No guarantee Colts' DT Art Jones will be able to play in season opener

The Indianapolis Colts might be without their $33 million defensive tackle – again.

What could prove to be the first significant injury of their 2015 season, Art Jones, the 6-3, 320-pound lynchpin of the Colts’ defensive line, left Saturday night’s preseason game in St. Louis after just two snaps. He injured his left ankle on the first play of the game, played one more and sat for the rest of the evening. Soon enough he was seen exiting the stadium on crutches and in a protective boot.

On Sunday, coach Chuck Pagano said the team, while hopeful, was still waiting on information regarding the severity of Jones’ ankle injury. The tenor of his voice did not scream optimism.

“Anything can happen,” Pagano said. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed.”

NFL Network’s Ian Rappoport reported Sunday that X-rays on Jones’ ankle were negative. Regardless, Jones figures to miss some time. Ankle injuries are not easily overcome, not for a 300-pound defensive linemen. Jones knows this more than most. His 2014 season was a nightmare for that very reason.

Making matters worse: Jones is the heart of unit that was shredded the last time it took the field in a meaningful game – remember that 45-7 pummeling in Foxborough? – and one that so much is expected, and demanded of, in 2015. The missive has trickled down from as far up as owner Jim Irsay: The Colts need to be better against the run this fall.

That starts with Jones.

The Colts open the season in Buffalo in 13 days, and there’s no guarantee he’s even in the lineup.

"You don’t want to see anybody get hurt, especially a guy that missed some time a year ago," Pagano said. "So hopefully we get a better report from our docs and it isn’t significant where a guy's are going to miss a number of games, or whatever it is. But yeah, it gets frustrating for players, for the coaches. You got one of your key cogs in your defense. You’ve got to have him out there. We’ll deal with it as it comes. Again, I'll just wait until tomorrow, keep my fingers crossed and hopefully it’s not as bad as what people may think.”

Jones is as central to the Colts’ 3-4 scheme as any single player. Lured from Baltimore during the Colts’ 2014 free agency blitz, Jones was supposed to be the run-stopper Indy’s defense has long craved. General manager Ryan Grigson signed him to a massive five-year, $33 million deal to do just that.

But last fall, hindered by a right high ankle sprain he suffered in a Week 2 loss to Philadelphia, Jones played all of 69 healthy snaps. He started just three games and made just 15 tackles. The return on investment just wasn’t there.

“Frustrating as hell,” Jones called his 2014 season.

“I was never the same (after the injury),” Jones said. “I didn’t have that explosiveness, and that push-off and drive off my ankle.”

A year after battling through that, Jones now faces this.

The Colts, in turn, have to prepare for the worst. If Jones is indeed out, who fills the void?

Time to step up, Montori Hughes. You too, Josh Chapman, Zach Kerr and Henry Anderson. While Hughes figures to be Next Man Up, Jones’ absence will be felt by the entire defensive front. Neither Kerr nor Chapman are as dynamic as Jones, but both boast experience in coordinator Greg Manusky’s 3-4 system. Anderson, a hulking rookie out of Stanford, has had an impressive start so far. All will see increased snaps in Jones’ presumed absence.

“Any of those guys have the flexibility position-wise to fill in there,” Pagano said.

For now, the Colts wait. And hope. They’ve seen this movie before, and it doesn’t end well.

Call Star reporter Zak Keefer at (317) 444-6134 and follow him on Twitter: @zkeefer.