As Alabama football's first road game of the Kalen DeBoer era approaches, the Crimson Tide is expected to have its offensive line healthy for the first time all season.

Alabama sophomore left tackle Kadyn Proctor is expected to play Saturday against Wisconsin, the Tuscaloosa News confirmed Friday. Proctor had been held out for the first two games of the season against Western Kentucky and South Florida after he sustained a shoulder injury during warmups ahead of the season opener.

According to DeBoer earlier in the week, it was a return the Crimson Tide was expecting.

Kadyn Proctor injury update: Alabama football LT Kadyn Proctor expected to play vs Wisconsin

"He's been practicing," DeBoer said of Proctor. "He's doing well, doing a good job. Really was headed in a good direction right at the very end of last week and turned the corner I think there. (He) is in a good spot here, done a nice job here in the first two days of practice."

Here's what Proctor's return means for the Alabama offensive line as a whole.

With Kadyn Proctor back, Alabama football can find OL chemistry

Proctor was not perfect as Alabama's starting left tackle in 2023.

The former five-star out of Des Moines, Iowa, allowed 12 sacks and 23 hurries in 811 snaps in 2023 according to Pro Football Focus, including multiple sacks against Texas, South Florida, Arkansas and Tennessee. He also added 20 knockdown blocks.

But as the season continued, Proctor got more and more comfortable. In the final five games of his freshman campaign, Proctor allowed two sacks against Georgia and Michigan, and 11 pressures overall.

After an eventful offseason, including a spring semester at Iowa, Proctor was Alabama's preseason answer at left tackle, seemingly a definite along with returning guards Jaeden Roberts and Tyler Booker, and Washington transfer center Parker Brailsford.

Now, as Alabama faces its first road game and as the first SEC meeting with Georgia nears, Alabama has a chance to form chemistry with its starting five up front.

What does Kadyn Proctor's return mean for Alabama's right tackle battle?

With Proctor's return, Alabama has one less slot to fill on its starting offensive line.

After both Elijah Pritchett (left tackle) and Wilkin Formby (right tackle) started in Week 1 against Western Kentucky, the cards were shuffled against South Florida, with Booker moving to left tackle and Geno VanDerMark at left guard and Pritchett seemingly sidelined with "a minor ding."

But Formby struggled mightily on the right side, being called four times for holding penalties and multiple hurries, which led to three sacks and six tackles-for-loss by the South Florida defense.

Pritchett took Formby's place late in the fourth quarter and the offense found its momentum by scoring three touchdowns on six plays.

DeBoer said in the days leading up to the Wisconsin game that he and the staff were "working through the plan" and the rotation for the offensive line. But in six snaps Saturday against South Florida, the Alabama coach said Pritchett had "no setbacks."

Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: What Kadyn Proctor expected return means for Alabama football vs. Wisconsin