Colts wide receiver Donte Moncrief expected to return to practice this week

The Colts could be getting close to the return of one of their key offensive players. According to Colts.com’s Kevin Bowen, head coach Chuck Pagano said on his radio show last night that there’s a “good chance” that wide receiver Donte Moncrief will return to practice on Wednesday in a limited role.

Moncrief hasn’t practiced since before the team’s week two game against the Denver Broncos, as early in that game he suffered a fractured scapula. The original timeline for that injury was 4-6 weeks, and Moncrief is now near the end of that timeframe. So it makes sense that he’s expected to be back at practice this week, and it’s really good news for the Colts.

Of course, that doesn’t mean he’ll play on Sunday. If he’s limited in practice this week, it’s more likely that he’ll sit out Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs and then be a full participant next week, ready to play in the next game against the Green Bay Packers. That’s just speculation, but the bottom line is that just because he returns to the practice field doesn’t mean he’ll play. It does mean, however, that he’s getting close.

On the year, Moncrief has played in two games and has caught seven passes for 73 yards and a touchdown. Last year, he played in all 16 games and caught 64 passes for 733 yards and six touchdowns, so the 23-year old was expected to take significant strides forward this year as the starter. That was unfortunately derailed by his injury, but he still has a big role in the offense waiting for him when he gets back.