The Colts are heading into a massive Monday night matchup with the 49ers, and the latest injury report paints a mixed picture for a team still fighting to stay in the thick of the AFC playoff race.
Let’s start with the big name in the trenches: DeForest Buckner. The veteran defensive tackle is officially listed as questionable with a neck injury, but there’s optimism he could be back in uniform for this one.
Buckner’s return from injured reserve would be a major lift for a defense that’s going to need every bit of muscle and disruption it can muster against a physical San Francisco offense. This isn’t just about stats-it’s about presence.
Buckner sets the tone up front, and against his former team, you know the motivation will be sky-high if he’s cleared to go.
On the offensive side, the situation at left tackle is far less certain. Bernhard Raimann is also listed as questionable with an elbow injury that knocked him out of last week’s game.
He’s been limited all week in practice, and while the Colts haven’t ruled him out, the signs aren’t exactly promising. If Raimann can’t go, it’ll likely be Luke Tenuta stepping in again.
That’s a tough assignment against a 49ers pass rush that doesn’t exactly take it easy on backup linemen. The Colts will need to get creative with protections if they’re down their starting left tackle.
In the secondary, the news is more definitive-and not in a good way. Cornerback Sauce Gardner has been ruled out with a calf injury.
That’s another tough blow for a defense that’s already had to shuffle its lineup in recent weeks. Head coach Shane Steichen said he expects Gardner to return before season’s end, but it won’t be this week.
In his absence, it’ll be Mekhi Blackmon and Jonathan Edwards holding down the outside corner spots. That duo held their own last week, but with the 49ers’ array of weapons, they’ll need to be sharp from the opening snap.
Also officially out for Monday night: quarterback Anthony Richardson and safety Daniel Scott. Both players had their practice windows opened recently as they work their way back from injured reserve-Richardson with an eye injury, Scott with a knee-but neither is ready to return just yet. It’s a reminder of how banged up this Colts roster has been down the stretch, even as they continue to battle for postseason positioning.
Bottom line: The Colts are getting some reinforcements, but they’re also still missing key pieces. If Buckner suits up, that’s a huge boost. But the absences of Gardner, Richardson, and Scott, plus the uncertainty around Raimann, mean this team will once again need to lean on its depth and resilience in a primetime showdown with playoff implications on the line.