DeForest Buckner placed on injured reserve after Week 2 ankle injury

Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner will miss at least four games after being placed on injured reserve for the Indianapolis Colts. Buckner, one of the team captains and a former Pro Bowler, will not be eligible to play until Week 7, when the Colts take on the Miami Dolphins.

Buckner was injured in the third quarter of the Colts' Week 2 game against the Green Bay Packers. His ankle could be seen rolling underneath him, and he had to be helped off the field. The seriousness of the injury was made even more clear when he couldn't bear weight on his leg from the bench, and had to be carted off the field.

Buckner has been a defensive standout since signing with the Colts in 2020. He has recorded at least seven sacks each year, and had just signed a a two-year extension worth $46 million in the offseason. In the five seasons he has played for the Colts, he hasn't missed a single game due to injury. He has been named to the Pro Bowl three times, and once to first-team All-Pro.

Losing Buckner will be a huge blow to the Colts' struggling defense; so far, they are 31st in the league for yards allowed, and are missing several of their top defenders. Defensive end Samson Ebukam suffered an Achilles tear in training camp, ending his season early, and cornerback JuJu Brents is out for the foreseeable future with a Week 1 MCL injury. Rookie Laiatu Latu, expected to be a rising star on the defense, was also injured in Week 2 against the Packers, though his status for the season still looks promising.

The Colts have signed defensive end Genard Avery to the 53-man roster as Buckner's replacement, while defensive linemen Adam Gotsis and Titus Leo have been signed to the practice squad.