Colts' DeForest Buckner Placed on IR with Ankle Injury; out at Least 4 Games

Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner has been placed on IR, the team announced on Tuesday.

Buckner will be sidelined for at least four games.

Buckner suffered an ankle sprain during the Colts' Week 2 loss to the Green Bay Packers, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

He could return at the earliest for the Colts' Week 7 contest against the Miami Dolphins.

Buckner landed awkwardly on his right foot in the third quarter of the loss. He was helped off the field before leaving for the locker room on a cart.

Initial X-rays of the injury were negative before an MRI scan led to the diagnosis of a high sprain, Mike Chappell reported for Fox 59.

Chappell reported that the Colts are "optimistic" Buckner will return this season.

Buckner, who is in his ninth professional season and fifth with the Colts, has only missed two prior games in his NFL career. He was sidelined for one game during his rookie 2016 season with a foot injury, then missed one game as part of COVID-19 protocol in 2020.

The defensive tackle has previously played through injuries including a dislocated joint in his hand and sprained ankle in 2020, back and knee injuries in 2021, a torn UCL and strained abductor in his hip in 2022, and back and groin injuries in 2023.

Buckner entered Sunday's game once more listed as questionable with a back injury after he was helped off the field during the Colts' season-opening loss to the Houston Texans.

The star defender is the fourth Colts starter to suffer an injury through the first two weeks of the season. Indianapolis headed into Week 2 without safety Julian Blackmon (shoulder) or corner JuJu Brents (knee), then lost defensive end Laiatu Latu to a hip injury.

The Colts have allowed an NFL-high 474 rushing yards through two games and will have an even more difficult limiting opponents' runs without their star defender. Pass-rusher Genard Avery, elevated to the 53-man roster, will be called to step up in Buckner's absence as Indianapolis looks to up their run defense on Sunday against Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears.