Sunday’s preseason opener for the Indianapolis Colts was the first time that cornerback Dallis Flowers had been back on the field in a game since Week 4 of last season when he suffered an Achilles injury.
With that, there was some rust in his return, which didn’t necessarily catch defensive coordinator Gus Bradley by surprise.
“Although we said in OTAs that last 5 percent, or the last 10 percent is what he needs to work on,” said Bradley on Tuesday. “So we kind of anticipated that there would be some spots where he was just getting acclimated to the speed of the game again.”
With JuJu Brents sidelined for Sunday’s game, Flowers got the start at cornerback opposite of Jaylon Jones, who he is competing with for playing time.
Flowers would end up on the field for 38 snaps and would make five total tackles, according to PFF. However, in coverage, he was thrown at six times, allowing four completions at 13.5 yards per catch with no pass breakups. Flowers was also penalized twice.
“I know for him he didn’t play as good as he wanted to,” added Bradley. “But we kind of anticipated there might be some different looks that he might have to get accustomed to just coming back off this injury. So I think that’s a good start for him. We know where he’s at. He knows where he’s at and the progress he has to make.”
With Brents locked into one of the starting boundary cornerback positions, Flowers and Jones are competing for the spot opposite of him–although going back to OTAs and through three weeks of training camp, Jones has seen the bulk of those starting snaps.
Jones would surrender an early 14 yard completion on Sunday but forced a pass breakup when he was targeted a second time, and now looks even further entrenched as one of the Colts’ starting cornerbacks.
If Flowers is going to make any sort of push for that role, it will have to happen over the next few days with the Colts having two joint practices and a preseason game with Arizona.