Colts Cuts: Injury Clarity Emerges On Few Players with IR Moves

The Indianapolis Colts are reportedly placing Samson Ebukam, Jelani Woods, and Cameron McGrone on Injured Reserve, with two of them being designated for return.

Dec 16, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts defensive end Samson Ebukam (52) celebrates a sack in the second half against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Today is a brutal day across the NFL as all 32 teams must each cut dozens of players in order to get their rosters down to 53 players by 4:00 p.m. ET.

The Indianapolis Colts began making their moves over the weekend, but aside from outright releasing/waiving players, they'll place some on Injured Reserve to preserve their placement with the team for further down the road this season or not until 2025.

Three players have reportedly emerged among those being placed on Injured Reserve: starting defensive end Samson Ebukam (Achilles) and special teamer/linebacker Cameron McGrone (undisclosed), as reported by Joel Erickson of The Indianapolis Star, as well as tight end Jelani Woods (toe), per James Boyd of The Athletic.

Ebukam and McGrone are the Colts' two designations for players able to return later in the season. Woods, for a second consecutive season, is out for the year.

Ebukam led the Colts in sacks (9.5) in 2023 in his first season with the team after signing a three-year deal last offseason. While losing your top returning pass rusher is never a good thing, the Colts did use their first-round pick this spring on defensive end Laiatu Latu, the first defensive player picked in the draft. Latu and Tyquan Lewis have absorbed Ebukam's spot thus far.

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Woods and McGrone were both perhaps on the roster bubble , but their injuries allow them to stay on with the Colts rather than being cut.

Woods struggled to make an impact throughout training camp this summer after missing all of the 2023 season with hamstring injuries before ultimately suffering a season-ending turf toe injury during the preseason. McGrone has been a key special teams player for the Colts since 2022, being active for 13 games and totaling 2 special teams stops.

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