Colts Gm Chris Ballard Offers Injury Updates For Other Key Rehabbing Players

Indianapolis Colts longtime general manager Chris Ballard offered an injury update to other key players, beyond just lead wideout Alec Pierce, including to starting quarterback Daniel Jones and veteran defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (via Fox59/CBS4’s Mike Chappell):

Regarding Jones, he was recently ‘seen at the Masters walking around,’ and while it may have been earlier posturing for his prior contract negotiation, his camp is optimistic that he’ll be ready for the start of training camp—having suffered a torn Achilles late last season during Week 14 and undergone surgery soon thereafter.

Of the group, Buckner’s lingering injury status to his neck may be the biggest question mark as the 2026 season approaches. The 32-year-old veteran defensive tackle returned after initially suffering a neck injury in Week 9 of 2025, but didn’t look right in Week 16 and was subsequently placed on injured reserve again. This time for the remainder of the past season. Neck injuries are always serious, so this is one to watch going forward, especially to a longtime veteran player.

Shrader figures to be ready for training camp, after suffering a knee injury during Week 5 of last year. However, he’s expected to face a highly contested training camp and preseason kicking competition against Blake Grupe for the Colts 2026 starting kicking job, as Grupe performed very well in relief of Shrader last season.

Lastly, rookie cornerback Justin Walley and safety Hunter Wohler were two of the Colts standout performers of last year’s training camp, before each was lost to a season-ending injury before their debut campaigns even started for Indianapolis.

Walley is a big reason why Colts veteran cornerback Kenny Moore II is now expendable in trade talks, and Wohler as to why Indianapolis decided to let former starting safety Nick Cross depart in free agency without much resistance financially. It speaks to how the Colts feel about both of them, as they’re now projected defensive back starters in their once again revamped secondary headed into 2026, even with 0 career starts between them.