The Indianapolis Colts announced on Monday that the team placed rookie SAF Hunter Wohler on injured reserve, along with offensive tackle Blake Freeland and linebacker Jacob Phillips.
The team also officially signed veteran free agent cornerback Xavien Howard in a corresponding roster move.
Wohler suffered a season-ending Lisfranc injury (foot) and is reportedly ‘likely’ to undergo surgery.
Obviously, it’s another tough blow to the Colts secondary, which has already lost another promising rookie, Justin
Walley, to a season-ending injury—with Wohler now joining him. Wohler had played well in preseason and training camp and was expected to make an impact, even initially, situationally within the Colts secondary.
Like Walley, the Colts’ rookie 7th round pick out of Wisconsin now sees his debut season over before it formally started. It’s another tough loss for what is supposed to be a revamped secondary under Lou Anarumo.
Phillips is a 5th-year linebacker that the Colts signed to a reserve/future contract back in January of this year, who suffered a biceps injury. He was originally a 3rd round pick of the Cleveland Browns back in the 2020 draft, and has had 88 career tackles (57 solo), 3.0 sacks, and 5 passes defensed during 20 career games (8 starts).
Of course, Freeland’s placement on injured reserve is unfortunately not unexpected.
The former 2023 4th round pick of the Colts had been battling this offseason to be the team’s top swing-tackle and had been listed as the 2nd-string backup behind starting left tackle Bernhard Raimann. He suffered a gruesome fractured leg during this past weekend’s Week 2 preseason home loss to the Green Bay Packers.
He’s appeared in 25 games, making 9 starts (*all as a rookie in 2023) for Indianapolis over the past two seasons.
