When free agency opened on March 11th, the hope was that the Indianapolis Colts would get help in the secondary. Unfortunately, free agency appears to have fallen through as the vast majority of top free agents have already been signed. The NFL Draft began on April 25th and many hoped that the Colts would finally get a top corner or safety. Alas, the draft also fell through, but the Colts did manage to get some depth in the later rounds. The bottom line, though, is that the starting secondary for the Colt is practically the same as it was in 2023. The reason why one would have concern is due to how inept the unit looked week to week. One of the glaring problems last season was the inconsistencies in the secondary. However, this unit has improved and there are clear reasons why.
The State of the Current Indianapolis Colts Secondary
The 2023 Rookie Class Has One Year of Experience Under Their Belt
The Indianapolis Colts drafted three cornerbacks in 2023 to bolster the secondary. Two would end up making the 53-man roster. The first cornerback was a college standout, JuJu Brents, who was drafted in the second round. The other cornerback was a solid defender, Jaylon Jones, who was drafted in the seventh round. Both of these playmakers became starters in the NFL in their first year. Brents made his debut in week three against the Baltimore Ravens and Jaylon Jones stepped in for the injured Dallis Flowers in week four and took over in week five against the Tennessee Titans. Inexperience was the cause of the many woes within the Indianapolis secondary last season. Now that these rookies have several games of experience, they are primed to get this secondary back on track.
JuJu Brents
This second-round steal started his NFL career by making impact plays on day one. Against the Baltimore Ravens, JuJu Brents forced a fumble early on that completely changed the trajectory of the game. The Colts would end up winning in overtime and one of the takeaways from that game was how good Brents played. In his first season, he finished with one interception in eight starts. In pass coverage against some of the AFC’s elite wide receivers, Brents allowed a 65.4% completion percentage. One of the more impressive statistics is that he only gave up two receiving touchdowns. Brents had an impressive first year. Therefore, it is expected that he will pick up in 2024 where he left off in 2023.
Jaylon Jones
Even though Jaylon Jones was a seventh-round draft pick, the Indianapolis Colts decided to take a chance on him and was impressed with his abilities in the secondary. At the beginning of the season, Jones was slated as a depth piece but when Dallis Flowers went down, the next man up was needed. Fortunately for the Colts, it was Jones. In 10 starts, he allowed a 56.5% completion percentage, no interceptions, and did give up five receiving touchdowns. The intrigue with Jones is that it was clear that he got better as the season progressed. Like Brents, the Colts will expect Jones to pick up in 2024 where he left off in 2023.
The Defensive Line Has Improved
One of the underrated means of assisting a secondary is having a good pass rush. The Indianapolis Colts finished the 2023 season with 51 total sacks, which set a franchise record. With the addition of Laiatu Latu in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, they have a chance to break that record. Latu accumulated 23.5 sacks in two seasons with UCLA. Therefore, coupling his ability with DeForest Buckner, Kwity Paye, Samson Ebukam, and Dayo Odeyingbo, this defensive line is primed to do damage to opposing quarterbacks. When opposing quarterbacks are on the run from an intense pass rush, the secondary benefits.
Main Photo: Robert Scheer/IndyStar-USA TODAY NETWORK
