Genard

Avery

No real surprised here regarding the team’s inactives list, although we do get a change under center for the Colts as Anthony Richardson retreats to backup veteran Joe Flacco. The Colts seam intent on making a playoff push in the second half of the season and head coach Shane Steichen indicated this week that Flacco gives the team the best chance to win games.

Buckner suffered an ankle injury Week 2 against the Packers and though X-rays came back negative, he will need at least four games off to heal. With Buckner being one of the Colts’ best defensive players, their defensive front has gotten weaker. He had 1.5 of the Colts’ four sacks this season and anchored a defense that was already allowing over 150 rushing yards per game. Taven Bryan and Grover Stewart will need to step up to replace Buckner’s production. DE Genard Avery was signed to the 53-man roster in a corresponding move.

Avery signed with the Colts last offseason but suffered LCL and meniscus injuries in training camp and was placed on reserve, ending his season. The veteran pass-rusher last played for the Bucs in 2022 but saw most of his reps on special teams. He will return to Indy as a role-player for the 2024 season.

Defensive end Gendard Avery was placed on injured reserve in a corresponding move. Washington signed with the Cowboys last year but was waived just before the season ended. He was out for most of the season because of a foot injury and did not record a reception with the team. He briefly joined a depleted Giants roster during the playoffs. The Saints signed him this offseason but cut him a few weeks into training camp. After being passed over by multiple teams in the past year, it could be an uphill battle for Washington to make the Colts’ final roster.

Avery suffered injuries to his LCL and meniscus and will go on injured reserve. The veteran defensive end joined the Colts on a one-year deal this offseason after spending 2022 with the Buccaneers. Last season, Avery appeared in nine games, totaling five tackles and one sack.

Avery moved to linebacker last year after playing a limited role as a defensive end in 2020. The change nearly doubled his weekly snap count and juiced his tackles numbers, but Pro Football Focus still graded him as a below-average linebacker. He totaled 43 tackles, one sack, and four TFLs. Avery will fight for a part-time role in Pittsburgh.

Philadelphia initially traded its 2021 fourth-round pick to acquire Avery in 2019, seeing the 25-year-old rack up 17 tackles and 1.5 sacks across 19 games in that span. The hope is he’s able to function as more than just a rotational player when moved to the Mike/Will positions this upcoming year.

This opens Avery’s three-week practice window. If he is not activated in 21 days, he will revert to season-ending I.R. Avery was playing 25-30 weekly snaps before going down in Week 7.

He’ll miss at least the next three weeks. Avery had five tackles and 1.5 sacks on a 14% snap share as a rotational pass rusher. The Eagles also lost LB Nathan Gerry (Achilles) to IR.

Avery was carted from Wednesday’s practice, but the issue turned out to be “not nearly as serious as it looked.” The rotational lineman has a little over two weeks to get cleared for Week 1.