The Colts’ outlook for Sunday’s clash against the Jaguars just got a lot brighter. After a week of uncertainty, the Indianapolis Colts have officially made star corner Sauce Gardner available for the game. And he’ll be joined by WR Ashton Dulin and LT Bernhard Raimann. 

“And the #Colts just lifted the questionable tag on WR Ashton Dulin (hamstring), as well as CB Sauce Gardner (calf) and LT Bernhard Raimann (elbow),” reported James Boyd of The Athletic. “All three will be available against the #Jaguars.”

While their postseason path is narrow, the return of these key starters suggests Indy isn’t ready to surrender its slim playoff hopes just yet. 

Dulin had been on the injured reserve since November 25 with a hamstring injury and returned to practice on Wednesday. Raimann sustained an elbow injury in Week 15, remained out for Week 16, and returned to practice in full capacity on Thursday. 

As for Gardner, his return certainly raises expectations, but it’s bittersweet. So, he joined as a missing piece in Indy’s secondary, but his impact has been limited. He played in two games before going down with a calf injury on November 30. But as one star returns, another departs. In a crushing update, the Colts officially shut down defensive tackle DeForest Buckner for the year.

Buckner’s season came to a devastating halt after he aggravated a herniated disk in his neck. He initially sustained the injury in November, but head coach Shane Steichen, blinded by desperation for a playoff berth, rushed him back onto the field in Week 16. The move ended up being a costly gamble. Not only did they lose by a 21-point deficit, but Buckner’s condition worsened, and now he’s placed on the season-ending Injured Reserve.

“He’s as good as it gets, tough as it gets,” said Steichen afterwards. “Wants to be out there for his team. But hopefully everything will go good; the procedure will be good. Get him healed up for next year.

The bad news for the Colts didn’t end with Buckner. The Colts also lost Drew Olgetree (neck) and Anthony Gould (knee) for the season, placing them on the Injured Reserve. Interestingly, a day after this tragic news, Steichen activated Gardner, Dulin, and Raimann. Another rushed decision? 

Shane Steichen is betting on Sauce Gardner 

With Buckner sidelined, the pressure now shifts heavily onto the returning Gardner to anchor the defense. However, till Wednesday, he was listed as a non-participant in the practice. On Thursday, he participated in a limited capacity, meaning he had only one full practice session before being activated on Friday. 

“To get him back out there with his passion and what he brings to our football team on the backend will be huge,” Steichen said about Gardner’s return. 

The Colts’ head coach always knew that the All-Pro corner would play again this season; that’s why he didn’t place him on Injured Reserve. While Gardner sparked immediate concern in Week 13 by admitting his calf injury ‘felt like being shot,’ the coach was quick to clarify the situation. He assured that the calf injury was a manageable strain and would recover in “some time.”

Indy landed Gardner in a trade deal with the New York Jets, giving up 2026 and 2027 first-round picks along with wide receiver AD Mitchell. Critics were quick to label the trade deal a ‘loss’ after his Week 13 injury, but the All-Pro corner now has a chance to rewrite that narrative. His performance over the final stretch could be the deciding factor in whether Indianapolis can salvage its postseason aspirations.

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