Jelani Woods Out Indefinitely After Turf Toe Surgery

Third-year Tight End Jelani Woods had to leave the Indianapolis Colts' Week 2 preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals because of a foot injury. During the game, Head Coach Shane Steichen mentioned they didn’t think Woods would be out for long. But unfortunately, they were wrong. Recently, it was announced that Woods will need surgery due to a condition known as turf toe.

Now, turf toe usually doesn’t require surgery, so this must be a serious case. The team, or maybe Woods himself, must have decided that surgery is the best way to get him back to full strength. According to Ian Rapoport from NFL Network, Woods is out "indefinitely." This is tough news for any player, but it’s especially heartbreaking for Jelani Woods. He had to sit out his entire second NFL season due to persistent hamstring problems, and now, he might miss a second season in a row.

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Colts Face Tough Decisions On Jelani Woods

During training camp, Jelani Woods was already struggling to keep up with the competition for tight end spots on the team. Some even started to question whether he would make the roster at all. Now, the Colts have a hard decision to make: Should they place Woods on season-ending injured reserve, put him on one of the two new IR spots where he could return later, or let him go altogether? The first two options seem better, but we'll have to wait and see what they decide.

Jelani Woods hurt his toe during the Colts' preseason win over the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night. Before this, he had been mostly healthy during training camp. Drafted in the third round from Virginia, Woods has had a tough time staying healthy. Hamstring issues sidelined him for the entire 2023 season. Now, according to Ian Rapoport from NFL Network, Woods will be out indefinitely after undergoing surgery.

The Colts had high hopes for Jelani Woods, especially after he missed all of 2023. Tight end is not a position where the Colts have a lot of standout options. So, it's unfortunate that news broke about Woods needing surgery for his turf toe, which will keep him out for a long time.

Wood’s Absence: A Big Loss

Standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing 253 pounds, Jelani Woods is a big target who showed promise in his rookie season with 25 catches for 312 yards and three touchdowns. Even though he didn’t play in 2023 and might miss most, if not all, of the 2024 season, he has the potential to be a major red zone threat if he can stay healthy.

With Woods out, the other Colts’ tight ends might see more action this season. Last year, Mo Alie-Cox had 13 catches for 161 yards and three touchdowns, while Kylen Granson recorded 30 receptions for 368 yards and one touchdown. Drew Ogletree, now entering his third season, caught nine passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns last year.

Although both Granson and Alie-Cox have had some success, neither has been a key part of the Colts’ passing game. For now, they’ll fill in at the tight end position. Even though Woods might not have been a huge offensive contributor this season, he still had a shot. It’s uncertain whether Jelani Woods will play for Indianapolis at all this season, as he recovers from his latest injury.

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Article originally written by Zartash Zulfiqar