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Colts defensive tackle Arthur Jones spent the past week seeking second opinions and seeing specialists regarding his ankle injury, and it was one that required surgery on Friday. It was expected that the Colts would know after Jones' surgery whether or not Jones would be able to return this year, and it does sound like the Colts know - but it's not good news.
According to multiple reports, Arthur Jones is expected to miss the entire 2015 season.
The #Colts will place DL Art Jones on season-ending Injured Reserve, source said, following successful ankle surgery yesterday.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 5, 2015
Would be pretty shocked if Arthur Jones doesn't end up on season-ending IR following his ankle surgery today. Should be good to go for 2016
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) September 4, 2015
#Colts DT Arthur Jones likely to miss entire season after having ankle surgery today, according to source.
— Jason Cole (@JasonColeBR) September 4, 2015
The best-case scenario for Jones seemed to be returning mid-season, being placed on injured reserve with a designation to return. But it now sounds like there will be no designation to return and rather that Jones will miss the entire season on injured reserve.
This might be getting old to hear by now, but it's true: losing Arthur Jones is huge for the Colts defense. They had big expectations for Jones this year as he returns healthy after struggling through injuries last year, and he was really the guy they were counting on to improve the run defense. Kendall Langford will help in that area to be sure, but Jones was going to be the big impact player. Now, it sounds as if the Colts have lost him for the whole season, the first huge injury for the team this year.
Now, of course, it means that guys like Henry Anderson, Zach Kerr, Montori Hughes, and others need to step up. Anderson, the rookie out of Stanford, is the guy to really keep an eye on, and it wouldn't be a huge surprise to actually see him starting in week one. He has impressed in the preseason and, as Rick Venturi noted on the FOX59 broadcast Thursday night, the Colts will now need to accelerate his adjustment to the NFL with Jones out.