According to Sirius XM NFL’s Alex Marvez, the Indianapolis Colts have placed offensive guard Hugh Thornton on injured reserve:
Source tells @sn_nfl that G Hugh Thornton placed on injured reserve by @Colts. Potential starter in 2016 now lost on bad o-line
— Alex Marvez (@alexmarvez) September 3, 2016
Originally a 3rd round pick of the Colts in the 2013 NFL Draft, Thornton has consistently battled injuries during his 4-year tenure with the team. This time, an ankle injury cost Thornton all of the team’s preseason games, as he was unable to audition for a spot on the final 53-man roster.
The 6″3″, 320 pound offensive guard has occasionally shown flashes of his long-term potential and is still only 25 years old. However, he’s been marred by both injuries and ineffectiveness during his Colts career.
Having made 12 starts for the Colts offensive line last season, Thornton was expected to be in the mix for the starting right guard job, but simply was unable to stay on the field in order to compete for the job–which instead went to promising 2nd-year pro Denzelle Good.
Entering the last year of his Colts rookie contract, it very well could be the end for Thornton’s time with the Colts, as he’s simply run out of opportunities–unable to stay healthy on the field.