The Indianapolis Colts hope to have their defensive anchor on the field when they square off with Jesse Minter's Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. Buckner's presence changes everything for Lou Anarumo's unit, drawing eleven pairs of eyeballs in every play.
Buckner suffered a season-ending and career-threatening neck injury last season, so he's cherishing every moment, every bump, and even every hit he's gotten in practice. The team is — understandably — keeping him out of harm's way, but there will always be pain in football.
Ironically, a big hit may have been the perfect reminder of how much he misses being out there. Addressing the media, Buckner shared an update on his recovery and doubled down on his desire to be on the field in the season opener.
Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner missed the hits and the bumps
“I’m able to be past it,’’ Buckner said of the fear of re-injury. (h/t Jake Arthur). “Especially my first day. Not going to name any names. Nice little punch to the face. It was a nice little, ‘Welcome back.’ I was like, ‘Neck works.’’
Well, whatever works. Even so, that's not unusual; it's often one of the most common things players say when they're coming back from a long layoff. One-on-one reps and individual drills are cool and all, but the big hits are what remind them what they're out there for and how the game actually feels.
The Colts' pass-rushing unit left plenty to be desired last season, and plenty of that had to do with Buckner's absence in the interior. His rare combination of size, power, and agility is paramount to winning the battle at the line of scrimmage.
Even when his impact doesn't show on the stat sheet, his presence there inevitably forces the quarterback to hesitate and get rid of the ball faster than they would've wanted.
Considering the severity of his injury, no news is usually good news. He's not getting any younger, and players rarely get healthier as they grow older. So, knowing that the target date hasn't changed is a positive development in itself.
Of course, the Colts won't want him taking too many punches to the face in the next couple of weeks, and they'll probably do their best to bubble-wrap him for the remaining practices. Also, taking a single snap in the preseason is most definitely out of the question.
He's familiar with the personnel and the defensive schemes, and he should do just fine with limited reps while he continues to work his way back to the field. The most important thing is that he's not having doubts about the stability of his neck and that he feels safe on the gridiron.
Joint practices with the Atlanta Falcons should also give him a clearer picture of where he stands in his recovery, and they won't take it lightly with him, either. Who knows? Maybe another couple of punches might be just what he needs to unleash his wrath against Lamar Jackson in Week 1, Hulk style.
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