After undergoing offseason ankle surgery, Indianapolis Colts’ linebacker Zaire Franklin hasn’t practiced during training camp yet. But Shane Steichen believes he is close to returning.
“Really close,” Steichen said of Franklin’s return on Monday. “Hopefully we can get him at some point this week out there. That’s the hope. But he’s progressing well. Obviously, he’s running and doing stuff. Hopefully, we get him back out there this week, is the hope.”
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Along with missing the start of training camp, Franklin also missed OTA and minicamp practices due to the offseason surgery as well.
With the Colts not placing Franklin on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list at the start of training camp, that was a sign that they didn’t expect him to be out long.
With Franklin sidelined, Cameron McGrone has been seeing his share of starting reps alongside of Jaylon Carlies.
Franklin is coming off a career year, which included leading the NFL in tackles, along with setting career-highs in interceptions, sacks, and quarterback pressures.
As a result, Franklin would make his first Pro Bowl and was named a second-team All-Pro.
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Playing next to Carlies, who brings a coverage presence to the position as a former college safety, along with operating within Lou Anarumo’s defensive scheme, where there will be a greater reliance on defensive backs in coverage situations, Franklin could see more opportunities this season to play closer to the line of scrimmage, which is where he is at his best.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Colts training camp: Shane Steichen has injury update on Zaire Franklin