Ryan Kelly Expected to Return this Week

The Colts’ offensive line has been a weakness for years, but they’ll get a boost this week as center Ryan Kelly comes back from a foot injury.

Training camp was a rough time to be a Colts fan as key player after key player went down with an injury.

Andrew Luck was suffering complications with shoulder surgery, safety Clayton Geathers was ruled out with a neck injury, cornerback Vontae Davis suffered a groin injury, then center Ryan Kelly injured his foot and required surgery.

The original prognosis for Ryan Kelly was that he would be placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list to begin the season, which would keep him out for the first half of the year.

However, Kelly was able to make enough early progress in his recovery to avoid being placed on the PUP list, and he’s on schedule to return for Sunday’s home game against the 49ers.

Drafting Kelly with the 18th pick in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft was one of the best selections made during the Ryan Grigson era. The Colts finally recognized they needed to protect their franchise quarterback, and drafted a highly-touted center to anchor the offensive line.

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Andrew Luck and Ryan Kelly were set to become the second coming of Peyton Manning and Jeff Saturday before they were both injured this offseason.

Ryan Kelly comes back in the nick of time as the Colts’ backup center Deyshawn Bond tore his quad last weekend, and will be placed on injured reserve.

Kelly’s return will go a long way in making Jacoby Brissett feel more comfortable this week.