The Indianapolis Colts announced that they have activated linebacker Cameron McGrone from injured reserve ahead of the team’s matchup with Houston.
McGrone will be available for Sunday’s game against the Texans.
In addition to activating McGrone from injured reserve, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner was also activated off IR as well. To make room for both players, running back Evan Hull was waived and linebacker Jaylon Carlies was placed on IR.
McGrone began the regular season on injured reserve and was one of the Colts’ two designations to return–along with defensive end Samson Ebukam.
McGrone suffered an elbow injury during a drill in training camp. He would tell The Athletic’s James Boyd that the specific injury was a dislocated elbow and it did require surgery.
McGrone did appear in the Colts’ first preseason game where he recorded five tackles and a forced fumble.
Last season, McGrone would emerge as a core special teams player for Indianapolis, playing 151 snaps, according to PFF, across multiple phases. Presumably, McGrone will fill a similar role upon his return in Week 8.
Without Carlies, who was the team’s third linebacker this season when lined up in base, I would expect we again see Grant Stuard fill that SAM linebacker role, with of course, EJ Speed and Zaire Franklin as the two nickel linebackers.
Following roster cutdowns, when general manager Chris Ballard was speaking with the media, he mentioned the major strides that McGrone had made in his game over the last year and that the team is looking forward to getting him back.
