INDIANAPOLIS —For a second straight year, injuries have forced Vontae Davis to watch from the sidelines as his Indianapolis Colts teammates open up their season.
This time around, especially, hasn't been easy for Davis, who, according to head coach Chuck Pagano, was having his best training camp in years when he suffered a groin injury in the team's third preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
But Davis was able to get back to the practice field last week on a limited basis, and this week, he's ramped things up even more.
The Colts' top cornerback looks good to go to make his season debut Sunday in Indy's Week 4 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
"Yeah, it's always tough. Of course, I want to be out there," Davis said. "But injuries are a part of the game. You can't control it — nothing I can control. Now, I'm able to get back and excited to be with my teammates."
Last year, a severe ankle sprain kept Davis off the field for the Colts' first two games of the season; Indianapolis went 0-2 over that stretch. But when he came back, he helped lead the Colts to a 26-22 Week 3 victory over the San Diego Chargers.
This time around the Colts have already notched victory No. 1 on the season, a 31-28 decision last Sunday over the Cleveland Browns at Lucas Oil Stadium, to move to 1-2 on the year.
With the two-time Pro Bowler on the sidelines for the first three weeks of the season, the Colts' secondary has seen some moving parts. While fifth-year veteran Rashaan Melvin has certainly held down the fort in Davis' spot — he had his first two interceptions of his career last week against the Browns — three different players have started at the other cornerback position each week: T.J. Green, Quincy Wilson and Pierre Desir.
The results have gotten better out of that spot each week after a 46-9 loss to the Los Angles Rams to open the season. Wilson, the Colts' second-round pick this year out of Florida, had two tackles and two passes defensed in the team's narrow Week 2 overtime loss to the Arizona Cardinals, while Desir filled in for an injured Wilson last Sunday against Cleveland and contributed six tackles and a pass defensed.
Davis' potential return on Sunday would not only help solidify the cornerback position, but it will be the first time he's had the opportunity to play in the same secondary as safety Malik Hooker, the team's first-round (15th overall) pick out of Ohio State.
Hooker so far has two interceptions to go along with eight tackles and two passes defensed in his rookie campaign.
"It's been good because the young guys are playing well," Davis said of what he's noticed while he's been out. "I told Malik (Hooker), 'Man, I'm excited to get back and play with him.' He's a young talent. I look forward to playing with him in the secondary and those guys and look forward to picking back up from where I left off."
Reminded this week that Pagano said he expects Davis to make his debut on Sunday, the ninth-year veteran didn't shy away when asked if he'll be limited in any way against the Seahawks.
"No. I'm a full-go, I'm a full-go," Davis said. "I don't question nothing. He says I'm full-go, I'm going full-go."
