Alec Pierce’s status is the headline item on the Indianapolis Colts’ first Week 1 injury report, and the early read is a little murky.
Pierce, who is still coming back from ankle surgery in March, was listed Wednesday as a limited participant because of a heel issue. That immediately raised the possibility that the Colts are simply easing him back into a bigger workload. It also leaves open the less comfortable interpretation: that the receiver who recently returned to full participation in practice may not be quite all the way there yet.
According to the team’s official update, Pierce was one of several Colts on the report. Rookie safety AJ Haulcy was limited with an ankle issue, tight end Drew Ogletree was limited because of a neck problem, and center Sedrick Van Pran-Granger was limited due to an illness.
That Van Pran-Granger note is worth watching only because illnesses can spread fast this time of year, and the Colts obviously would prefer to avoid that before their first game.
As for Pierce, Mike Chappell reported that reporters spoke with him in the locker room and that the wideout said he is “ready to go” for Week 1. Even so, Chappell added that Pierce, who was re-signed this offseason for four years and $34 billion, could be on a snap cunt for the opening of the season.
That would apply not just to Sunday’s opener against the Baltimore Ravens, but also to the second game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
For now, though, this is still just the first injury report of the week, and those early lists rarely tell the whole story. Thursday’s update will matter more, and Friday should bring the clearest picture of where Pierce stands heading into Week 1.
In Other News...
Colts Enter Week 1 With Their Biggest Roster Doubt Unanswered
The Colts are heading into Week 1 with a familiar mix of hope and uncertainty, and a number of preseason evaluations have them stuck in the middle of the league picture. Across several power rankings, Indianapolis lands anywhere from 19th to 23rd, a range that reflects real questions about health, depth and how much margin this roster has if things go sideways early. The outlook is already tied to the availability and play of Daniel Jones, Jonathan Taylor and Alec Pierce, which says plenty about where the team stands entering the new season.
The schedule does not offer much room to ease into things, either, with a demanding opening stretch that will quickly test whether the Colts can look more like a contender than a wait-and-see team. Projection models have them finishing third in the AFC South, and with Baltimore and Kansas City looming before a key division game with Houston, Indianapolis may spend the first part of the year proving it belongs in the conversation at all. However the first week plays out, the bigger question around this team remains unanswered. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Rookies Are Already Pushing For Bigger Week 1 Roles
The Colts Week 1 roster already has a distinctly young feel, with eight rookies making the initial 53 and a few of them positioned to matter right away. Linebacker CJ Allen is the clearest candidate to carve out early defensive snaps, while safety AJ Haulcy could be in line to start if hes healthy enough to take on that responsibility. Running back Seth McGowan also looks like he has a path to a backup role, giving Indianapolis some rookie depth in a backfield that may need it.
Even beyond those names, the rookie class is shaping up to be more than just a group of special teams fillers. Several of the first-year players are expected to contribute in limited offensive packages or on coverage units, which should help the Colts build out the bottom of the roster while keeping options open as the season begins. The bigger question is how quickly the team trusts those young players once the games start to count, especially with a few of them already knocking on the door of larger roles. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Front Faces A Week 1 Test Ravens Suddenly Changed
The Ravens offensive line plan took a sharp turn this week when Danny Pinter, expected to open the season at center, went down with a season-ending patellar tendon injury during a joint practice. In his place, Baltimore is turning to Jovaughn Gwyn, a 2023 seventh-round pick whose preseason work and practice reps were enough to push him past veteran Ethan Pocic for the job. For Indianapolis, it adds a fresh layer to a Week 1 matchup that was already going to hinge on line play.
Gwyn has shown enough to earn the assignment, but Sunday brings a different kind of test. The Colts defensive front will have a chance to go after a center with limited regular-season experience, and how quickly Baltimore can settle him in could shape the tone of the opener. It is the sort of adjustment that can look manageable in August and become a much bigger issue once the games count. [Read more 🡒]