Colts Shane Steichen Provides Update On Four Key Players As Veteran Minicamp Kicks Off

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen provided an important update regarding the status of four key players, as the team’s veteran minicamp kicked off on Tuesday (via FOX59/CBS4’s Mike Chappell):

Tuesday is the first of the Colts’ 3-day mandatory veteran minicamp, which includes both veterans and rookies, and will conclude on Thursday, June 11th, and will be the final phase of the team’s formal on-the-field workouts until team training camp begins in mid-to-late July.

While Colts starting quarterback Daniel Jones is clearly making encouraging progress from his season-ending torn Achilles suffered late during Week 14 of last season, he will not be participating in 11-on-11 drills over the next few days.

That being said, he appears well on track to participate in 11-on-11 drills for training camp next month, and at this point, with little to no physical restrictions, although the Colts may take it a little bit easier on him early on.

Meanwhile, lucratively re-signed Colts lead wideout Alec Pierce had minor cleanup surgery on his injured ankle earlier this offseason, and while he won’t participate in on-the-field work this week, the expectation remains that he’ll be ready at some point for training camp, but maybe now not at its initial commencement.

Otherwise, Colts longtime veteran defensive tackle DeForest Buckner continues to rehab and recover from neck surgery, and is hopeful that he’ll be ready for Week 1 and is ‘doing everything he can to get back out there in time,’ but was recently ‘non-committal’ on an exact return date. It appears that he may not be fully medically cleared by the time Colts training camp kicks off, so that’s another one to keep an eye on.

Lastly, Colts projected starting right tackle Jalen Travis (back) has returned to participate in individual work this week. However, it initially appears as though the Colts and their training staff may limit his work this week.