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Not really. Smith missed four games in the half of the season with a hip injury, but the hip was only part of it. His left knee was never truly healthy. was kind of a lingering issue, ba- sically all the way into the spring, and it just kind of progressively got Smith said. kind of one of those things where I tried to get back too fast, taking care of myself probably as well as I The veteran right tackle battled through pain to start 10 games, know- ing full well for most of them that his knee would not be need to get something done, so you just go out there and do what you can for the Smith said.
just got to build that mental fortitude over By the time he returned to the lineup for the two games of the Indian- apolis push, Smith was playing in so much pain that he knew he might have to leave the lineup at any time. from behind the entire Smith said. got better. But already in a better spot than I was last The veteran right tackle believes the problem has been Smith underwent surgery on his left knee this and although not fully back to playing shape yet, on his way. The 28-year-old has politely declined to name the injury in his left knee or dive into the details of what went wrong, but it was something he could play through to a degree, and it does not sound like the start of the 2024 season is in jeopardy.
The big right tackle did not want to put a timeline on his return to full activ- ity. But Smith is clearly in the rehabilita- tion phase, rather than recovering from the procedure. had successful surgery, did some rehab this Smith said. feel like in a pretty good spot. The coming A healthy Smith would be a big de- velopment for a Colts line that played its best football with an in- jured Smith in his familiar spot at right tackle last season.
Even hurt, Smith made an enormous impact on the Indianapolis last season. Indianapolis gave up just 15 sacks in the nine games Smith played a cant amount he left after just three plays against Tennessee in December and allowed 26 in the other eight games. The Colts averaged 4.6 yards per carry and 138 rushing yards per game with Smith in the lineup; Indian- apolis averaged just 3.9 yards per carry and 102.1 yards per game without him. is important to our football team, and when he play, it hurts Colts general manager Chris Bal- lard said. an important The goal now is to get his knee back to full strength.
If Smith can make that much of an impact with an injured knee, imagine what he can do with a knee that feels strong. just making sure I can get to the season Smith said. The Colts would love to have him. Colts RT knee in a better than last year Joel A. Erickson Indianapolis Star USA TODAY NETWORK Colts offensive tackle Braden Smith moves on the during a game against the Texans on Jan.
6. JENNA CHICAGO Kel'el Ware saw what Mike Woodson was able to do with Trayce Jackson-Davis. That partially is what drew Ware from Oregon to Indiana. Playing for a former NBA coach who'd just developed an NBA big con- vinced Ware that Woodson could put him on a similar path. "He just told me he was going to get me back to where I needed to be," Ware said.
"If I chose to come to Indiana, he would be able to get me back here, he would be able to get me ready for it and I feel like what he did." As Ware noted at Tuesday's NBA Draft Combine, Woodson was correct. After a freshman season where he struggled at times for Oregon, Ware was allowed to play through mistakes at Indiana. Ware entered the NBA Draft after one season with the Hoosiers in which he averaged He averaged 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, 1.5 assists and shot 56.8%, including 42.5% from 3. He will likely be a pick next month. "He was a top high school recruit.
He was very athletic and could shoot," said Connecticut guard Tristen Newton, who played against Ware when he was both at Oregon and Indiana. "That was his thing going into college and he dis- played that (during Monday's combine drills)." That athleticism included one of the fastest court runs as Ware, who measured 6-feet, 11 inches, blazed a trail in 3.29 seconds. Ware also had a 36-inch vertical. Ware knows there are still concerns, though. "The motor aspect of it, what every- body says about my motor," Ware said.
"I feel like I've proven that enough, but I still got more to prove." Otherwise, it's easy to see why Ware is projected to go high in the draft. He's long (7-foot-4 wing span) and quick enough that he can guard on the perimeter. Ware can pick and pop, shoot and serve as a lob threat. "My AAU coach he was telling me to bring the ball up the court sometimes," Ware said. "I was never just a back to the basket player.
always had the dribbling, shooting, always been able to do everything because al- ways worked on it growing up." Sam King covers sports for the Jour- nal Courier. Email him at and follow him on Twitter and Instagram Ware ready to impress at NBA draft combine in Chicago Sam King Lafayette Journal Courier USA TODAY NETWORK Ware (1) shoots during the half versus Nebraska on Feb. 21 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. RICH TIMES.
