Broncos Edge Rusher Diagnosed With High-Ankle Sprain

The Indianapolis Colts pulled off a gritty 12-9 win over the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football, but it came at a cost. Promising edge rusher Kwity Paye was carted off the field in the fourth quarter, and according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, he has been diagnosed with a high-ankle sprain.

#Colts DE Kwity Paye, who was carted off during last night’s win over the #Broncos, is believed to have suffered a high-ankle sprain based on the initial evaluation, source said. He’ll have an MRI today to confirm and detail a timetable.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 7, 2022

Paye collapsed during an interception return clutching his leg. He was a key contributor to a Colts defense that held the Broncos to 2/15 on third down and notched four sacks.

Paye had been effective through the first four weeks of the regular season, notching three sacks across four starts and earning a 74.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. With his help, the Colts defense has allowed the fourth fewest yards per game in the league through five weeks.

"It's Kwity Paye!" 💥@OfficialKwity 🇱🇷 with the sack#NFLAfrica #ForTheShoe #Liberia pic.twitter.com/cZWhVp6rvt
— NFL Africa (@NFLAfrica) October 2, 2022

An explosive pass rusher out of Michigan, Paye was the Colts' 21st overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He has tallied 7.0 career sacks in his 20 starts for the Colts, typically while playing two-thirds of the team's defensive snaps. He'll likely be replaced in the starting lineup by Ifeadi Odenigbo, a five-year veteran who hasn't recorded a sack since 2020.