Anthony Gonzalez understands his latest injury could be his last as an Indianapolis Colt.
The fifth-year pro, selected by the Colts in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft, has been battling a right hamstring injury, making it the third year in a row he has dealt with leg injuries, which limited him to three total games in 2009 and 2010.
So, would the Colts tolerate a third consecutive season of potential lingering injuries, or would they ask Gonzalez to turn in his playbook?
"I understand it's a realistic possibility, probably more so this year than ever before," Gonzalez told The Indianapolis Star on Tuesday.
Gonzalez enjoyed productive seasons in 2007 and '08, making 94 catches for 1,240 yards and seven touchdowns, then injuries to a knee, an ankle and now a hamstring have struck. Combine those with the Colts' need to carry a third quarterback this season because of some uncertainty over Peyton Manning's neck rehabilitation, plus Gonzalez's $2.1 million salary-cap figure, and it's not hard to forecast a change.
"I think (it would be) because of the injuries," Gonzalez said. "My No. 1 goal coming into camp was not missing practice or a game. Obviously that hasn't happened. That's been pretty disappointing."
Gonzalez sustained the hamstring injury after the first week of the preseason and has been rehabbing it since with "manual therapy, deep-tissue work, alignment stuff," Gonzalez said.
"I've been treating it pretty good, but you've got to be careful," he said.
