Colts welcome back a crucial defensive lineman for their Week 14 game against Bengals

DT for the Colts Grover Stewart is set to play against the Bengals after serving a suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substance policy.

The Indianapolis Colts are without a doubt one of the most pleasant surprises of the 2023-24 season, but they have now reached the point where anything less than a postseason berth will feel like a letdown to their legions of supporters. Although no club should be completely overlooked, the schedule over the next four weeks is manageable, beginning with a road game against the Cincinnati Bengals this Sunday.

Cincinnati is on a high after backup quarterback Jake Browning led the team to an overtime victory on Monday Night Football in Week 13. However, he will be greeted by a vital returning defensive player.

“Colts activated defensive tackle Grover Stewart from the Exempt/Commissioner Permission list to the 53-man roster and waived wide receiver Juwann Winfree,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Saturday. The 30-year-old recently completed a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substance rules.

When he issued a formal apology in October, Stewart claimed he had no knowledge he had violated the league’s substance regulation. In the first six games of the season, the 2017 fourth-round pick contributed 20 combined tackles, two tackles for loss, and nine total pressures for Indy. Gus Bradley, the Colts’ defensive coordinator, intends to make an instant impact on a unit that ranks sixth in points allowed per game.

Indianapolis’ motives should be sky-high heading into a game with playoff implications, in addition to Grover Stewart’s own emotions. A loss to the Bengals (6-6) would push the Colts (7-5) out of the top seven and into desperation mode. This recent roster change could help prevent that from happening.