INDIANAPOLIS – This hasn’t been the rookie contributions the Indianapolis Colts anticipated.
They expected more from cornerback JuJu Brents and not this much from Blake Freeland.
Injuries, though, altered whatever plans had been put in place as the Colts exited training camp at Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield and headed into the season.
“It has been a lot more opportunity than I expected and I’m so grateful for it,’’ said Freeland, a fourth-round pick out of BYU. “I was just ready for anything.
“I was ready for whatever opportunity that was going to be presented.’’
Instead of being eased into the NFL and getting comfortable as a swing tackle for position coach Tony Sparano Jr., Freeland’s learning curve has been accelerated by injuries to left tackle Bernhard Raimann and right tackle Braden Smith.
He’ll make his seventh start Sunday at Cincinnati, his fifth at right tackle. Smith has been ruled out after suffering a knee injury on the opening drive in last Sunday’s overtime win at Tennessee.
Adjustments are hardly novel to the 6-7, 302-pounder.
When Raimann missed weeks 4-5 with a concussion, Freeland made his first NFL start against the Los Angeles Rams and followed that up with another against the Tennessee Titans.
That was followed by an immediate switch to right tackle at Jacksonville in week 6 when Smith was sidelined with wrist and hip injuries.
Freeland returned to a backup’s role when Smith resumed for his starting spot against New England, Tampa Bay and the Titans, but again was thrust into a heavier workload in Nashville. Smith injured his knee on the third offensive play of the game.
In seven games – six starts and off the bench against the Titans – Freeland has missed just six of 475 snaps.
“He’s done a really nice job,’’ Shane Steichen said. “He works like a pro. The job Tony has done with those guys, getting them ready to play, has been great.
“But the progress that (Freeland) has made has been really good as well and he’s doing a nice job for us.’’
Freeland’s experience at both tackle spots was one of the things that made him attractive to the Colts. He started all 26 games at left tackle his final two years at BYU after starting 15 games at right tackle the previous two years.
“I feel I have a good base for each,’’ Freeland said.
Brents available?
Might this be the week Brents returns from a quadriceps injury that’s forced him to miss the last five games?
“We’ll see how it goes,’’ the Warren Central H.S. product and second-round draft pick said Friday. “Mentally if I’m there and I feel good and I’m ready to go, then we’re going to go.’’
His availability might be determined after testing the quad prior to the game.
“We’ll see with the training staff,’’ Brents said.
He returned to practice on a limited basis Thursday and Friday, and is questionable for Sunday.
This isn’t how anyone anticipated Brents’ rookie season unfolding.
He missed the entirety of the Colts’ offseason work while recovering from surgery on his left wrist then dealt with a hamstring injury during training camp that kept him out of the first two games of the regular season.
After getting on the field in week 3 at Baltimore and starting the next four games, Brents injured a quad against the Cleveland Browns.
“My initial diagnosis was around what it’s been,’’ he said. “ . . . a little longer than what I expected or wanted.’’
One of the frustrating aspects for Brents is injuries weren’t a prevailing issue during a collegiate career at Kansas State and Iowa State that included 46 games and 32 starts.
“Hopefully I can get them all out of the way now,’’ he said with a smile. “It’s tough dealing with injuries. It’s football. Things happen. You’re going to face adversity.
“You’ve just gotta keep getting better and respond in the right way. It’s not about what happened to you. It’s about how you respond to it.’’
The timing could be ideal for Brents’ return, even if it’s in a rotational role at cornerback with Darrell Baker Jr., Jaylon Jones and Kenny Moore II.
The Bengals’ offense ranks No. 26 in yards per game and tied-No. 27 in scoring, but features one of the NFL’s top receivers groups in Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd.
“He is a really good cover corner,’’ Steichen said. “He’s sticky in coverage, he’s long, he’s physical when he presses receivers.
“He just brings that natural ability. I think some guys have that knack of getting to the football and being around the football. I think he has that.’’
In five games, Brents has 24 tackles, one interception and three passes defended.
Welcome back, Grover
Tackle Grover Stewart returns to the defense after serving a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances policy.
Will he start against the Bengals?
“I mean, there’s a good chance, yeah,’’ Steichen said with a laugh.
Will Stewart be on a pitch count?
“He’ll play as much as he needs to play,’’ Steichen said.
Injury update
Along with Smith, the Colts ruled out running back Jonathan Taylor (thumb).
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.