INDIANAPOLIS – Jeff Saturday made no guarantees, but the Colts’ center sounded like a man preparing to be on the field for Sunday’s season opener at Houston.

“I’m making progress,” he said. “I don’t know for sure, but I’m working on it. Hopefully, I’ll be donning the gear and ready to rock.”

Saturday, who is in his 12th season, had the first surgery of his life in early August – arthroscopic repair of his right knee. While no timetable for his return was ever given, it seemed a long shot he would be back in time for Sunday’s opener.

With the offensive line decimated by injuries, and the team cutting ties with Tony Ugoh on Wednesday, the Colts could sure use Saturday.

“All of us, whoever can’t play, the guy who’s behind him has to step up and play good,” Saturday said. “There’s not going to be an asterisk by the game, if we don’t play well. … If you have your druthers, you want the guys who have played together, and started together, to be out there the first game of the regular season. But we’ll see how it shakes down.”

Ugoh’s reputation as the biggest bust of president Bill Polian’s era making draft decisions was cemented when he was waived after he suffered a foot injury during the preseason. The 2007 second-round pick, who never developed as the franchise left tackle and also failed at right tackle and guard, was replaced on the roster by Fishers native Joe Reitz, claimed off waivers from Miami.

A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Saturday has missed only six of 160 regular-season starts since 2000. He missed four games with an injury to the same knee in 2008.

Starting left tackle Charlie Johnson has been out a month with an injury to his right foot. If he can’t play, he’ll probably be replaced by Jeff Linkenbach, an undrafted rookie from Cincinnati.

The Colts now list Jamey Richard atop their depth chart at left guard, which means Mike Pollak is Saturday’s backup at center. Kyle DeVan should start at right guard and Ryan Diem will be at right tackle.

Asked who he thought would play Sunday, Colts coach Jim Caldwell was evasive.

“I hate to say (only) this to you, but they’re getting better,” Caldwell said. “You always have concerns, but I think in this particular case, the guys are working at it and getting better. Practices will give us a good indication of where they are.”

The Colts came into training camp with questions surrounding the play of the offensive line, which was criticized by team president Bill Polian in the wake of the 31-17 Super Bowl XLIV loss to New Orleans. Starting left guard Ryan Lilja was released. .

The rash of injuries has added to the scrutiny.

“We’ve had a lot of stuff talked about us, and people have said things, and if you have any kind of competitive juices at all, you want to go out and answer that,” Saturday said. “At least, that’s my mindset. I’d like to answer everybody and kind of hush the critics and go out smiling.”

Note: Wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez, who missed most of last season with a knee injury and has been relegated to fourth on the depth chart, said that he is preparing to return punts, which he has never done in the NFL.

jcohn@jg.net