INJURY UPDATE: Colts Receive a Wave of Good News After Daniel Jones’ Season-Ending Injury Ahead of Week 15
Indianapolis, Indiana – After the devastating news that quarterback Daniel Jones would miss the remainder of the season with a torn Achilles, many expected the Indianapolis Colts to spiral into a full-scale crisis. Instead, Wednesday’s injury report brought a surge of positivity — arguably the most encouraging update the team has received in weeks — just days before their crucial Week 15 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
The biggest headline centers on rookie quarterback Riley Leonard, who returned to practice as a full participant after suffering a knee ligament strain in Week 14. Leonard is now considered fully available should the coaching staff decide to start him on Sunday, a massive development for a team suddenly relying on its young passer to keep playoff hopes alive.
But Leonard wasn’t the only source of good news.
Indianapolis welcomed back several key contributors across both sides of the ball:
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WR Josh Downs – FULL (ankle)
WR Alec Pierce – FULL (rib)
LB Zaire Franklin – FULL (knee)
CB Jaylon Jones – FULL (back)
The return of Downs and Pierce restores vital firepower to the passing game, while Franklin and Jones give the defense a much-needed boost as they prepare for Seattle’s dynamic offense.
On the defensive line, DeForest Buckner was listed as limited, but that alone is viewed as progress considering the neck issue he’s been managing. Indianapolis hopes his workload increases as the week progresses.
Still, not everything on the report was positive.
Several important players remained sidelined:
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CB Sauce Gardner – DNP (calf)
RT Braden Smith – DNP (concussion/neck)
WR Anthony Gould – DNP (foot)
Their statuses remain uncertain and will be monitored closely through the weekend.
Even so, the overall outlook has shifted dramatically.
What once looked like a catastrophic stretch for the Colts now carries renewed optimism — particularly with Leonard healthy and a core group of starters returning at the most critical point of the season.
If Indianapolis can convert this momentum into a strong performance in Seattle, their playoff hopes may be far from over. After Wednesday’s update, one thing is undeniably clear:
The Colts aren’t done yet — not even close.
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