We're just entering the second week of training camp, but the injuries have already taken a significant hit for the Colts with several guys missing practice in the first week and, most significantly, running back Vick Ballard being lost for the year with a torn Achilles. Today the injury bug returned remained in Anderson, with receiver T.Y. Hilton and offensive lineman Donald Thomas going down with injuries.
For Hilton, it doesn't seem bad at all. It turned out to just be a jammed finger, but on a play during practice Andrew Luck threw deep for Hilton, who had a couple of steps on Greg Toler. With the pass thrown just a bit behind Hilton and Toler diving to try to make a play, the corner succeed in doing just that, breaking up the pass. But unfortunately, he got more than just the ball, getting Hilton's hand too. Hilton immediately grabbed his finger and worked on it for a few seconds before calling for the trainers. They ran over and walked with him off the field and then spent a while looking at his finger. They then wrapped it and iced it up, though later in practice the ice was off. The Colts confirmed that it was a jammed finger.
For Donald Thomas, however, the concern is much greater. Nobody was really watching the line, as the pass already was in the end zone, but all of the sudden a guy let out a loud scream and immediately I looked and it was Thomas, laying on the ground injured. The trainers sprinted over to see him, and he quickly got up and limped badly to the side of the field, where he tried to walk it out. After a while of doing that, he headed to the locker room, walking gingerly all the way. The first real indication that it might be serious was Thomas's reaction. His scream when it happened was bad, and then everything from his words (which we can't repeat here...) to his actions (holding his head in frustration) signified that he knew it wasn't good. The Colts didn't have any update on Thomas after practice, but the Indianapolis Star's Stephen Holder is reporting that he re-injured his quad:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Donald Thomas is beleived to have re-injured the quad, acc to source. Could be bad. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Colts?src=hash">#Colts</a></p>— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) <a href="https://twitter.com/HolderStephen/statuses/494586566379991040">July 30, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Last year, Thomas went down early in the second game with a torn quad and missed the rest of the season, as well as OTAs and minicamp. He was cleared for training camp, however, and was going to be the team's starting left guard and likely their backup center if something were to happen to Khaled Holmes. Again, the next step is likely an MRI, but according to early reports, it doesn't sound good for Thomas.
If Thomas were to miss any extended time, it wouldn't be good for the Colts at all. But it would mean that rookie Jack Mewhort would likely step in and start at left guard - making it even more important that the Colts drafted him. Say what you want about value or whether it was a good pick or whether the Colts could have done better or whatever - if the injury to Donald Thomas is serious, then the drafting of Mewhort would be proven to be even more important.
Stay tuned for more as we learn it on Donald Thomas, but early reports are not encouraging, and based on his reaction, it could be serious - the good news in all of this is that the injury to Hilton is just a jammed finger and nothing worse. Hopefully the news about Thomas is encouraging too, but I wouldn't get your hopes up.