INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Colts are rolling the dice with one of their top defensive players.
For an offensive player – Jelani Woods – the season is over. Again.
The team will place Samson Ebukam on the injured reserve list Tuesday and designate their 2023 sack leader with the ability to return during the season, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. A team is allowed to designate two IR players on cut day to return at some point, and six more during the regular season.
Linebacker Cameron McGrone, a Warren Central High School product, also is expected to be placed on IR with the chance to return.
Meanwhile, Woods will miss a second straight season, this time after undergoing surgery to address a turf toe injury. The 2022 third-round pick missed last season with hamstring injuries.
Ebukam is an interesting situation.
He was one of general manager Chris Ballard’s top free-agent acquisitions during the 2023 offseason, signing a three-year, $27 million contract that included $11 million in guarantees.
Ebukam responded by leading the Colts with a career-high 9.5 sacks. The defense set an Indy-era record with 51 sacks.
However, Ebukam’s second season with the Colts was threatened when he tore an Achilles tendon July 28. That normally is a season-ending injury, but the Colts are hoping he’s able to handle an expedited rehab process and return for December or January.