Overview
- Gardner left the Colts’ Week 6 game against the Titans with left calf discomfort, was listed questionable to return, and did not re-enter the contest.
- An MRI reported Monday showed a mild mid-calf strain that medical sources describe as week-to-week, and he is expected to miss at least the Colts’ upcoming game against the Vikings.
- Cam Taylor-Britt has taken Gardner’s outside role in the short term, giving Indianapolis an immediate starter but leaving the depth chart thin with other corners on injured reserve.
- Gardner’s prior calf injury after last season’s trade raises concern that rushing his return could increase the risk of re-injury or related setbacks, so the team is prioritizing cautious rehab.
- The timing complicates personnel decisions because Gardner was acquired for two first-round picks and carries a large contract, and the update arrives the same day the Colts fired GM Chris Ballard, increasing pressure to add defensive depth before the trade window.