Colts Injury Update: Sauce Gardner to Miss Time, Kicker Situation Under Review
The Colts entered December with a few pressing issues to address-and none bigger than the health of standout cornerback Sauce Gardner and the ongoing inconsistency at kicker. Let’s break down where things stand as Indianapolis tries to regain control in the AFC South.
Sauce Gardner’s Injury: Calf Strain, Not Achilles-Colts Breathe a Sigh of Relief
The good news first: Sauce Gardner’s Achilles is intact.
After leaving Sunday’s loss to the Texans with a lower leg injury, there was real concern that Gardner might be facing a long-term absence. But after further imaging, the Colts confirmed it’s a calf injury-not the Achilles-and while he will miss some time, a stint on injured reserve isn’t currently on the table.
That’s a huge relief for a defense that leans heavily on Gardner’s presence on the boundary.
With five games left on the regular-season slate-at Jacksonville, at Seattle, home against San Francisco, home again versus the Jaguars, and a season finale in Houston-there’s optimism Gardner will be back for a meaningful chunk of that stretch. For context, Kenny Moore II missed three games earlier this year with a similar calf issue.
In the meantime, the Colts will need to reshuffle the secondary. One option could be sliding Moore back outside in base packages, though that would impact his usual nickel role. Mekhi Blackmon and Jaylon Jones are also in the mix, and on Sunday, it was Blackmon who saw the bulk of the snaps after Gardner exited-outsnapping Jones 46 to 31.
Another player the Colts need more from is veteran cornerback Ward, who has been candid about his struggles since returning from a concussion that sidelined him for a month.
“I just got to get my mind right and my heart right,” Ward said Monday. “Once I get my mind right, my heart right, I think my physical body and the way I perform, that’ll be good. But as long as my mind is cloudy, I don’t play good all the time.”
That kind of honesty is rare-and telling. The Colts will need Ward to find his rhythm quickly, especially with Gardner out and playoff positioning on the line.
Kicker Watch: Badgley’s Misses Prompt Possible Tryouts
On the other side of the ball, the Colts are facing a different kind of problem-one that could cost them points in a tight playoff race.
Michael Badgley has missed three extra points in seven games since joining the team. That’s not just a red flag-it’s a siren. Extra points are supposed to be automatic, and when they’re not, it changes how a coach calls a game.
Head coach Shane Steichen didn’t confirm whether the team will hold another round of kicker tryouts, but he didn’t rule it out either.
“Chris (Ballard) and his staff handle all that stuff, so I’ll defer to Chris on those things,” Steichen said.
The issue isn’t new. The Colts brought Badgley in knowing there were questions about his leg strength, and that’s already influenced how Steichen approaches longer field goal situations.
But the expectation was that Badgley would be automatic from short range-including PATs. That hasn’t happened.
“Badg knows he’s got to make the PATs,” Steichen said. “I love Badg.
I love Badg the player, I love Badg the person. And we’ll see where it goes.”
Steichen made it clear he still has faith in Badgley, but in a league where one missed kick can swing a season, the leash is getting shorter.
If the Colts do decide to bring in competition, they’ve got some familiar names on speed dial. Back in October, the team held kicker tryouts, and several of those players remain available.
Veterans like Dustin Hopkins, Josh Lambo, and Matt Ammendola were part of that earlier workout and are still on the market.
There are also a few kickers who’ve seen game action this season and could be intriguing options:
- Lucas Havrisik (Packers practice squad): Has kicked in three games for Green Bay, going 7-for-9 on extra points and 4-for-4 on field goals, including a 61-yarder. He’s handled kickoff duties as well.
- Harrison Mevis (Rams practice squad): Went 17-for-17 on PATs and 2-for-2 on field goals-including a 52-yarder-while filling in for the Rams over four games.
- Matthew Wright (recently released by the Texans): Has kicked for three different teams this year-Texans, Titans, and Commanders-going 5-for-5 on field goals and 4-for-4 on PATs. He’s also handled kickoffs.
Back in October, the Colts held their kicker tryout on a Tuesday before beginning weekly prep on Wednesday. If they’re planning to revisit that process, we could hear something within the next 24 hours.
What’s Next
With Gardner sidelined and the kicking game in flux, the Colts are entering a critical stretch of the season with some key questions still unanswered. But they’ve avoided the worst with Gardner’s injury, and they have options if they choose to address the kicking situation.
December football is here-and for the Colts, every decision from here on out could be the difference between a playoff push and a missed opportunity.