INDIANAPOLIS – Are you (bleepin’) kidding me?
Colts Nation said that in unison on Tuesday afternoon when Frank Reich announced that Quenton Nelson needs to have the same surgery that Carson Wentz had on Monday, after the All-Pro guard injured his right foot during Monday’s practice.
The timetable is the same for Nelson, meaning his absence will be in the 5-to-12 week range. Reich said the bone issue in Nelson’s right foot is what the Colts believe to be a ‘developmental anomaly’ that has been with the young guard his whole life. The Colts aren’t sure if Nelson got stepped on at Thursday’s practice or planted wrong to cause the dislodging.
Nelson is scheduled to have the surgery in Indianapolis at 4:00 on Tuesday, just 24 hours after Wentz did with the same doctor (Dr. David Porter at Methodist Sports).
Reich said that the Colts are not worried about either player aggravating their respective injuries, if they come back on the earlier side of the timeline.
“Generally speaking, the answer to that is ‘no,’” Reich said. “You get it fixed and maybe you aren’t 100 percent but you aren’t really putting yourself in danger, very much, in coming back and playing with a little bit of pain.”
Pain threshold will be part of when these guys return to the field.
With Nelson out, free agent signing Chris Reed is the next man up at left guard. Reed started 14 games for the Panthers last season.
It should be noted that Nelson has yet to miss a game in the NFL and has played 3,265 out of a possible 3,305 offensive snaps in his career (98.8 percent).
Here are other takeaways from the Colts first practice in full pads:
- Carson Wentz’s surgery on Monday was “best case scenario,” according to Frank Reich. No other damage was found as Wentz now begins his rehab.
- Jacob Eason continues to take all the starting reps on Tuesday. Eason was (unofficially) 10-of-21 with 2 TDs (in a red zone drill) and 0 interceptions. Without 5 starters around him, Eason’s day was once again up and down. He threw a couple of nice balls in stride to Michael Pittman—the only highlight from the first 11-on-11 session. He also tossed two touchdowns to Zach Pascal in the red zone. Yes, there were overthrows in the red zone and this is a QB still growing in making timely progressions/delivering the ball on time, but Eason protected the ball on a day when he got minimal help around him. It’s been tough to properly evaluate both sides of the ball with so many injuries.
- Tuesday’s highlight was the 2-minute drill executed by rookie Sam Ehlinger to end practice. Ehlinger was 7-of-10 on the drive, throwing (about) a 12-yard TD to tight end Farrod Green to cap the drive. The offense mobbed Ehlinger and his teammates to celebrate. After practice, QB coach Scott Milanovich met some members of the media and shared some of what his draft report was on Ehlinger. Milanovich said he wrote that Ehlinger is ‘in control of the offense’ when you watch him on film. That was so, so evident in watching Tuesday’s 2-minute drill. Things are far from perfect with Ehlinger, but he’s strung a couple of good days together. The Colts love how he’s grasped the playbook and I’ll be curious to see how his reps evolve from here. On Tuesday, Ehlinger was 12-of-17 while taking most of the second-team reps.
- This is how the starting offense started off Tuesday’s 11-on-11 work: fumbled exchange, fumbled exchange, fumbled exchange. It was the worst 3-play stretch I’ve seen for a starting offense at a training camp in 11 years of covering the Colts. Yes, Jacob Eason and Joey Hunt are not used to tons of starting work, but both have worked together in reserve roles. And Hunt has started 11 games in the NFL.
- With the Colts down 3 starters on their offensive line, and their backup center, the starting OL was this on Tuesday: LT-Sam Tevi, LG-Chris Reed, C-Joey Hunt, RG-Mark Glowinski, RT-Braden Smith. This was Tevi’s 4th straight day as the starter at left tackle. It goes without saying that the defensive line shredded the offensive line throughout Tuesday’s session. The DL had at least 7 ‘sacks’ on Tuesday.
- It shouldn’t get lost in the shuffle that DE-Ben Banogu continues to have a really disruptive camp. Yes, we’ve seen this before, Tuesday was the first day in pads and the offensive line depth is waning, but we shouldn’t overlook what Banogu has done. Will this roll over into more full-padded work and the preseason?
- Six practices in and Rodrigo Blankenship and Eddy Pineiro have kicked just 3 total field goals (both making all 3). That’s odd for this supposed ‘competition.’
- Nyheim Hines (hip) made his camp practice debut on Tuesday and was back returning punts, along with his other duties. It was very rare to see Hines miss practice time.
- Guys that stood out at Tuesday’s practice: LB-Bobby Okereke, DT-Grover Stewart, DE-Kwity Paye, QB-Sam Ehlinger, DT-DeForest Buckner, CB-Marvell Tell, WR-Zach Pascal.
- One draft pick we’ve yet to see in camp is 5th round safety Shawn Davis (hamstring). Now, the thought was it would be difficult for Davis to find consistent playing time behind Khari Willis and Julian Blackmon. But the Colts are high on the Florida product. Also, the depth chart behind Willis and Blackmon isn’t clear with Sean Davis (free agent signing) and George Odum also in the mix.
- The Colts will have another practice on Wednesday before an off day on Thursday.
Injury Report: The following players did not appear to be participating at Tuesday’s practice: S-Shawn Davis (hamstring), LB-Darius Leonard (ankle), C-Ryan Kelly (elbow), QB-Carson Wentz (foot), WR-J.J. Nelson (groin), DT-Taylor Stallworth (hamstring), WR-Tarik Black, RB-Jordan Wilkins, S-Rolan Miligan, LG-Quenton Nelson (foot), LB-Jordan Glasgow (back), G-Danny Pinter (illness), TE-Jack Doyle (rest), WR-T.Y. Hilton (rest). Leonard was not wearing a boot while watching Tuesday’s practice. Just a reminder that OT-Eric Fisher (physically unable to perform list) and DE-Dayo Odeyingbo (non-football injury list) remain sidelined. Left on the COVID-19 list: OT-Julie’n Davenport, DE-Al-Quadin Muhammad, CB-Xavier Rhodes.
Weekly Camp Schedule
-Wednesday: 10:00-11:45 Practice
-Thursday: Off day
-Friday: 10:00-11:30 Practice
-Saturday: 10:00-11:30 Practice
-Sunday: 10:00-11:45 Practice
-Monday Off day
-Tuesday: 10:00-11:45 Practice
-Wednesday: 10:00-11:20 Practice
-Thursday: 4:00-6:00 Joint practice with Panthers
-Friday: 4:00-6:00 Joint practice with Panthers
-Saturday: Off day
