Charvarius Ward’s absence from the Colts’ trip to New England is a reminder that the real concern in Indianapolis isn’t whether he can help in a preseason game. It’s whether his body will let him be the player the Colts brought in to be.
Ward stayed home instead of traveling with the team for Tuesday’s joint practice against the Patriots and Thursday’s preseason game. The game itself was never the issue - starters often sit those out anyway - but joint work usually gives regulars a chance to get meaningful reps in controlled settings. Ward wasn’t available for that, and the reason is the same problem that has been hanging over him since the offseason: his back.
According to Colts insider Mike Chappell, Ward is dealing with “back soreness.” Rather than put him on a flight just to stand on the sideline, Indianapolis kept him in Indy, presumably so he can get treatment and work through the issue.
That’s where the uneasy part comes in. Ward missed time last season after suffering three concussions, and that kind of availability problem is one thing.
A back issue is another. Back pain can linger, come and go, and stick around longer than anyone would like.
For a veteran who has already logged a lot of football, it’s not the sort of thing that automatically disappears.
There’s also no reason to overreact to him missing a joint practice or preseason game by itself. If this were a real game, the Colts might well have had him out there. He also missed some practices earlier in camp because of the same back pain, which fits the bigger picture: this isn’t a new development, just one that hasn’t gone away yet.
Ward doesn’t need a ton of reps to know his assignment. When he’s healthy, he knows how to play. The problem is that nobody really knows how serious the back issue is, and that answer may not come until closer to the start of the season.
For now, Indianapolis is hoping this is just a temporary setback. If it isn’t, the Colts’ defense takes a hit, and in a tough AFC South, one key injury can change the entire playoff picture.
In Other News...
Colts May Have One Last Chance To Salvage Anthony Richardson Value
Anthony Richardsons future in Indianapolis has already become a talking point, and one trade idea has added another layer to the conversation. The proposal frames the former first-round quarterback as a player who might not even secure the backup job with the Colts, which is a striking turn for a team still trying to figure out how to handle his value before it slips any further.
In that scenario, the suggested partner is Tampa Bay, where Richardson would sit behind Baker Mayfield as insurance rather than as an immediate answer. It is the kind of move that could give the Colts something back while giving the Buccaneers a developmental quarterback with upside, but for now it remains only a proposal, not a transaction. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Have A Patriots Cornerback Situation Worth Watching Closely
A familiar summer problem in Foxborough has started to take shape again, and it is worth keeping an eye on from the Colts side of the joint-practice coin. Carlton Davis got back on the field August 10 for the first time since July 28, working through individual drills and walkthroughs while the Patriots eased him back from a hamstring injury. For New England, the emphasis has been on patience, with the cornerback room getting extra reps and live experience while Davis watches more than he participates.
For Indianapolis, the timing matters because these are exactly the kind of August sessions that can expose how a defense is holding up before the games start counting. Mike Vrabel had already set expectations low for Davis being available for the joint practices or the preseason opener, so the Colts will be facing a Patriots secondary that may still be sorting itself out without one of its more established pieces fully in the mix. Even if Davis is trending the right way, the immediate question is how much of him the Patriots can actually use this week. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Boettcher Is Making Colts Veterans Earn Every Snap
Bryce Boettcher has already made himself part of the conversation at Colts training camp, and that alone says plenty about how quickly the fourth-round pick has gotten noticed. The rookie linebacker came in with the label of a raw prospect, but his work ethic and determination have stood out enough for the coaching staff to give him a real look with the first-team defense.
For a player who was not viewed as the top linebacker in the class, that kind of early traction matters in a big way. It also hints at a fascinating fit issue for Indianapolis, since the path to snaps may depend less on where Boettcher was projected to land and more on where the Colts can actually use him best. In a camp built around competition, he has already forced the team to keep adjusting the picture. [Read more 🡒]