Colts, Steelers Injury Report: 2 Starters OUT, 2 Will Return
The Indianapolis Colts have a huge matchup at home this Saturday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and as their playoff push intensifies, the Colts defense is getting some reinforcements.
Starting linebacker E.J. Speed (knee) and cornerback JuJu Brents (quad) are both slated to return to the field at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday. Unfortunately, however, the Colts will be without starting running back Jonathan Taylor (thumb) and right tackle Braden Smith (knee).
Here are the official injury reports for the Colts and Steelers for Week 15.
COLTS
TUESDAY (team conducted walkthrough)
- Did Not Participate – OT Braden Smith (knee), RB Jonathan Taylor (thumb)
- Limited Participant – CB Jaylon Jones (ankle)
- Full Participant – CB JuJu Brents (quad), DT DeForest Buckner (back), TE Will Mallory (rib), LB E.J. Speed (knee)
WEDNESDAY
- Did Not Participate – OT Braden Smith (knee), RB Jonathan Taylor (thumb)
- Limited Participant – DT DeForest Buckner (back), LB Segun Olubi (hip)
- Full Participant – CB JuJu Brents (quad), LB Zaire Franklin (illness), CB Jaylon Jones (ankle), TE Will Mallory (rib), LB E.J. Speed (knee)
THURSDAY
- Did Not Participate – DT DeForest Buckner (back/rest), LB Segun Olubi (hip), OT Braden Smith (knee), RB Jonathan Taylor (thumb)
- Full Participant – CB JuJu Brents (quad), LB Zaire Franklin (illness), CB Jaylon Jones (ankle), TE Will Mallory (rib), LB E.J. Speed (knee)
OUT – OT Braden Smith, RB Jonathan Taylor
QUESTIONABLE – LB Segun Olubi
The rookie Brents has missed the last six games (seven weeks) with a quad injury, but he opened up this week as a full participant after finally returning to practice last week and has trended positively.
Speed missed last week's loss against the Cincinnati Bengals in a matchup that saw the Bengals take advantage in a couple of areas where Speed normally shines, such as the run and screen games.
Smith also missed last Sunday's game and was replaced in the lineup by rookie Blake Freeland, who has started seven games already this season.
Taylor missed his second consecutive game on Sunday after suffering a thumb injury in Week 12 that required surgery. Colts head coach Shane Steichen expressed optimism that Taylor will be back this season, saying, “That’s the plan, yeah.”
Zack Moss has replaced Taylor in the lineup but has been unable to duplicate the level of success he had earlier in the year when teams weren't keying in on him as much.
STEELERS
TUESDAY
- Did Not Participate – RB Najee Harris (knee), QB Kenny Pickett (ankle), OLB Elandon Roberts (groin), G Isaac Seumalo (shoulder)
- Limited Participant – DT Keeanu Benton (oblique), DT Cameron Heyward (groin), LB Alex Highsmith (concussion), S Damontae Kazee (ankle), OLB T.J. Watt (concussion)
- Full Participant – CB James Pierre (shoulder)
WEDNESDAY
- Did Not Participate – WR Diontae Johnson (knee), QB Kenny Pickett (ankle), G Isaac Seumalo (shoulder)
- Limited Participant – DT Keeanu Benton (oblique), LB Alex Highsmith (concussion), OLB Elandon Roberts (groin),
- Full Participant – RB Najee Harris (knee), DT Cameron Heyward (groin), S Damontae Kazee (ankle), CB James Pierre (shoulder), OLB T.J. Watt (concussion)
THURSDAY
- Did Not Participate – QB Kenny Pickett (ankle), G Isaac Seumalo (shoulder)
- Full Participant – DT Keeanu Benton (oblique), RB Najee Harris (knee), DT Cameron Heyward (groin), LB Alex Highsmith (concussion), WR Diontae Johnson (knee), S Damontae Kazee (ankle), CB James Pierre (shoulder), OLB Elandon Roberts (groin), OLB T.J. Watt (concussion)
OUT – QB Kenny Pickett
QUESTIONABLE – G Isaac Seumalo
The Steelers are quite banged up near the top of their roster, including starting edges Watt and Highsmith (20.0 combined sacks in 2023), who both cleared the concussion protocol and are ready to go for Saturday. However, only two players carry designations into the game.
On the offensive side of the ball, starting quarterback Pickett and left guard Seumalo sat out all week. Pickett was already ruled out earlier in the week and will be replaced in the starting lineup by Mitchell Trubisky while Seumalo still has a chance to play.
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