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How Long Will Arden Key Be Out After Suffering a Hamstring Injury?
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- How Long Will Arden Key Be Out After Suffering a Hamstring Injury?
The Indianapolis Colts are coming off a convincing win over the Washington Commanders; however, the victory came with a costly defensive setback. One of their starting edge rushers is now expected to miss a significant stretch, leaving head coach Shane Steichen with another problem to solve before Week 5.
Arden Key had become an important part of the Colts' front after injuries and roster changes pushed him into a bigger role than originally planned. Now, the Colts will have to find a way to replace those snaps while trying to keep their pass rush from slipping further.
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Arden Key Expected To Miss 3-4 Weeks With Indianapolis Colts
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The Colts are expected to be without Key for roughly 3-4 weeks after he suffered a hamstring injury, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported on October 6. Fowler's update came a day after Steichen first confirmed that the veteran defensive end would miss time.
That timeline puts Key's absence right around the one-month mark. It also comes at a bad time for the Colts, who are already thin along the edge. Michael Clemons is on injured reserve with a toe injury, while the Colts have yet to settle on a clear replacement for Key.
The veteran had started all four games this season and played 171 defensive snaps. He finished that stretch with eight tackles, three quarterback hits, half a sack, and a forced fumble. His numbers were not spectacular; however, his workload showed just how much the Colts had come to rely on him.
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That role was larger than the Colts initially expected. Key was signed this offseason with a rotational role in mind; however, the team missed on Trey Hendrickson in free agency, while 2025 second-round pick Jaylahn Tuimoloau has struggled to make a major impact. Key eventually became a full-time starter alongside Laiatu Latu.
Now the Colts have to figure out exactly how those snaps will be distributed. Steichen said Caden Curry and Tuimoloau are already options, while rookie George Gumbs Jr. could also get his first defensive snaps of the season.
Curry has played only 34 defensive snaps through four games, recording three tackles and two run stuffs. Tuimoloau has logged 112 snaps but has just seven tackles and one QB hit, with his first sack still missing from the stat sheet.
The Colts are also not ready to place Key on injured reserve, according to the Indianapolis Star report. That matters because an IR designation would require him to miss at least four games. For now, the Colts appear willing to see how his recovery develops before making that call.
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The timing is especially important with the Steelers next. The Steelers have allowed Aaron Rodgers to take 13 sacks this season, so the Colts will need someone to turn Key's missing snaps into pressure if they want to keep their pass rush from becoming another weakness.
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The post How Long Will Arden Key Be Out After Suffering a Hamstring Injury? appeared first on Gridiron Heroics .
