Ahead of Wednesday’s practice, Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen told members of the media that defensive tackle DeForest Buckner will be designated to return from injured reserve and practicing today, according to George Bremer.
Buckner has been sidelined and on injured reserve since exiting the Colts’ Week 2 matchup against the Green Bay Packers with a high ankle sprain.
By being designated to return, this opens up a 21 day window for Buckner to added back to the Colts’ 53-man roster, at which point he will be available to play on Sundays.
The full 21 days do not have to be exercised in order for Buckner to return to game action. He can be activated on Day 1, Day 21, or anywhere in between, that is all dependent upon his health.
So although back at practice on Wednesday, there still isn’t a guarantee that he’s available on Sunday. We will see in what capacity he practiced in later in the day and what the rest of the week looks like for him to get a better idea.
With that said, potentially having Buckner back for the Colts’ Week 8 showdown with Houston, which comes with early playoff implications, is massive–and that might be an understatement.
With Buckner on the field, both the Colts’ pass rush and run defense gets a major boost, not only because of his ability to be disruptive, but the attention he draws can create opportunities for others as well.
