Placed two Key Defensive Starters on Injured Reserve as they Miss the Rest of the 2024 Season actions but this will…
The Indianapolis Colts lost 27-29 against the Houston Texans in their home opener. The Colts defense didn’t have the best performance, allowing 417 yards, including 204 passing and 213 rushing yards, and were on the field for 40 minutes. C.J. Stroud completed 24 passes on 32 attempts for 234 yards and two touchdowns.
The Colts will travel to Lambeau Field to play against the 0-1 Green Bay Packers. The Packers lost a close game to the Eagles last Friday, and Jordan Love suffered a Grade 1/2 MCL sprain on the third to last snap of the game. He could miss anywhere from 3-6 weeks or fewer, depending on his recovery. In the meantime, Malik Willis will start at quarterback.
The Indianapolis Colts breakout candidate suffered an undisclosed knee injury
JuJu Brents, their 44th overall pick from the 2023 NFL Draft, couldn’t stay healthy during his rookie season. He missed the entire offseason workout program with a wrist injury and part of training camp with a hamstring injury. Brents would then miss eight games in 2023 because of a personal matter and six more with a quad injury.
Sports Illustrated had Brents as a breakout candidate for the 2024 season. He recorded seven tackles in 62 (79%) defensive snaps and allowed four receptions on six targets for 79 yards, zero touchdowns, and a 109.7 passer rating in coverage. He suffered an undisclosed knee injury after tweaking his knee during the game.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Colts placed Brents on injured reserve on Tuesday. He will undergo knee surgery, which will determine the length of time he will miss. He could miss the remainder of the 2024 season, which would be a devastating loss to their thin secondary.
“JuJu Brents will be placed on injured reserve after suffering a significant knee injury that will require surgery, a league source told IndyStar on Tuesday, although the team will leave open the possibility that Brents could return in the final month of the season.”
Dallis Flowers will likely take over as the starting cornerback. Flowers opened the 2023 season as a starter but suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 4. He recovered and competed for the other starting spot against Jaylon Jones. Ultimately, Jones won the starting job, and Flowers was a healthy scratch.
Another possibility is Samuel Womack III. Womack spent the first two seasons with the 49ers before getting released during roster cuts in Year 3. The Colts claimed him off waivers. He played in two special teams snaps against the Texans.
Finally, the Colts can afford to sign a free agent with $14.86 million cap space, per Over The Cap. Notable free agents include Xavien Howard, J.C. Jackson, Patrick Peterson, and Ahkello Witherspoon.
