Why the Colts Need to Sign a Free Agent to Replace Isaiah Rodgers

As of June 29, cornerback Isaiah Rodgers Sr. is no longer a member of the Indianapolis Colts franchise.

This came after the NFL handed over a hefty suspension due to a violation of the league’s gambling policies. Rodgers was initially thought to be suspended for one season. However, per NFL insider Adam Schefter, it is “at least” one season, with potentially more to come.

This isn’t welcome news to anyone holding hope that Rodgers would be able to return to Indianapolis. However, the situation is still developing in multiple ways, and the Colts must look forward at the position.

Currently, the Colts have the following notable names at cornerback for the depth chart, along with their experience in the league.

Kenny Moore II: Entering seventh season.
JuJu Brents: Rookie
Dallis Flowers: Entering second season.
Darius Rush: Rookie
Tony Brown: Entering fifth season
Jaylon Jones: Rookie
Kevin Toliver II: Entering sixth season.

There are other names behind the list above, but there is truly a missing veteran in the cornerback room that could be vital to this team.

With Brents being on the slate to start, Rush and Jones might get the chance as well. Perhaps not to the degree that Brents will right away, but they will likely be trusted to get on the field. However, this may not be the best course of action with such an inexperienced defensive back unit.

Even with three other notable names having league experience, it’s not much.

Toliver has been around since 2018 but didn’t log any defensive snaps in 2021 or 2022. He could be a better depth piece than anything, but he is not a veteran with the valuable in-game experience that the rookies will need to turn to when times get tough.

Flowers has the potential to be something good at cornerback, given his incredible athletic ability. But, he has hardly played the position during live action, being much more of a special team’s ace with returning kicks. He’ll need to improve his skillset at the defensive back to make a bigger impact and keep Rush off of his heels for the CB3 position on the depth chart.

Moore, who isn’t of concern regarding experience, is still limited more to slot duties. His specialty is taking away the quick, shifty receivers from an offense. Outside receivers will likely not be covered by Moore often.

This information makes the argument that the Colts must sign a veteran to occupy the defensive back room.

This isn’t to knock on the talents of the aforementioned names. However, with three rookies in the mix, it could be a massive disadvantage early on against elite receivers/offenses that Indianapolis will face.

Rest assured that whoever plays the Colts understands fully that the weakness is the secondary, and they will target the young talents like Brents, Rush, and Jones, to test them early and often.

It’s not necessary to sign a big-name, number-one cornerback off of the market.

Marcus Peters has been a player who has been brought up at times to potentially be a suitor for the Colts. However, his asking price will likely be for starting money.

Indianapolis has other names that can offer the leadership they need now without ripping open the checkbook.

Below is a short list of some names, with their most recent contract and league experience, who could be considered for the “veteran” or “mentor” role that the Colts should look to seal up at CB.

Fabian Moreau: Entering seventh season

2022 Contract: One year/$1.035 million

Troy Hill: Entering ninth season

2022 Contract: Two years/$9 million ($4.5 mil per year avg)

Casey Hayward: Entering 12th season

2022 Contract: Two years/$11 million ($5.5 mil per year avg)

Other names on the market could be looked at by Chris Ballard, but these three stand out for what the Colts need at cornerback.

It’s also worth noting that these players will likely get a deal that’s either similar or cheaper than what they were making in their previous contracts. Players like Moreau and Hill could even see situations where they may play heavily or even start if the rookie corners behind Brents aren’t ready.

Outlook

At the end of the day, it’s about supporting the youth movement in Indianapolis.

The Colts have a unique situation for their cornerback rotation. Not many teams have three fresh players coming to one position from the NFL draft. However, Brents, Rush, and Jones all have a path to success and should be thrown in to get precious reps at the professional level. That isn’t in question.

However, a voice, a mentor, or even someone to potentially play with these youngsters could be the difference between a tough but fair learning curve; and one that potentially destroys the confidence of a newcomer in the NFL.

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