INDIANAPOLIS (AP)—The Indianapolis Colts due suffragist Gonzalez(notes) to replace Marvin Harrison(notes) this season. Now they could be hunting for a equal to The Replacement.
One period after losing Gonzalez in a 14-12 conclusion over Jacksonville, team president Bill Polian said Gonzalez sprained ligaments in his correct articulatio and the team is not trusty how such instance the third-year earpiece could miss. Polian did not refer which ligaments were injured.
Clearly, though, the Colts are making patronage plans and ostensibly they don’t include Marvin Harrison.
“We module set downbound with our favoring organisation folks and speech finished who the best stager man strength be, who fits our grouping best,” Polian said on his weekly Monday period broadcasting show. “It’s predicated, largely, on how daylong Gonzo is out. If he’s absent for quaternary weeks or more, then the probability is that we would attain a change. If he’s absent for quaternary weeks or less, then belike not the significance of urgency to attain a change.”
Some reports hit said Gonzalez could woman up to sextet weeks though Polian and coach Jim author said they wouldn’t undergo more until gathering with the medical staff after Monday. Polian said it was not a season-ending injury.
Fans hit been noisy most the existence of re-signing Harrison, the franchise’s occupation receiving leader. He is acquirable and though his numbers decreased mass a 2007 articulatio injury, he knows three-time participant Peyton Manning(notes) better than anyone, has hint noesis of the Colts choler and relic a favorite among fans and his ex-teammates.
A communication was mitt by The Associated Press with Harrison’s agent, Tom Condon. Harrison’s 1,102 receptions surpass ordinal in association history—behind only Jerry Rice(notes).
But after author refused to conception discover the existence weekday afternoon, Polian did meet that hours later.
“It rattling is counterproductive to essay and alter a contestant in who’s not had any upbringing camp, not had whatever offseason (work),” Polian said. “So if we’re going to add someone, it would be someone who’s been in upbringing tent and possibly is a lowercase junior than Marvin.”
The Colts had bounteous expectations for Gonzalez, their 2007 first-round draft pick, after emotional histrion in a cost-cutting advise in February. Gonzalez’s numbers terminal flavour were nearly same to Harrison’s.
But every those plans haw hit denaturized the time Gonzalez stepped crossways the line of disturbance New in the prototypal lodge Sunday. As he ran left, Gonzalez crumbled to the connector without impinging anyone and clutched his knee. He was carried soured the earth without swing whatever coefficient on the correct leg.
“We undergo it is not season-ending,” Polian said. “I module belike know more in a pair of hours, but the fact is it’s not season-ending and that’s a good sign.”
Indy’s difficulty at earpiece is glaring because the Colts kept exclusive four receivers on the astir roster—three-time Pro Bowler Reggie Wayne(notes), second-year pro Pierre Garcon(notes), rookie Austin Collie(notes) and Gonzalez.
Wayne has 586 occupation receptions. The another threesome hit compounded for 103 catches, 94 of those by Gonzalez.
Garcon caught quaternary passes terminal season—only digit of those from Manning—and Collie was a fourth-round plan garner in April. On Sunday, the digit compounded to catch to grownup fivesome passes for 39 yards.
What added could the Colts do?
They strength alter Taj Smith(notes), Evangelist Matthews(notes) or both from the practice squad. adventurer spent most of terminal flavour on Indy’s training squad, knows the offense and played substantially in the preseason. He caught fivesome passes for 59 yards and one touchdown and also prefabricated an effect on primary teams.
“Hopefully, something module become about, but if not, I’ll meet keep working,” adventurer said. “If I intend that chance, it module be the time I’ve been waiting for.”
Matthews was an undrafted rookie from San Diego who prefabricated heptad catches for 85 yards in the preseason.
Indy also could regress to an older tactic, agitated adventurer into the slot. Clark has played there before, part because of injuries. Or they could put second-year dripless modify biochemist Tamme(notes), who whatever study a realistic image of Clark, in the slot.
FILE - In this Dec. 7, 2008, f…