Both Colts cornerbacks Jaylon Jones and JuJu Brents had been absent from practice for a lengthy period as they dealt with hamstring injuries.
As their time away wore on, concerns began to mount over their availability for the start of the season, prompting the Colts to sign four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard.
But those worries quickly subsided when both Jones and Brents reportedly returned to practice on Wednesday after several weeks off.
Both participated in position drills and while we don’t know the extent of their participation in team drills, typically long injury absences require a bit of a ramp-up period to get back up to speed.
Still, with over two weeks until the Colts open their season against the Dolphins, returning to practice now allows for ample time to catch back up and be ready for Sept. 7. By coming back now, they give the secondary a much needed boost.
But the Colts still have a long way to go before returning to full strength. Nick Cross, Braden Smith, Josh Downs and Tyler Goodson were among the players who did not practice while the cornerback duo made their return.