Could Colts’ Clayton Geathers lose his starting spot?

The Colts drafted a lot of players on defense last month. One of those players could end up being a starting safety if the current starter isn’t careful.

Clayton Geathers was the player in secondary who had the biggest thing to worry about during the draft. He hasn’t shown the consistent ability to stay healthy and be on the field. That was the worry even before the Colts opted to re-sign him.

The Colts ended up drafting Khari Willis in the fourth round of the draft. Doing that put some competition at the strong safety spot. Geathers was clearly signed with the intention of being the starter, but he won’t be handed the position. He still needs to win it in camp.

Talent isn’t the problem for Geathers. He makes plays when he is on the field. But the team needs a contingency plan if he can’t stay healthy. And if Willis plays really well in training camp and the preseason, he might be able to win the job outright before the regular season.

I’m not saying that Geathers is going to lose his starting position at the beginning of the season. What I am saying is that he needs to prove that he can be reliable. Being reliable will allow him to earn a long term deal as opposed to the one year he’s signed for now.

Willis is clearly going to be a part of the team’s future. Just how soon that future arrives is dependent on the play of Geathers.