The Colts provided some updates on a handful of injured players—with largely encouraging news.
According to their general manager Chris Ballard, the Indianapolis Colts have a number of players—particularly those already placed on preseason PUP, who are still recovering from various injuries but making progress (via 1075 The Fan’s Kevin Bowen):
Ballard on the PUP guys:
-Tyquan Lewis: Getting close to return
-Rodney McLeod: Knee procedure. Getting closer
-Shaquille (Darius) Leonard: Feeling relief. “When he’s back, he’s back.”
-Mike Strachan: Knee procedure. Going to be a little bit of time before he returns.
— Kevin Bowen (@KBowen1070) July 26, 2022
It’s worth noting that rookie defensive tackle Eric Johnson had some recent back spasms, and it shouldn’t be long until he returns to the football field for training camp.
Obviously, Shaquille Leonard’s the biggest name on the list (with an O’Neal like basketball presence for the Colts defense)—as he’s one player they cannot particularly replace because he cannot be replicated, no matter the high quality of their depth. His status will be critical for the Colts defense as the unit’s undisputed top playmaker and best player.
However, it appears that the remaining PUP players appear poised for a return at least at some point before training camp ends—some much sooner than others.