INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Adam Vinatieri has a sprained ligament and a bone chip in his nonkicking leg, but the Indianapolis Colts hope he’ll be ready for the season opener.

Vinatieri, the NFL’s best clutch kicker and the Colts’ biggest offseason acquisition, has not practiced or played since hurting the left ankle while running Aug. 14.

Colts team foot specialist Dave Porter said the sprained ligament is of greater concern. The Colts initially announced that the injury was a sprained ankle and did not mention the bone chip.

But the severity of the injury was questioned Thursday after Vinatieri’s mother, Judy, told The Indianapolis Star that he had a fractured foot.

Coach Tony Dungy declined to elaborate on the injury Thursday after practice and team spokesman Craig Kelley said Vinatieri did not have a broken bone and was recovering from a sprained ligament.

Vinatieri was expected to miss his third straight exhibition game Friday night against Cincinnati, but the Colts remain hopeful Vinatieri will be back in time for their regular-season opener Sept. 10 against the New York Giants.

The Colts signed Vinatieri to a five-year, $12 million contract in March to replace Mike Vanderjagt, the franchise’s career scoring leader with 995 points and the NFL’s most accurate kicker.

Vanderjagt signed with Dallas as a free agent after missing his final kick as a Colts player, a 46-yarder that would have forced overtime in January’s playoff loss to Pittsburgh.

Vinatieri is best known for his two Super Bowl winning kicks with New England. He also made two field goals in the infamous “tuck rule” game against Oakland, kicks that helped the Patriots to their first Super Bowl victory.

Neither Vinatieri nor Dungy were available for comment before Friday night’s game.

AP-ES-09-01-06 1838EDT