Indianapolis Colts rookie linebacker Jaylon Carlies has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins with an ankle injury.
The Colts are already thin at the linebacker position with EJ Speed inactive for this game as he works through a knee injury. Carlies would get the start next to Zaire Franklin in nickel and with his coverage background as a former college safety, he was the Will linebacker when Indianapolis was lined up in their base 4-3 defense. Grant Stuard was the Sam backer.
Carlies entered Sunday’s game as one of Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded rookies through the first six weeks of the NFL season.
He was carrying that momentum into this matchup, totaling five solo tackles, a red zone sack as a blitzer, and a tackle for loss.
Without Carlies, Stuard will presumably be the nickel linebacker with Franklin, while Segun Olubi and Liam Anderson are other linebacker options off the bench for when Indianapolis is in their 4-3 alignment.