The Indianapolis Colts had a great trade deadline, adding a key piece to their defense. Unfortunately, the Colts' defense took a hit on Friday, as the team will be without star pass rusher DeForest Buckner for a while, according to NFL insider Ari Meirov.
“The Colts are placing DT DeForest Buckner on IR with a neck injury. Very significant loss. He's out at least four games,” Meirov wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Indianapolis officially confirmed the injury shortly after.
This is a big loss for the Colts' defense, which currently ranks in the top 1o in sack percentage, according to Team Rankings. Per head coach Shane Steichen, Buckner sustained the neck injury during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This is the second significant injury of Buckner's career, as he missed five weeks last season with an ankle ailment. Buckner has missed six games in total throughout his career.
As the Colts prepare to head to Germany to face the Atlanta Falcons, they will not have their best pass rusher. Buckner led all pass rushers with four sacks, while also generating 26 solo tackles. In addition to Buckner being out, Tyquan Lewis, who is second on the team with three sacks, has a groin injury. The team will likely need Kwity Paye, who also has three sacks, to step up.
With the Colts at 7-2, the team is entering a critical stretch as it attempts to make the playoffs by winning the AFC South. After they play the Falcons, they will head to Arrowhead Stadium after their bye week to face the Kansas City Chiefs. Then, they will host the Houston Texans before traveling to Northern Florida to face the Jacksonville Jaguars.
With the move to injured reserve, the next eligible game for Buckner's return will be in Week 15 against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. If he cannot return in that contest, his next opportunity will be the following weekend on Monday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers. The Colts will look to hold the fort until his return, as they face a challenging gauntlet.
