The surging Colts are likely to see a key cog in their offense head to injured reserve. Jack Doyle suffered an injury Sunday that will send him to IR, Stephen Holder of The Athletic reports (subscription required).
It’s a kidney injury, Frank Reich said (via Mike Chappell of Fox 59). Reich said Doyle was hospitalized because of this ailment and underwent a procedure.
Teaming with touchdown maven Eric Ebron, Doyle caught one of Andrew Luck‘s TD passes Sunday — Indianapolis’ fifth straight win — but appears set to see his season end early. Doyle missed five games earlier this season because of a hip injury but had returned to play in the Colts’ past three contests.
Indianapolis was down to just Ebron and Doyle on Sunday, with Erik Swoope, Mo Alie-Cox and Ryan Hewitt out. The Colts are likely to consider adding a reinforcement at this position, Holder notes.
Colts tight ends have caught 18 of Luck’s 32 touchdown passes this season. Though Ebron’s 11 TD grabs comprise much of that total, Doyle scored twice in limited action.
Swoope and Alie-Cox’s five combined scores make them potentially promising fill-ins, but their injuries complicate matters. An 80-reception, 690-yard season sent Doyle to the Pro Bowl last year. He’s signed through 2019 but has no guaranteed money remaining on a three-year, $18.9MM deal.
Colts coaching staff have done an excellent job and the team figures to have more than $100M worth of cap to play with next season. Indy could be a division contender a lot sooner than many of us thought.