Indianapolis Colts’ Tight End Dallas Clark Out For Year

Added on Oct 23, 2010 by Jason Kearney in

NFL

The Indianapolis Colts got some very bad news on Friday, announcing that Pro Bowl tight end Dallas Clark has been put on the injured reserve list and will undergo season ending wrist surgery. Clark is arguably Peyton Manning’s most reliable target and one of the best pass catchers at the position in the game. Clark said that he met with three different surgeons before making the decision to shut it down for the year and go under the knife. He’s expected to fully recover and plans to return for his 9th NFL season in 2011.

Clark had this to say about his injury in a statement released by the team:

“It’s unfortunate, but it’s been confirmed that surgery is necessary to repair the injury to my wrist. I look forward to supporting my teammates the rest of this season and rehabilitating my wrist back to full strength for next season.”

Neither Clark or the Colts have said exactly how the injury occured. He did appear to grab at his wrist in pain during an October 17 win over the Washington Redskins, but it could be a situation where he injured it earlier in the year and tried to play through it before getting more extensive medical evaluation. Rookie tight end Brodie Eldridge out of Oklahoma will step into the starting lineup and while the Colts are big on his potential he’s got only 3 catches this season and based on inexperience alone is a huge downgrade at the position. Last season Clark caught 100 passes for 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns becoming only the second tight end in NFL history to catch 100 balls in a season.

Indy still has a pair of the best wide receivers in the game for Peyton Manning to throw to in Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon, but have lost their enviable depth due to injury. Receiver Austin Collie had thumb surgery earlier this week and is out indefinitely. Anthony Gonzalez has been on the shelf with a high ankle sprain but has been upgraded to ‘probable’ for the Colts’ next game, Monday November 1 against Houston.