Colts Only Rule One Player Out vs. Shorthanded Opponent

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Indianapolis Colts were hit with a critical injury last week as cornerback Sauce Gardner left the game early with a calf injury.

Luckily, Gardner avoided disaster, as the injury is localized to the calf rather than the Achilles, and will only render him week-to-week rather than ending his season. With that said, he is the only Colts player ruled out for Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Jaguars, however, will be at least without two starters, as left tackle Walker Little and safety Andrew Wingard have both been ruled out as of Friday.

Here is how both teams' health is shaping up ahead of Sunday afternoon's matchup.

COLTS

WEDNESDAY

The Colts held a walkthrough on Wednesday rather than a full practice, so Wednesday's injury report is an estimation.

• Did Not Participate — WR Josh Downs (hip/knee), CB Sauce Gardner (calf), DE Tyquan Lewis (groin), CB Kenny Moore II (illness/ankle)
• Full Participant — LB Jaylon Carlies (ankle), QB Daniel Jones (fibula)

THURSDAY

• Did Not Participate — CB Sauce Gardner (calf)
• Limited Participant — DE Tyquan Lewis (groin)
• Full Participant — LB Jaylon Carlies (ankle), WR Josh Downs (hip/knee), QB Daniel Jones (fibula), CB Kenny Moore II (illness/ankle)

FRIDAY

• Did Not Participate — CB Sauce Gardner (calf), DE Tyquan Lewis (groin)
• Full Participant — LB Jaylon Carlies (ankle), WR Josh Downs (hip/knee), QB Daniel Jones (fibula), CB Kenny Moore II (illness/ankle), DE Kwity Paye (ankle)

QUESTIONABLE — LB Jaylon Carlies (IR-ankle), DE Tyquan Lewis (ankle)

OUT — CB Sauce Gardner (calf)

With Gardner out, the Colts will likely lean on the combination of Mekhi Blackmon and Jaylon Jones opposite Charvarius Ward Sr. — whoever they feel matches up best with Jacksonville's receivers.

Carlies has practiced in full for three straight weeks since his 21-day practice window was enabled. On whether the Colts will activate him from Injured Reserve, head coach Shane Steichen said, “He had a great week of practice. We’ll make that decision here soon.”

If the Colts don't activate Carlies by the end of this week, he will have to stay on IR for the remainder of the season.

Lewis is tough to gauge because he often plays through injuries. However, was Friday's downgrade to DNP an indicator of Sunday's status, or more of an effort by the team to rest him for Sunday? We'll see when the inactives are announced at 11:30 a.m. ET on Sunday.

JAGUARS

WEDNESDAY

• Did Not Participate — OT Walker Little (concussion), DE Travon Walker (knee), WR Parker Washington (hip), S Andrew Wingard (concussion)
• Limited Participant — DT Arik Armstead (hand), P Logan Cooke (shoulder), OT Chuma Edoga (calf), LB Devin Lloyd (chest), LS Ross Matiscik (back), G Patrick Mekari (concussion), LB Foyesade Oluokun (hamstring), DE Danny Striggow (knee)
• Full Participant — CB Jourdan Lewis (neck), S Eric Murray (neck)

THURSDAY

• Did Not Participate — OT Walker Little (concussion), S Andrew Wingard (concussion)
• Limited Participant — DT Arik Armstead (hand), P Logan Cooke (shoulder), OT Chuma Edoga (calf), LS Ross Matiscik (back), DE Travon Walker (knee), WR Parker Washington (hip)
• Full Participant — CB Jourdan Lewis (neck), LB Devin Lloyd (chest), G Patrick Mekari (concussion), S Eric Murray (neck), LB Foyesade Oluokun (hamstring), DE Danny Striggow (knee)

FRIDAY

• Did Not Participate — OT Walker Little (concussion), S Andrew Wingard (concussion)
• Limited Participant — DT Arik Armstead (hand), P Logan Cooke (shoulder), OT Chuma Edoga (calf), LS Ross Matiscik (back), DE Travon Walker (knee), WR Parker Washington (hip)
• Full Participant — CB Jourdan Lewis (neck), LB Devin Lloyd (chest), G Patrick Mekari (concussion), S Eric Murray (neck), LB Foyesade Oluokun (hamstring), DE Danny Striggow (knee)

QUESTIONABLE — DT Arik Armstead (hand), S Eric Murray (neck), DE Travon Walker (knee), WR Parker Washington (hip)

OUT — OT Walker Little (concussion), S Andrew Wingard (concussion)

The Jaguars being without Little and Wingard, at minimum, are significant hits. Little is the left tackle, while Wingard is a starting veteran leader in the secondary who almost always shows up against the Colts.

Armstead, Murray, Walker, and Washington would all be critical absences as well.

The Colts and Jaguars face off on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET at EverBank Stadium on CBS.

Jake Arthur has been covering the Indianapolis Colts for over a dozen years and is a member of the PFWA. He's one half of the Locked On Colts podcast and has worked for the Colts' official website, On SI, and more. You can follow him on X @JakeArthurNFL.

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