DeForest Buckner is expected to be available for the Indianapolis Colts against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2, even after missing Friday's practice. For a team trying to steady itself after a rough opening week, that matters immediately.
Buckner, 32 years old, gave the Colts a reason to believe he could go when he logged a half-sack and a quarterback hit against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. The Colts struggled overall in that game, and now they move into Sunday Night Football with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs needing their defensive anchor on the field.
The bigger picture is hard to miss. Before 2024, Buckner had missed only two games in total. Since then, he has missed 12 games, including seven last year, as a neck issue that started after he was hurt in 2025 has kept him out more often than anyone around him would like. That makes every appearance feel more carefully managed, even when he is cleared to play.
There is still a line between expected and certain, and Buckner's status has lived near that line. Missing Friday's practice would normally raise concern, but the Colts have kept him in the Week 2 plan, suggesting they believe he can help against a Kansas City defense that may also be watching Chris Jones, who was listed as questionable with a calf injury.
For the Colts, the next answer is not whether Buckner belongs in the lineup. It is how much of him they can get, and whether the version that flashes in Week 1 can hold up long enough to matter against the Chiefs.
