[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

Bowen's comments from today:

https://www.1075thefan.com/kevins-sp...s-to-practice/

Some 12 weeks and 1 day after having back surgery to address his continued ankle situation, Shaquille Leonard practiced on Wednesday in front of the media for the first time since the Colts season came to an end in January. Leonard was watched closely by the team’s medical rehab staff, as he took part in some positional drills during the open media period. With Wednesday’s practice, that means Leonard could have 6 total opportunities to practice between now and the regular season opener on September 11th in Houston. Leonard’s return to practice is an obvious massive step in him getting closer to clearance for game action. From Leonard being activated from PUP on Tuesday, to his practice presence on Wednesday, we are finally seeing some tangible and positive steps in the right direction for Leonard. Just a reminder, there will be no injury report until regular season practices begin next Wednesday. And media access to practice is now back in regular season mode, so just 20 minutes of observing.

What did Chris Ballard have to say on Wednesday about Leonard being ready for Week 1? Ballard wouldn’t touch that, although he did stress the importance for Leonard to ramp it up in practice, following an 8-month break from field work. “Might be Week 1. Might be Week 6,” Ballard said of Leonard’s game debut in 2022. “Has to get his body ready to play. You can’t miss all of that time. He has to practice.”