Will Sauce Gardner play in Week 18 against the Texans? Colts’ CB injury update | NFL News

The Indianapolis Colts will be without one of their defensive backs in the final week of the regular season. Cornerback Sauce Gardner has officially been ruled out after dealing with a calf injury, according to the team’s latest injury report. With Week 18 approaching fast, the decision shuts the door on any last-minute return and leaves Indianapolis short-handed in the secondary as they prepare for their final game.

Colts officially rule out Sauce Gardner due to lingering calf injury

The Colts confirmed that Sauce Gardner will not play this week after failing to recover from a calf issue that has limited him recently. Gardner was unable to practice leading up to the game, which ultimately led to the team ruling him out entirely.The injury has clearly been enough of a concern for Indianapolis to take a cautious approach. Rather than risking further aggravation, the Colts opted to keep Gardner sidelined, signaling that he was never truly close to returning for Week 18.Gardner being ruled out creates another challenge for a Colts defense that has already dealt with inconsistency throughout the season. With one less cornerback available, Indianapolis will need to rely more heavily on depth players to handle coverage responsibilities.Against a Texans offense that can stretch the field, losing a defensive back only adds pressure to the rest of the unit. The Colts will have to adjust their rotations and coverage schemes without Gardner in the lineup, especially on the outside.Gardner’s calf injury surfaced over the past few weeks and continued to limit him as the season progressed. While the team did not provide a detailed timeline, his lack of participation in practice made his Week 18 availability unlikely from the start.With the regular season nearing its end, the Colts’ decision suggests a longer-term mindset rather than pushing through a late-season injury. There was no indication of a setback during the week simply that Gardner was not healthy enough to go.With Gardner officially ruled out for Week 18, attention now turns to his recovery moving forward. The Colts have not announced a timetable for his return, and his status will likely be reevaluated once the season concludes.Also read – Jerry Jones gives sarcastic response to Micah Parsons after he claimed his name was slandered