Colts Defense Set to Deploy 3-Headed Safety Monster Situationally
Having two starting caliber safeties come back from injuries, the Indianapolis Colts defense can now deploy a 3-headed safety monster situationally in their nickel packages.
The Indianapolis Colts secondary is finally starting to receive some positive news, as two key safeties Clayton Geathers and T.J. Green are set to return from injuries–having each practiced on a limited basis this week respectively.
Of course, it now raises the question of which young safety figures to play the majority of the reps alongside starting veteran safety Mike Adams, which is not necessarily a bad problem to have compared to who we’ve seen play the position as an emergency fill-in during recent weeks:
"Sep 18, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Indianapolis Colts strong safety Clayton Geathers (26) looks on in the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos won 34-20. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports“It provides a great deal of versatility, and secondly, it gives us the chance to put 11 really good football players on the field,” said Colts defensive coordinator Ted Monachino on Wednesday."
However, the Colts may get around that ‘problem’ all together, as the defense could elect to deploy all three safeties on the field at the same time–situationally in obvious passing situations:
"“There will be some things that we do with all 3 of those guys in the game,” added Monachino. “I think you’ll see that throughout the year. It sure is nice that T.J. (Green) and Clayton (Geathers) came back quicker than maybe we even thought, but yeah, we’ll use those guys as best we can.”“The objective is to get as many of our best players on the field at the same time doing what they do best as often as possible–then we’ve got 3 guys there (at safety) that have some versatility.”"
Specifically, the Colts could utilize returning safety Clayton Geathers as a hybrid linebacker in their nickel packages just like last season–replacing say a slower linebacker in coverage which has been a major deficiency of the Colts defense at the ‘2nd level’ in recent seasons, while still playing both Adams and Green at their normal safety positions.
It’s worth noting that Geathers still figures to be on a snap count–at least initially, until he gets his in-game conditioning back–having missed the entirety of the team’s training camp and preseason games. Therefore, it wouldn’t necessarily surprise anyone to see the rookie Green receive the start on Sunday.
Either way though, the Colts clearly like each of their young safeties Geathers and Green, and together, they figure to be the long-term future for the team’s safety position–with their ability to defend both the run and pass at a seemingly high level:
"“Clayton can be down in the run game. He can be back in the passing game, and T.J.’s the same way. You didn’t know coming in if T.J. was a guy that could as a rookie safety, was going to come in and bite you in the run game and he’s proven that in the preseason and through the first game,” concluded Monachino."