Smith will miss the rest of Saturday’s game against the Texans with a knee injury, according to Mike Chappell of Fox 59 News Indianapolis.
Smith has been suffering with a knee ailment since early December, and it forced him to miss three games in the last month of 2023. It’s unclear whether Saturday’s exit is linked, but Smith will be unable to return for the crucial game. Blake Freeland has taken over as the right tackle.
Veteran Colts RT Braden Smith had offseason surgery on his problematic left knee.
Braden Smith, a veteran Colts right lineman, had surgery this offseason on his ailing left knee, which lost him three games late in the season and kept him out of the finale.
Smith was a staple on the Indianapolis offensive line when healthy. During his ten games, the massive right tackle did not allow a single sack.
Injuries prompted him to miss seven games; he played just 575 snaps and had to play injured in the last two games to account for more than half of the snaps.
“It was on his knee that had been kind of bothering him all year,” Ballard went on to say. “However, the procedure was successful. He’s in good condition.”
Smith declined to provide any information on his knee ailment at the end of the season, preferring to keep such things secret.
Despite the injury, he was able to play a full game against the Raiders and start the finale against the Texans, indicating that his operation will most likely have no effect on the target he set for himself at the conclusion of the season.
Frustrated with the ailments he suffered in 2023 (he also missed four games due to hip and wrist issues), Smith vowed to return to the Colts in 2024.
“I’m going to go into this offseason and get my body healthy, do everything I can,” he stated. “My hope is next year I come back full strength, as healthy as I can be.”
The Colts might benefit from having Smith healthy in the lineup.
Backup swing tackle Blake Freeland played 702 plays as a rookie, but he still has to improve his power, since he allowed six sacks, according to Sports Info Solutions. As good as the resurgent Colts line was in 2023, Indianapolis is far superior when Smith is in the lineup.
“Braden is important to our team,” Ballard explained in January. “When he doesn’t play, it hurts us.”
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