Indianapolis Colts seek replacements as LB A.J. Edds, OL Ben Ijalana suffer season-ending injuries
The Indianapolis Colts are seeking replacements for linebacker A.J. Edds and offensive lineman Ben Ijalana, who are out of the side with respective season-ending knee injuries.
Both players were injured in the team’s open and non-contact practice session on past Sunday. Later scans results show them to be Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in left knees of the players, ending this season run for them.
It is rather unfortunate development to the careers of the players, as they already had been through the same injuries in 2011 and 2010, respectively.
Colts’ coach Chuck Pagano confirmed the players will be out of the squad for the entire season as they have suffered ‘significant’ ACL injuries. The team will seek to bring in a pair of players as their replacement.
Irrespective of the fact that these players have a history of knee injuries, occurring of injuries to players at training camp is nothing new in the league.
A number of players end up their seasons at training camp – one of the most detailed and comprehensive workout place just before arrival of the National Football League (NFL) season.
It is not clear if the team was willing to retain these two players beyond training camp when the roster adjustment reduces the number of players available to 53, as per the mandatory requirement of the league.
The respective injuries nonetheless have ended their careers for a year, at least, and the chances of their sustainability in the league in the longer run is also in question, amid the frequency of the injuries they have suffered over the past two or three
years.
It is going to be even tougher for Ijalana who, according to the Colts’ coach, has had surgery on his hip twice during this offseason. This shows the player is more prone to risks of injuries, which by any standard is not a good development at the outset
of his career. It can definitely affect his progression without problems in the longer run.
Meanwhile, the Colts' plan in seeking replacements for the two players is only at a discussion stage yet. The team has not hinted at any specific player they are aiming to bring in.
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