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9/7 Indystar
Insider: Have the Colts done enough to help rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson?
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Frustrated by hamstring, Colts TE Jelani Woods confident he can contribute when healt
Frustrated by hamstring, Colts TE Jelani Woods confident he can contribute when healthy
INDIANAPOLIS — This is not the way Jelani Woods wanted to start his second season in the NFL. While the rest of the Colts get ready to take on the Jaguars in Sunday’s season opener at Lucas Oil Stadium, Woods is watching from the sidelines, rehabilitating the tricky hamstring injury that has plagued him throughout the offseason, hoping this move finally gives him a chance to get it healthy. Woods wanted to be out there with his team, getting ready to build on the promise he showed at the end of his rookie season. “Most definitely, that’s the most frustrating part of it,” Woods said. “Coming in this year, having certain expectations for yourself and then having a setback like this, it can kind of get a little frustrating. But it’s an obstacle, and you just have to get past it and move forward.” Indianapolis Colts tight end Jelani Woods (80) catches a touchdown pass while being guarded by Kansas City Chiefs safety Juan Thornhill (22) on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, during a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. More:Chasing Tim Tebow, idolizing Tom Brady, fighting fires: Making of Colts QB Anthony Richardson Woods has been battling a pulled hamstring, an injury that is both common in NFL players and tricky to rehabilitate. A hamstring pull cannot be pushed; the leg can feel good when it’s still susceptible to injury. And the big tight end aggravated his pull late in training camp, ruining his plans to get back in the offense in time for Sunday’s season opener. Woods was instead placed on injured reserve, a move that sits him down for at least the first four weeks, theoretically giving his hamstring the time it needs to fully heal. “Because sometimes I was trying to come back and ended up making it a little bit worse, or not feeling exactly 100%,” Woods said. “(Going on injured reserve is) just trying to take that precaution so I won’t make any more bad decisions.” Woods isn’t expected to miss a lot of time beyond the minimum reserve stay, but he doesn’t want to issue a timetable right now. If there is one thing he’s learned about the hamstring this offseason, it’s that it has to be all the way back before a player is good to go. “I don’t know exactly when,” Woods said. “It’s just getting back comfortable running full speed, everything like that.” Indianapolis could use a healthy Woods, who bounced back from a slow start to his rookie season by catching 18 passes in the final six games and averaging 12.5 yards per reception, a remarkable number given his position and his team’s lack of downfield throws last season. Woods was one of only three Colts among the team’s top receivers to average more than 10 yards per catch last season; Alec Pierce and Ashton Dulin, who suffered a torn ACL in training camp, are the others. That kind of downfield ability is theoretically a perfect fit for a Shane Steichen offense built around creating explosive plays. “You want to create explosives, and you want to limit them on the defensive side of the ball,” Steichen said. “If you look around the league, winning the turnover battle and winning the explosive play battle is a big formula to winning in this league. Is it everything? No, but it’s a huge part of it.” Woods is confident he’ll be able to fit into the offense seamlessly once he returns. Even with the lack of time on the practice field. “That’s pretty simple,” Woods said. “I’ve been here so much, just mentally preparing myself, so when I come back, I won’t be missing a beat, outside of the physical aspect of it. That will probably be the only thing, physically getting back into running, hitting a little bit, trying to make up for all the missed time.” ADVERTISING He will also have to carve out a role within a tight end group that already has four players on the active roster: Mo Alie-Cox, Kylen Granson, Drew Ogletree and rookie Will Mallory. Indianapolis has been excited about the development of Granson and Ogletree, and even though neither player has the downfield ability Woods can bring to the table, they will likely have established roles in the offense by the time Woods returns. “Once I come back, I’m trying to add whatever I can to that,” Woods said. “Definitely excited about the offense, about what it could become after a few weeks, once we really gel.” Woods just wants to get back on the field and be a part of it. [/QUOTE] |
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