Clayton Geathers has had an interesting career in his three NFL seasons, and it begs the question of whether he is part of the Colts’ future plans.
Geathers was a fourth round pick by the Colts in 2015, which is one of the few draft picks that has worked out well from the Ryan Grigson era.
Geathers was really starting to come on strong in his second NFL season in 2016. He had 5 pass breakups in 9 games, which is a strong number for someone known as more of a box safety, and he racked up 49 tackles as a hard-hitting run defender during that period.
Geathers’ breakout year was cut short by a neck injury that required offseason surgery, and it kept him out for much of the 2017 season as well.
He re-entered the lineup for the final five games of 2017, but he had limited playing time as the Colts’ coaching staff was being cautious with his neck situation.
More from Horseshoe Heroes
- Colts explored hiring former quarterback and current ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky
- When is the NFL Combine 2023? NFL Combine schedule, events, how to stream
- Latest NFL mock draft has Colts trading up to No. 1 for star QB
- Eagles offensive free agents that could follow Shane Steichen to Colts
- Here’s why Colts linebacker Shaq Leonard is going to love Shane Steichen
The expectation is that Geathers will be healthy for the 2018 season, but it’s hard to tell what Indianapolis’ front office sees his role being in the future.
The Colts have plenty of holes to fill on their roster this offseason. With Geathers back in the lineup and Hooker hopefully returning from his knee injury, I don’t expect the front office to spend many resources on the safety position.
Geathers is entering the final year of his four-year rookie contract in 2018, and no one knows if he can ever return to the level he played at in 2016. The Colts would love to see him and Hooker form one of the league’s best duos of young safeties, but Geathers will have a lot to prove next season.
Next: What Should be the Colts’ Top Priority in the Offseason?