The Colts have placed linebacker John Simon on injured reserve and promoted defensive tackle Anthony Johnson from their practice squad, the club announced today.
Simon, who is now dealing with a shoulder injury, also missed three games earlier this season with a neck issue. Part of general manager Chris Ballard‘s initial free agent class, the 27-year-old Simon was lured away from the division-rival Texans via a three-year, $14MM contract. For that price, Indianapolis received solid — if not spectacular — production, as Simon managed three sacks while grading as the league’s No. 55 edge defender among 115 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.
Johnson, meanwhile, has appeared on a number of rosters since entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2014, but his most significant playing time came in 2016, when he saw action in 11 total games while splitting time between the Jets and Patriots. He’ll now get a four-game audition during which the Colts can decide whether the 6’3″, 308-pounder should be part of the team’s 2018 plans on the interior.