Colts Secondary Depth Chart After Landing Sauce Gardner In Massive Trade

The Colts made a large pickup earlier nan NFL waste and acquisition deadline, landing two-time All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner from nan Jets. Now they person turned a fishy secondary into a strength.

Gardner was pricey, arsenic he costs Indianapolis 2 first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. While that’s an costly deal, nan 25-year-old is 1 of nan NFL’s champion cornerbacks erstwhile he’s astatine his best. Even amended for Indy, he signed a four-year, $120.4 cardinal contract hold pinch nan Jets earlier nan season.

The 7-2 Colts are missing starting area Charvarius Ward, who is presently connected injured reserve aft suffering a concussion successful a collision with a teammate during pregame warmups. Johnathan Edwards and Mekhi Blackmon person been starting pinch Ward out, and Kenny Moore II has taken nan nickelback role.

Gardner’s summation will re-shape nan team’s secondary. Given really he’s played complete nan past fewer weeks, it’s apt Edwards gets nan first changeable to commencement other nan team’s caller prima corner. That would time off Blackmon successful nan rotation pinch Moore. Nick Cross and Cam Bynum presently inhabit nan information spots, pinch Reuben Lowery III and Rodney Thomas II backing them up. Once Ward is back, he’ll return nan spot crossed from Gardner, moving Edwards into nan backup rotation and giving nan secondary fantabulous depth.

The team’s existent extent floor plan is below. As a reminder, Ward is presently connected IR, arsenic is Justin Walley.

Gardner elevates this roster to a caller level.

As a defense, Indianapolis has allowed 2,203 passing yards this season, which ranks 28th successful nan NFL. That said, they are 3rd successful interceptions (10) and are 12th successful yards per effort allowed (5.9).

Their caller prima cornerback comes pinch impeccable credentials. Pro Football Focus has him pinch an wide people of 71.3, but he has been connected an atrocious Jets team. In 2023, he was nan third-best cornerback successful nan convention according to PFF (88.6), and his sum people of 90.8 classed first. New York struggled past play arsenic a defense, and he posted an wide people of 70.2 and a sum people of 73.1.

On a amended squad and decently motivated, Gardner tin beryllium elite again.

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