawks and was not active for last week's game against the San Francisco 49ers, has cleared the concussion protocol, and will be available Monday night against the Titans.
Doyle, the team's No. 1 tight end, enters Monday's game ranked second on the Colts in receptions (17) and third in receiving yards (163), and is one of the team's key blockers in the run game.
Rookie inside linebacker Anthony Walker, who re-aggravated a hamstring injury against the 49ers, is officially out against the Titans, as is quarterback Andrew Luck, who is yet to play this season as he works his way back from offseason surgery to his right shoulder.
Starting inside linebacker Jon Bostic, meanwhile, is questionable on Monday with a calf injury. Bostic, who was a new addition to the injury report on Saturday, did not participate in practice.
