INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts will be without four players — all on offense — during Sunday's Week 12 matchup against the Miami Dolphins at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Head coach Frank Reich said tight ends Ryan Hewitt and Erik Swoope and center Ryan Kelly have all been ruled out of the game. The team on Saturday then downgraded a third tight end, Mo Alie-Cox, from questionable to out.
» Alie-Cox was a full participant in Wednesday's practice, but was labeled as limited on Thursday with a calf injury. He did not practice on Friday, meanwhile, and was initially considered questionable for the Dolphins game. Alie-Cox has played in six games this season, and has six receptions for 112 yards and two touchdowns on the year.
» Hewitt has missed the Colts' last two games with an ankle injury suffered Week 8 against the Oakland Raiders. He was able to be a limited participant in one practice last week, but did not practice at all this week. Hewitt has played in seven games with one start for the Colts this season.
» Kelly suffered a knee injury in the fourth quarter of last Sunday's victory over the Tennessee Titans and didn't return. Reich had already indicated on Wednesday that Kelly would be ruled out of the Dolphins game, however. Backup center Evan Boehm is expected to get his first start of the year at center on Sunday.
» Swoope was knocked out of the Colts' Week 7 game against the Buffalo Bills with a knee injury and hasn't been able to return to practice since. Reich said a couple weeks back the injury to Swoope is more of a lingering issue, and that his availability could fluctuate at times moving forward. "We anticipate (it) will continue to get better. But for right now, it gets aggravated and, you know, just got to take care of it."
The Colts (5-5) will likely go with just two tight ends — Jack Doyle, Eric Ebron — against the Dolphins (5-5). The team does have another tight end, Je'Ron Hamm, on its practice squad, but he was just signed by the team on Wednesday.
Injury report
» DNP: TE Mo Alie-Cox (calf; out); S Clayton Geathers (knee); TE Ryan Hewitt (ankle; out); S Malik Hooker (hip); C Ryan Kelly (knee; out); LB Darius Leonard (ankle); TE Erik Swoope (knee; out).
» Limited: None.
» Full: CB Nate Hairston (ankle); DT Margus Hunt (knee); CB Kenny Moore II (back); DT Al Woods (illness)
— It seems as though the Indy defense will get a boost with the return of Hooker, who missed last Sunday's game against the Titans with a hip injury. Another player who seems good to go: Hunt, who was knocked out of the Titans game with a knee issue.
— Seems to be rest days for Geathers, Hooker and Leonard.
