Injury Update: Colts place guard Joe Haeg on IR, hopeful he can return

Just when they finally start to get their offensive line sorted out on the interior, the Colts run into a slew of injuries at the tackle position that leave them scrambling. The loss of Anthony Castonzo for the early part of the season has left the Colts shuffling players around to fill in. Joe Haeg played week one at left tackle with J’Marcus Webb holding down the right tackle spot.

Week two saw Haeg shift to the right side and Le’Raven Clark did his best to hold down the left side after Webb was lost for the season. Now it looks as though Haeg will be going to injured reserve with the hope that he can return in November when his ankle is healed.

The return of Denzelle Good as well as the hopefully impending return of Anthony Castonzo means that the picture might not be as bleak in the near future, but right now, the Colts enter Sunday’s game with just two healthy offensive tackles and guard Braden Smith, who has practiced at right tackle, as a potential backup should someone need to leave due to injury.

Having Joe Haeg healthy on this roster has been invaluable, as he has proven a capable backup at just about every position across the line. His loss for a significant amount of time makes it even more critical that the Colts get Castonzo back and healthy. Until then, the offense is likely to struggle as they have made it their primary goal to keep Andrew Luck healthy, which has meant getting the ball out quickly. Without better blocking, they will continue to be a very limited offense.