INDIANAPOLIS – It’s gotten to be an unfortunate part of Gus Bradley’s week.
And that would be adjusting to the loss of another of the Indianapolis Colts’ front-line defensive players, most notably linemen.
Tyquan Lewis suffered an elbow injury in the late stages of Sunday’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and was placed on the injured reserve list Tuesday. The team expects the seven-year veteran to return at some point this season, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.
Lewis already was dealing with calf and wrist injuries heading into the game that kept him out of practice Thursday and Friday. He temporarily left the Steelers game with a calf issue, then exited for good later with the elbow injury.
Bradley paused before addressing Lewis’ situation.
“First of all, as a man, I mean, a great leader,’’ he said. “I think I said two games ago against Chicago, you could feel it like . . . there’s a number of plays we felt like he was a guy in particular that really emptied his tank.
“But he plays like that every game. I mean, no matter where we put him – if it’s inside, if it’s outside – you know what you’re going to get from him and you know he’s going to give you a full day’s work . . . even that last play, right, when he got hurt.’’
Lewis was on the field for 51% of the snaps against Pittsburgh. He finished with two tackles, .5 sack and another hit against Steelers’ quarterback Justin Fields. The seven-year veteran had started all four games and collected 17 tackles, 1.5 sacks and two tackles for loss.
“He’s a playmaker for us,’’ Bradley said. “So, yeah, that one’s going to be hard on us.’’
The 2018 second-round pick has started 20 of 69 games but missed 34 with significant injuries. Lewis missed half of the 2021 and ’22 seasons after tearing the patellar tendon in each knee.
Even though Lewis is expected to return, he’s the latest significant loss for the defensive line.
Samson Ebukam, last season’s sack leader, suffered a torn Achilles during training camp. He was placed on IR but there’s a chance he returns to late December.
DeForest Buckner, one of the NFL’s premier 3-technique tackles, was placed on IR after sustaining a high sprain to his right ankle at Green Bay. He will return, sooner rather than later.
Right end Kwity Paye missed the Steelers game with a quadriceps injury.
That doesn’t include rookie end Laiatu Latu playing against Pittsburgh after missing two days of practice with a hip injury.
Also, the defense was without cornerbacks JuJu Brents (on IR with a knee injury) and Kenny Moore II (hip) against the Steelers.
The absence of Lewis complicates Bradley’s game plan. He possessed the flexibility to slide inside or flop to the right side of the formation and routinely plays 45-50% of the snaps. Lewis had been on the field for 63.8% of the snaps this season in part because of injuries along the d-line.
“We’ll have other guys that will step up,’’ Bradley said, “but he’s been tremendous for that group, and he’ll still be around and in that room helping those guys.
“That’s the kind of guy he is.’’
Lewis had started in place of Ebukam and that role could go to Dayo Odeyingbo, Latu, Taven Bryan, Adebawore Adetomiwa or Isaiah Land. Odeyingbo filled Buckner’s void inside against the Steelers.
Bradley has been resourceful rotating and revolving his lineman, and that must continue. The Colts filled Lewis’ spot on the active roster by signing veteran end Adam Gotsis from the practice squad.
“We’re looking at all options right now,’’ Bradley said.
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.