Colts 2019 free agents: Clayton Geathers

The Colts have already started signing their 2019 free agents to keep them from seeing free agency. Will they re-sign one of their starting safeties though?

Clayton Geathers is one the Colts’ starting safeties. He even had the best year of his career in 2018, posting 89 tackles and a forced fumble. He also started the most games he ever has, starting 12. But injuries continue to be a big issue for the young safety.

Geathers has yet to play a full season in the NFL, and only played in 14 games the past two years before 2018. Geathers missed for games this year and always seemed to find his way on the injury report when he was able to play.

Injuries are the big question for Geathers. He was finally healthy enough to show what he could do in a starting role this year, and was pretty good. Although he has yet to record an interception in his career, his tackling ability is key in the Colts stopping the run.

But you have to stay on the field to be productive. Being perpetually injured doesn’t help the team. This is going to be Geathers’ first non-rookie deal. He won’t be too expensive because of his injury history, which could work in the Colts’ favor. But do they want to go down that road again?

Having one of your safeties not be able to track the ball well in the passing game isn’t conducive to today’s NFL. You need to be a complete player at that position. If I were making the decisions, I would sign Geathers to a one year deal at best to prove he can stay healthy.

Even in that one year deal, I’m not sure you commit to him as your starting safety. He is still young, but hasn’t shown the ability to grow within a system. He still hasn’t made the leap yet. But depth is a premium in the league, so signing him to a one year deal could help with that.

Chris Ballard has shown he likes to sign players to prove-it deals. This could be another candidate for that.