INDIANAPOLIS – This weekend’s business trip to the West Coast has been complicated for the Indianapolis Colts.
While coach Shane Steichen said nickel cornerback Kenny Moore II will return after missing three games with an Achilles injury, he ruled out three integral players for Sunday’s meeting with the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium.
Ruled out on Friday: cornerback Charvarius Ward (concussion) and wideouts Josh Downs (concussion) and Ashton Dulin (chest).
Steichen and offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter face significant personnel adjustments without Downs and Dulin.
Downs has emerged as one of the NFL’s premier slot receivers. He has 26 receptions for 217 yards and one touchdown, a 5-yarder in last Sunday’s 31-27 win over Arizona. He also has been Daniel Jones’ favorite target on third down with a team-high nine catches for 87 yards in third-down situations.
“You’ve just got to maneuver some things during the week, looking at different things, getting guys in different spots,’’ Steichen said. “That’s our job as coaches.’’
With Downs and Dulin both out, the Colts’ options include keeping AD Mitchell active for the game, along with elevating a receiver from the practice squad, either veteran Laquon Treadwell or rookie Coleman Owen.
Mitchell was a healthy inactive for the Cardinals game and on the field for just six snaps in mop-up time the previous week against Las Vegas. That essentially represented a temporary demotion following two major mistakes when the Colts last visited SoFi Stadium in week 4 against the Los Angeles Rams.
Mitchell’s two gaffes – dropping the football prior to crossing the goal line on what would have been a 76-yard TD reception and a holding penalty that negated a 53-yard TD run by Jonathan Taylor – directly cost the Colts two touchdowns in their 27-20 loss.
Steichen said at the time the team’s 2024 second-round draft pick had to “earn’’ future playing time during practice.
Friday, Steichen said Mitchell must “just fight through adversity. This is a physical game, but a lot of it’s mental, too. You’ve got to be mentally strong in certain situations and things are going to come up during the season that you don’t want to happen to you.
“It happens. But he’s bounced back the right way. He’s been in the right mindset.’’
“Just excited to just do my job,’’ Mitchell said Friday. “Let the practices and meetings carry over to the game.’’
It’s not as simple as filling Downs’ void in the slot with Mitchell. That’s never been one of his strengths.
Options include giving rookie tight end Tyler Warren more work out of the slot – he’s been used at several offensive positions – or dialing up more snaps in the slot for Michael Pittman Jr., who’s comfortable working inside.
Another possibility is Anthony Gould. He’s been used almost exclusively as a return specialist in his first two seasons with 34 kickoff and punt returns. But during the offseason and training camp, the 2024 fifth-round pick was Downs’ backup in the slot.
Gould has been on the field for just 27 offensive snaps in his career, 14 games, including only 12 in six games this season. Seven of those snaps this year came late in the blowout of the Raiders. He has one reception for 23 yards.
Moore’s return should help ease a position that’s been depleted by injuries. He’ll likely be on a pitch count, but even his limited presence – probably in obvious passing situations – is a boost for the cornerback mix.
Moore suffered an Achilles injury in week 2 at Tennessee and returned to practice for the first time on Wednesday. He was limited for the first two days this week and held out of Friday’s work.
“He’s ready to go,’’ Steichen said. “He had some good practices. He’s in a good spot.’’
Moore agreed.
“It’ll be good to get back with the guys, try to give us a better chance to win,’’ he said. “I’m just going to do what I can to help us win.’’
Ward suffered his concussion in a freak collision with tight end Drew Ogletree during warmups for last Sunday’s win over the Arizona Cardinals. His second concussion this season resulted in coordinator Lou Anarumo having to make a last-minute personnel move.
With Ward out, undrafted rookie Johnathan Edwards made his first career start and was on the field for 71 snaps against Arizona, tying Mekhi Blackmon for the most among corners. In the previous three games, Edwards handled a total of 28 defensive snaps.
And with Moore out, Chris Lammons’ workload in nickel situations greatly increased.
Richardson update
Steichen is optimistic Anthony Richardson Sr. will return at some point this season. The No. 4 overall pick in 2023 was placed on the injured reserve list this week and must miss at least four games after suffering a fractured orbital bone in an eye during a warm-up routine with a resistance band prior to Sunday’s game with the Cardinals.
“I think he’ll be back, I really do,’’ Steichen said. “I don’t have a timetable on it.
“He just needs his rest and recovery right now.’’
With Richardson out, the Colts elevated rookie Riley Leonard to Jones’ backup and signed veteran Brett Rypien to the practice squad on Wednesday.
Steichen said Leonard will be the backup against the Chargers while Rypien learns the offense.
If the Colts decide to have Rypien available as an inactive/emergency quarterback for Sunday, they first would have to sign him to the active roster.
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.