Colts TE experiences another hamstring setback while undergoing rehabilitation

Colts 2nd-year tight end Jelani Woods’ initial hamstring injury could ultimately end up being season-ending.

Indianapolis Colts tight end Jelani Woods has experienced a setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury—with his other hamstring, according to head coach Shane Steichen.

According to James Boyd of The Athletic, he is currently doubtful about his availability for the rest of the season:

#Colts HC Shane Steichen says TE Jelani Woods had a setback “with his other hamstring” during the rehab process. Is it a season-ending injury? “I don’t know that.”

Due to a re-aggravated pulled hamstring injury late in camp, the second-year tight end has not played a snap for the Colts this season and has been placed on injured reserve the entire time.

Even if the Colts have a lot of tight ends, it’s still a significant loss for that positional group because Woods, at 6’7″ and 253 pounds, has a special mix of size and speed (*4.61 forty times):

Jelani Woods ran a 4.61 40-yard dash at 6’7 1/8″, marking the fastest 40-yard dash time by a TE taller than 6’7″ since 2003 and 2nd-fastest by any player taller than 6’7″ over that span (behind DL Margus Hunt’s 4.60 in 2013)

Woods had 25 receptions for 312 receiving yards (12.5 ypr. avg.) and 3 touchdown receptions in 15 games the previous season, including 4 grabs for 20+ yards.

Despite having few receptions overall, Woods’ ones seemed to be crucial to each game in which he played.

He’s a unique athlete simply by virtue of his size, and he might have been a down the seam tight end option as well as a big red zone target for Colts starting quarterback Gardner Minshew and the passing attack heading toward the goal line.