Charvarius Ward is expected to be available for the Indianapolis Colts in Week 3 after being listed as questionable earlier in the week. That’s according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
Ward’s Practice Trajectory This Week
Ward, dealing with a groin injury, sat out practice entirely Wednesday. He returned as a limited participant Thursday. He progressed to a full practice Friday. That steady climb through the week left head coach Shane Steichen optimistic about his availability. “Ward had a good day of work today, and then we’ll see how he feels tomorrow,” Steichen said Friday, via a team transcript. “But I think he’s in a good place right now.” Ward will suit up against the Houston Texans as one of Indianapolis’ key defensive pieces heading into Week 3, according to Fowler.
Ward’s availability matters significantly for a Colts secondary. The unit has leaned on him as a primary cover corner throughout the early portion of the season. Missing a starting-caliber corner against a Houston offense with real weapons would have created a genuine hole for Indianapolis to manage. Having him back for a full workload is a real positive for the defense’s game plan this weekend.
Other Colts Injury News
Indianapolis won’t have the same luck at wide receiver, though. The team is listing Ashton Dulin as out with an ankle injury for the second straight week. Alec Pierce is also out with a heel issue. While the team hasn’t made it official yet, he’s expected to land on injured reserve in the near future. That move would further thin out the receiving corps Indianapolis can call on this season.
On the positive side, the Colts saw several players clear the injury report entirely heading into Sunday. Cornerback Sauce Gardner (rib), guard Matt Goncalves (foot) and receiver Laquon Treadwell (shoulder) are all set to play after being removed from the report entirely. That gives Indianapolis a fuller complement of healthy bodies across multiple position groups as it looks to build on its early-season form.
Indianapolis Colts Get Good News Before Texans Game