Following roster cuts on Tuesday, the Indianapolis Colts resumed practice on Wednesday, with cornerback JuJu Brents and running back Trey Sermon returning, according to The Athletic’s James Boyd.
Brents suffered a nose injury in the Colts’ second preseason game against Arizona, which required stitches and kept him out until today. Sermon, meantime, has been dealing with a hamstring ailment incurred in Week 1 of the preseason against Denver.
Overall, Brents had a strong showing at training camp. But, like any young player who lost time during his debut season, regular reps will be critical for him.
We frequently hear about players making their largest developmental leaps in Year 2. The Colts are counting on Brents to accomplish just that, considering that the cornerback room looks roughly the same as it did in 2023.
The backup running back fight was seen as one of the more intriguing competitions during training camp, but Sermon soon established himself as the No. 2 behind Jonathan Taylor and never relinquished that position.
Boyd also stated that Tanor Bortolini, who had a toe injury in the preseason finale versus Cincinnati, was not present at Wednesday’s practice. There is no set timeframe for his return, but Shane Steichen did say that Bortolini would miss some time, but not for an extensive period.
The transition from college to the NFL, particularly at the center position, can be difficult, as offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter recently noted, but Bortolini was improving every day and advanced from the third to the second team offense in the final preseason game.
The Colts focused heavily on the offensive line, including maintaining Danny Pinter, who can serve as backup center if Bortolini is still injured or not ready for the role.
The only other player on the 53-man roster who did not practice was Josh Downs, who is recovering “really well” from an ankle injury, according to Steichen.