Cornerbacks JuJu Brents and Jaylon Jones returned to practice on Wednesday ahead of the Colts' third preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals, both practicing for the first time in weeks since sustaining hamstring injuries early in training camp. Brents participated in Thursday's practice as well while Jones did individual work and is "tracking well," per head coach Shane Steichen.
The Colts have been plagued by injuries throughout training camp, notably losing rookies Justin Walley (torn ACL) and Hunter Wohler (foot), as well as offensive tackle Blake Freeland (leg) for the season. Safety Nick Cross (hip), cornerback Kenny Moore II, defensive end Kwity Paye and wide receivers Alec Pierce and Josh Downs were among other key players to sustain various injuries in practices.
Downs, who sustained a hamstring injury in the Colts' joint practice with the Green Bay Packers last Thursday, has not participated in practice since. Cross not practiced recently either. Cornerback Samuel Womack III and wide receiver Ashton Dulin also left Tuesday's practice with injuries and were held out of Wednesday and Thursday's practices.
But Moore and Pierce both returned to practice on Tuesday and Paye returned on Wednesday, and with Brents and Jones back in the mix as well the Colts' roster is filling out as the regular season approaches.
Check out the best photos from Thursday's Training Camp practice at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center.
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
S Camryn Bynum #0
S Camryn Bynum #0
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
WR Coleman Owen #3
LB Zaire Franklin #44 and S Camryn Bynum #0
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
WR Laquon Treadwell #13 and WR Adonai Mitchell #10
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
WR Anthony Gould #6
QB Anthony Richardson #5
TE Mo Alie-Cox #81
TE Tyler Warren #84
G Tanor Bortolini #60
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
LB Joe Bachie #48 and DT Grover Stewart #90
WR Tyler Kahmann #43
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
QB Daniel Jones #17
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11 and G Quenton Nelson #56
TE Tyler Warren #84 and T Bernhard Raimann #79
WR Anthony Gould #6
CB JuJu Brents #29 and S Camryn Bynum #0
DE Laiatu Latu #97
QB Daniel Jones #17
WR Adonai Mitchell #10
QB Daniel Jones #17
WR Coleman Owen #3 and S Daniel Scott #32
G Quenton Nelson #56 and WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
LB Joe Bachie #48 and LB Zaire Franklin #44
RB DJ Giddens #21
CB JuJu Brents #29
QB Daniel Jones #17 and WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
LB Joe Bachie #48 and LB Zaire Franklin #44
TE Tyler Warren #84
WR Adonai Mitchell #10
G Quenton Nelson #56 and TE Tyler Warren #84
TE Tyler Warren #84
WR Anthony Gould #6
CB Alex Johnson #39 and S Daniel Scott #32
TE Drew Ogletree #85
TE Tyler Warren #84
TE Drew Ogletree #85
CB JuJu Brents #29
QB Anthony Richardson #5
WR Anthony Gould #6
TE Tyler Warren #84 and G Quenton Nelson #56
WR Anthony Gould #6
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
CB JuJu Brents #29
TE Tyler Warren #84 and G Quenton Nelson #56
S Rodney Thomas II #25
QB Daniel Jones #17
CB Chris Lammons #38
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
CB Charvarius Ward #7
QB Anthony Richardson #5
G Quenton Nelson #56 and WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
TE Tyler Warren #84
DE Laiatu Latu #97
TE Maximilian Mang #45
S Camryn Bynum #0
CB Jaylon Jones #40
K Spencer Shrader #3
Lou Anarumo Defensive Coordinator
CB Alex Johnson #39
DE Laiatu Latu #97
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
K Spencer Shrader #3, QB Riley Leonard #15, TE Mo Alie-Cox #81 and WR Tyler Kahmann #43
WR Tyler Kahmann #43 and WR Adonai Mitchell #10
WR Coleman Owen #3 and WR Tyler Kahmann #43
S Ladarius Tennison #43 and WR Tyler Kahmann #43
S Camryn Bynum #0, CB Jaylon Jones #40 and S Trey Washington #41
S Camryn Bynum #0 and RB Nate Noel #41
S Camryn Bynum #0, S Trey Washington #41, TE Sean McKeon #49 and RB Ulysses Bentley IV #37
WR Tyler Kahmann #43
S Rodney Thomas II #25, RB B.J. Mayes #36, CB Chris Lammons #38, DT Josh Tupou #69, S Ladarius Tennison #43, CB JuJu Brents #29, S Camryn Bynum #0, CB Duke Shelley #34, TE Sean McKeon #49, S Daniel Scott #32 and S Trey Washington #41
TE Sean McKeon #49
TE Sean McKeon #49
S Ladarius Tennison #43, S Camryn Bynum #0, S Trey Washington #41, CB Jaylon Jones #40, TE Sean McKeon #49 and S Daniel Scott #32
TE Sean McKeon #49
As a whole, though, the Colts are getting healthier as the regular season approaches – and the starters will have even more time to rest and recover, as they will not be playing against the Bengals on Saturday, per Steichen.
Quarterbacks Riley Leonard and Jason Bean will each play one half of Saturday's game (Leonard will start), and they'll be joined mainly by players further down on the depth chart who are vying for spots on the active roster and practice squad alike.
"We've got a lot of threes and fours playing in this game," Steichen said Thursday. "It's their last opportunity to go prove it, to make the 53-man roster.
"...I just want to make sure our starters are healthy heading into Week 1, so you'll see a lot of different bodies out there on Saturday."
Steichen did say that Brents will be getting game reps against the Bengals. Veteran cornerback Xavien Howard, who the Colts signed Monday, will not play on Saturday.
