We know that the next chapter of running back Ahmad Bradshaw’s career will unfold with him wearing a Colts uniform, but we aren’t quite sure of when that chapter will start.
Bradshaw was placed on the physically unable to perform list to start camp as he continues to recover from offseason surgery on his oft-injured right foot. That means he has yet to practice with the team since signing with them in June, when he was still wearing a protective boot.
Kevin Bowen of the team’s website reports that Bradshaw said he expects to return to the practice field in a couple of weeks, which would give him a few weeks worth of work to get ready for the regular season. Bradshaw also said that he didn’t think preseason game reps were too important for a veteran player, which suggests that he’s also not too worried about losing snaps to Vick Ballard or other Colts backs as a result of his absence.
It’s probably a correct assumption. The Colts signed Bradshaw knowing that he was coming off surgery and knowing that he rarely practiced with the Giants recently because of his foot issues. That didn’t stop Bradshaw from playing on Sundays and he usually played fairly well, so the Colts shouldn’t need too much preseason exposure to Bradshaw in order to figure out how he fits with the team.