Hull (knee) is expected to miss the rest of the season, Kevin Bowen of 107.5 ESPN The Fan Indianapolis reports.
The rookie fifth-round pick suffered a knee injury in his first NFL game Week 1 versus Jacksonville and went on injured reserve. While the team previously noted that Hull was making progress in his recovery, Bowen's report suggests that the Northwestern product may have suffered a setback that will prevent him from playing again in 2023. The Colts' need for Hull has been lessened after Zack Moss returned from a broken forearm Week 2 and after Jonathan Taylor returned from ankle surgery Week 5.
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Colts' Evan Hull: Expected to return this season
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Colts head coach Shane Steichen said Friday that he expects Hull (knee) to play again this season, Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan Indianapolis reports.
The rookie fifth-round pick suffered a knee injury in his NFL debut last week against the Jaguars, finishing the game with one carry for one yard and one catch for six yards across eight offensive snaps. After being placed on injured reserve earlier this week, Hull will be required to miss at least the next four contests.
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Colts' Evan Hull: Moving to injured reserve
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The Colts placed Hull (knee) on injured reserve Tuesday.
With Jonathan Taylor (ankle) on the reserve/PUP list and Zack Moss (forearm) inactive this past Sunday against the Jaguars, Hull worked as Indianapolis' second running back behind Deon Jackson until he suffered a knee injury in the third quarter. Now that he's on IR, the 2023 fifth-round pick will be required to miss at least the next four games, meaning his next chance to suit up is a rematch with the Colts' Week 1 opponent on Oct. 15 at Jacksonville. While Hull and Taylor (ankle) are unavailable, Moss, Jackson and Jake Funk will make up the team's backfield.
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Colts' Evan Hull: Appears to avoid serious injury
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Hull, who was forced from the Week 1 loss to the Jaguars with a knee issue, isn't believed to be dealing with a significant injury but will undergo further testing to confirm, Joel A. Erickson of The Indianapolis Star reports.
Hull had two touches for seven yards before leaving Sunday's game in the third quarter. The Colts are already dealing with injuries to Zack Moss (forearm) and Jonathan Taylor (PUP-ankle), so Hull's health moving forward is worth monitoring. Currently, Deon Jackson and Jake Funk are the only healthy running backs on Indianapolis' 53-man roster. Hull's status should be updated following the scans, but the Colts don't need to release an injury report until Wednesday ahead of a Week 2 matchup against the Texans.
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Colts' Evan Hull: Suffers knee injury in debut
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Hull exited in the third quarter of Sunday's game against the Jaguars with a knee injury and won't return, Joel A. Erickson of The Indianapolis Star reports. He carried once for one yard and recorded a six-yard reception on his lone target.
The injury is unfortunate timing for Hull, who took the field with the Colts offense for the opening drive of the second half after starter Deon Jackson carried eight times for 18 yards and lost a fumble in the first two quarters. Rather than finishing the game on a high note and potentially using it as a springboard to overtake Jackson on the depth chart while top back Jonathan Taylor (ankle) is sidelined for the first four games of the season, Hull made it just five offensive snaps into the second half before going down with the knee injury. Expect the Colts to provide an update on the rookie's status following the contest, but Indianapolis will now be left with Jackson and Jake Funk at running back for the rest of the day.
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Colts' Evan Hull: Week 1 Adds (RB Preview)
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Hull probably won't be slated for as many Week 1 touches as Moss or Jackson, but as a rookie he's by far the most exciting of the trio. In Week 1, view him as a low-end flex if Moss is out. If Moss plays, Hull isn't even that. Still, he has the most long-term upside if Taylor remains missing.
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Colts' Evan Hull: Looks set to be part of RB mix
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Hull looks set to be in the backfield mix for Week 1 with Jonathan Taylor (ankle) placed on the reserve/PUP list, Dianna Russini and James Boyd of The Athletic report.
How playing time in the Indy backfield will be divided up is unclear with Taylor out at least four weeks, but Hull looks set to get significant snaps. The 2023 fifth-round pick got the start in the preseason opener but was used behind Deon Jackson in the final two preseason games. Zack Moss could also return from a broken arm by Week 1 and would be the likely starter if he's healthy, although all three backs could share playing time in a committee. It's even possible that Hull could be the lead back, though his best path to snaps will come on third downs and in passing situations given his receiving ability.
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Colts' Evan Hull: Outplays Jackson
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Hull took six carries for 25 yards and a touchdown in Thursday's 27-13 preseason win over the Eagles.
Deon Jackson got the start but rotated evenly with Hull throughout the first half as the first-team offense produced 17 points on six drives. Hull's score came from one yard out on the third series, not long after Jackson had a touchdown from three yards out. Both are candidates for significant roles Week 1 against Jacksonville, as Jonathan Taylor is seeking a trade and Zack Moss still recovering from a broken arm. The Colts do still have time to look at free agents or perhaps acquire an upgrade after other teams make cuts.
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Colts' Evan Hull: Underwhelming second preseason game
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Hull had four carries for 13 yards and lost a yard on his lone reception in Saturday's preseason win over Chicago.
Neither Hull nor Deon Jackson were overly impressive after strong first preseason games, but both worked with the second-team offensive line as all starters on offense were rested. With Jonathan Taylor (ankle) and Zack Moss (arm) sidelined, Hull could have a large role to begin the regular season. He could still be in competition for a third-down role even when Taylor returns, as the Northwestern product was an outstanding receiver out of the backfield with the Wildcats (55 receptions in 2022) .
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Colts' Evan Hull: Gets start in preseason opener
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Hull had seven carries for 15 yards and two receptions for 18 yards on two targets in Saturday's preseason loss at Buffalo.
Hull started the game at running back ahead of Deon Jackson in a mild surprise and held his own in his first professional game. With Jonathan Taylor (ankle) and Zack Moss (arm) sidelined, Hull could have a large role to begin the regular season. His first preseason game should give the Colts confidence he can be part of the mix at least as a pass catcher. The Northwestern product was an outstanding receiver out of the backfield with the Wildcats (55 receptions in 2022) .
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Colts' Evan Hull: Big opportunity looms
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Hull and Deon Jackson are the top remaining healthy Colts running backs, as Stephen Holder of ESPN reports that Zack Moss is slated to miss 4-to-6 weeks after breaking his arm in Monday's practice.
Jonathan Taylor (ankle) has requested a trade from the team, and Moss' injury could put his availability for the Sept. 10 regular-season opener against the Jaguars in doubt. Hull was drafted for his pass-catching prowess after recording 55 receptions for Northwestern in 2022, but he also had 1,922 rushing yards over his final two college seasons, so the rookie could push Jackson for an expanded role in the absences of Taylor and Moss.
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Colts' Evan Hull: Backup ball carrier in Indy
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The Colts selected Hull in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 176th overall.
It's going to be interesting to see if Hull's mundane yards-per-carry figures (4.1 on 221 carries last season) was a byproduct of Northwestern's offensive scheme or a slight to the redshirt junior's abilities, but a 4.47 40-yard Dash at the NFL Combine at 5-foot-10, 209 pounds might suggest it's the latter. Hull was the only running back in college football to record 50-plus receptions last season, but he doesn't project to be a consistent blocker, which could hinder his opportunities to be a pass-catching option at the NFL level.
