WESTFIELD, Ind. – DeForest Buckner played a handful of snaps during a full-team period of practice last week, and the veteran defensive tackle said he's hopeful to do the same at some point during the Colts' four remaining training camp practices this week.
More importantly, Buckner said his neck has "responded well" to his early-camp workload, including those couple 11-on-11 reps.
"I'm just feeling everything out, everything for the first time with live reps," Buckner said.
Buckner added he felt a "little" muscle soreness, but it was to be expected. Those 11-on-11 reps last week were Buckner's first full-team action since Dec. 22, 2025, and represented a small yet important step in the three-time Pro Bowler's process of working toward Week 1 of the 2026 season.
With the Colts putting pads on for the first time this training camp Monday, Buckner only participated in individual work on Monday. But this is a process that, again, will take time with Sept. 13, 2026 in mind.
"Just gradually increasing my reps throughout training camp, just bridging that gap," Buckner said. "It's our first time in pads today, I only did (individual) today and hoping to get some reps (Tuesday)."
There's no questioning the impact Buckner has on the Colts' defense when he's on the field. Over his 10 years in the NFL, Buckner has 71.5 sacks, 188 QB hits and 97 tackles for a loss while earning first-team AP All-Pro honors in 2020 and second-team AP All-Pro honors in 2019 in addition to those three Pro Bowls (2018, 2021, 2023).
"He means everything to this defense," head coach Shane Steichen said. "He's been a pillar here for so long, 10-year-plus vet. He leads the right way, works the right way. Just to see him out there and get some reps is huge, and obviously that's an ongoing conversation that he'll have with myself and the trainers, and just make sure his body's right and whatever he needs to get from a team standpoint, he'll get throughout training camp."
News & Notes from Monday's practice:
- Safety Hunter Wohler (hamstring) and defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi (toe) did not participate.
- Steichen did not have an update on the timeline for wide receiver Alec Pierce, who remains on PUP following offseason ankle surgery. But Steichen added Pierce is "heading in the right direction for sure."
- Kicker Blake Grupe connected on all six of his field goal attempts, including makes from 51 and 57 yards. He'll rotate kicking field goals with Spencer Shrader throughout camp, Steichen said.
- With pads on, Colts cornerbacks played with noticeable physicality on Monday. Sauce Gardner and Justin Walley (with the latter aided by safety AJ Haulcy) each registered PBUs, and Charvarius Ward Sr. and wide receiver Ashton Dulin had some physical battles as well.
- Tight end Will Mallory had a catch-and-run from quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. in seven-on-seven and a strong grab over the middle from quarterback Riley Leonard in 11-on-11.
- Running back Jonathan Taylor ripped off a chunk gain on a screen set up by a physical block in space from center Tanor Bortolini.
