If you are doing a roster projection for the Indianapolis Colts, I would suggest you leave a couple spots open. After projected starters Sauce Gardner, Charvarius Ward, and Justin Walley, and veteran free agent Cam Taylor-Britt, there may not be another cornerback currently on the roster who suits up in a Colts uniform in Week 1.
Last year, those three starters all missed time with injuries. Taylor-Britt was in Cincinnati. That left a lot of room for younger players to prove themselves. Jaylon Jones and Johnathan Edwards each logged more than 200 defensive snaps. Mekhi Blackmon started a number of games and played more snaps than any other corner on the team.
There were rough spots for all of the young players, but all showed promise. In an ideal world, they would build on that promise this year and provide the Colts with quality depth at a position known for requiring it. So far this preseason, it has not been an ideal world. Not even close.
Of all the Indianapolis Colts' glaring issues on defense, this may turn out to be the most damaging
Cornerbacks are the smallest players on the field. OK, maybe kickers are smaller, but no one counts them. Kickers don’t have to cover receivers with world-class speed on one play, then take on a 320-pound pulling guard on the next.
No matter how tough they are, cornerbacks are going to get injured. They run backwards, they stop and start constantly, and they make quick lateral moves. Lower body injuries are very common.
Blackmon and Edwards seem to have regressed in a pretty big way so far this preseason. Blackmon looks lost in coverage. He has had several pass interference calls go against him. Edwards has been no better, and he cleanly whiffed on a tackle in punt coverage against the Falcons. It’s hard to feel confident if either had to play serious snaps in a regular season game.
Last week, I thought CFL import Robert Carter Jr. played very well. But against Atlanta, he struggled just like his teammates. Jaylon Jones fared somewhat better.
He had a nice pass breakup in the third quarter, but he was only able to make the play due to a poor throw by Falcons quarterback Jack Strand. A cleaner pass would have beaten Jones, though he was in a good position to make the tackle.
The Colts had terrible luck with injuries in their secondary last season, so perhaps they are due for some better health this year. If that is the case, cornerback should be a strong spot on the defense. But right now, should they be forced to rely on anyone past Taylor-Britt, opposing offenses will target the replacement relentlessly.
At this point, I think there is a pretty good chance that Jones makes the 53-man roster. Maybe one of the other backups sticks as well. Even if that happens, don’t be surprised if Chris Ballard isn’t scanning the wires for players released by other teams. Cornerbacks are always at a premium, so you don’t generally find very solid guys floating around on waivers.
But based on the first two preseason games, this situation is beginning to look desperate. It is entirely possible that Blackmon regains his mojo at some point and plays closer to the guy who logged more than 700 snaps for the Colts in 2025.
Carter or Edwards could stand out in practice this week and make everyone breathe a little easier. And getting some pass rush – which has been mostly invisible through two preseason games – would definitely help out the cornerbacks.
But in the end, the reserves need to up their game or the Colts might have a new batch come opening day.
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