The Indianapolis Colts will use the bye week for many purposes but one of them is to get extra rest for players currently dealing with injuries.
Even though it may be a bit early to tell who will be returning following the bye week, head coach Frank Reich is hoping the Colts will get several players back from injury.
For players like wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and linebacker Darius Leonard, this could be the first time they get on the field since initially suffering injuries.
“Hopefully we get a few of the guys coming back. We’ll see how they keep progressing. Mo (Alie-Cox), Chaz Green, Darius (Leonard), we’ll see how Matt Adams and (Michael) Pittman are doing,” Reich told the media earlier this week. “They’ve all been making good progress. Hopefully most, if not all of those guys, will be ready to go versus Detroit.”
The rookie receiver in Pittman Jr. has been making progress since suffering leg compartment syndrome following the Week 3 win against the New York Jets. The timeline has been that he’s expected to return after the bye week. His return could be a big boost to the passing game.
Leonard has been missing since suffering a groin injury in Week 4 against the Bears. He missed two consecutive games and even though he was close to returning in Week 6, he was held out. The extra week should have given him enough time to rest.
The Colts are also hopeful to get the return of defensive end Kemoko Turay, who has been on the PUP list to begin the season. He’s eligible to return to practice, but it remains to be seen if the third-year pass rusher will come back in Week 8.
The bye week should help the Colts work out some issues on the field while also giving some extra time for injured players to get back from their ailments.
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