At least one starting cornerback spot is up for grabs this summer with the Indianapolis Colts, and PFF believes that it will be Dallis Flowers who is lining up across from JuJu Brents come Week 1.
The secondary as a whole is one of the bigger unknowns on this Colts team heading into the upcoming season. In short, last year there were too many big plays given up and not enough plays on the ball being made.
However, internally, the Colts seem quite bullish on their cornerback room. The only outside additions made this offseason came in the fifth and sixth rounds of the NFL Draft. GM Chris Ballard says that he expects improved play this season, in part because of the experience that this young room gained in 2023 but also because Flowers will be back.
Flowers’ 2023 season was, unfortunately, cut short due to an Achilles injury. In the four games he played, Flowers allowed 11 completions on 18 targets and surrendered just 10.5 yards per catch. He forced three pass breakups and held quarterbacks to a passer rating of under 100.0.
“I thought he was really impressive up until that injury,” said defensive coordinator Gus Bradley after the draft. “He did some good things. He’s got that maturity. Very driven. Knows what he wants and is pretty focused on that; you see him in these walkthroughs.”
Competing with Flowers for that starting spot will be Jaylon Jones and possibly Darrell Baker and Jaylin Simpson.
While it’s still very early and a lot can change once training camp arrives and the intensity is cranked up a few notches, throughout OTAs, it was Jones who was starting opposite of Brents, not Flowers.
Although interceptions are great, and the Colts do need more of them, Gus Bradley has said that, ultimately, it will be day-to-day consistency that determines who will be starting at cornerback this season.
“All of these guys are extremely competitive,” added Bradley. “They get along great, but you can tell they all have a sense of, ‘Hey, there’s some opportunities right here, and we’ve got to be on it.’ And the big thing for us is you got to make plays, but the consistency.
“We have a veteran group up front. We have a veteran group at the linebacker spot, and the big thing with them is you’ve got to be able to trust. I love everybody, but you’ve got to be able to trust the guy next to you, and that’s what they need to make sure they possess that trust when they’re on the field.”