The Indianapolis Colts begin training camp on July 29, which means the team has less than two months until it kicks off a new season. As fans of the team know, Indy probably needs to make the postseason, or the organization will see a lot of fundamental changes.
To be good enough to reach the playoffs, the team needs better health than last season. In 2025, Indianapolis lost its starting quarterback for the last stretch of the season, the recently acquired Sauce Gardner missed half the games because of a calf issue that he could have been involved in, and its best defensive lineman was only available for one game in the second half of the season.
Some of the key players from last season are still facing issues entering training camp ahead of the coming season. Plus, Colts fans should be a bit concerned about the new WR1, who got paid a lot of money this offseason.
Indianapolis Colts fans should keep a close eye on these players dealing with pre-training camp injuries
Quarterback Daniel Jones
Obviously, Jones is the most important of the players on this list. He has been aiming for Week 1 ever since he tore his Achilles tendon in Week 14 of last season. So far, he appears to have met all the goals he needed to in preparation for not just the season, but also some of training camp.
No one knows if he can be full-go when camp begins, and maybe he shouldn't be. He definitely shouldn't play in the preseason. The team risking him aggravating the injury would be near-criminal. Still, lots of positivity surrounds Jones' health currently, and once he does return fully, hopefully he won't get hurt again for a long while.
Defensive lineman DeForest Buckner
Buckner is also expected to return to football activities at training camp. He suffered a herniated disc in his neck in Week 9 last season, appeared in one more game (when maybe he shouldn't have), and then missed the rest of the season. He then had surgery to hopefully correct the problem.
The excellent defensive lineman is now 32 years old and has probably made more than enough money to live the rest of his life comfortably. He doesn't need to prove how great a player he is anymore, but he doesn't need to risk himself to a life-altering injury, either. Maybe he will have no issues with his neck again (let's hope), but how he feels in camp will be worth watching.
Wide receiver Alec Pierce
Pierce's ankle injury was somewhat of a surprising concern. He played through the ailment in 2025 while leading the NFL in yards per catch for the second straight season. His ankle didn't appear to be a problem, but it was indeed enough to require surgery.
More worrisome is that Pierce hasn't yet returned to football activities, and there is some doubt about his availability at the start of camp. What truly matters, of course, is him playing in real games, but what many thought was a clean-up surgery has turned into much more. After signing a four-year deal for as much as $116 million this offseason, the team needs him to be healthy and productive.
Cornerback Charvarius Ward
Ward's health concern in 2025 was that he suffered three concussions. Had he chosen to retire after the second one, no one would have blamed him. If he has another early in the 2026 season, no one should blame him if he decides enough is enough. His injury issue this offseason hasn't been lingering effects from the concussions, but a back problem.
He is past 30 years old now, and back issues don't tend to get better. The hope is that he was simply getting rest in organized team activities, and there was no reason to push him. Like every player on this list, the Indianapolis Colts need a healthy Charvarius Ward to be successful.
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