According to Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen, he didn’t have a specific injury update for a pair of veterans, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (neck) and cornerback Charvarius Ward (concussion), as well as for quarterback Anthony Richardson (orbital fracture) on Monday (via The Athletic’s James Boyd):
All three players are currently on injured reserve, but both Richardson and Ward are eligible to return this weekend in a critical game against the AFC’s reigning champions, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs—where Ward’s ongoing status is of immense importance for potentially slowing down their passing game.
Ward has recently been doing some work with trainers on the side during team practices, so his return to the football field on Sundays could be potentially imminent. His eventual return would be a big boost to a Colts cornerback trio of Ward, recently added former All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner, and Kenny Moore II that is arguably the best in all of football when fully healthy and truly going right.
The Colts designating him to return from injured reserve and begin his 21-day window to be activated could be close though—even against his former team.
Meanwhile, Buckner shared via social media that he traveled to Panama to receive regenerative stem cell treatment for presumably his ailing neck—for what seemingly wasn’t the first time to help recover from a potential football injury.
The earliest that the Colts Pro Bowl veteran defensive tackle can return is during Week 15 on the road against the Seattle Seahawks. Indianapolis will assuredly miss him this weekend at Arrowhead. However, even getting Buckner back healthy for the late season’s stretch run would be a major addition to the Colts defense collectively.
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