Indianapolis Colts rookie cornerback JuJu Brents sustained a quad injury in Week 7 against the Cleveland Browns that kept him out of the rest of the game. It was reported earlier Wednesday by the IndyStar's Nate Atkins that rookie CB JuJu Brents will miss Sunday's Week 8 matchup against the New Orleans Saints and could potentially be out longer.
Atkins' report confirms Brents' unavailabilty for Week 8 but mentions the likely possibility of additional time missed.
"Brents' long-term timetable is not yet known, but he could be facing a multi-game absence after trainers helped him limp from the sideline to the locker room with the injured quad."Nate Atkins, IndyStar
Who will replace JuJu Brents for Colts?
Brents has been playing pretty well in his rookie season for Indy, so this will be a tough loss. As far as what the defensive backfield will look like in wake of Brents' injury, Atkins added that the team has continued its season-long internal conversation about how to move forward. Indy will look to continue using Kenny Moore II as the other boundary corner in base formation, especially since Darrell Baker Jr. has struggled immensely to stay on the field due to poor play.
Second-year DB Nick Cross has the athleticism and versatility to get some run at either safety so that Julian Blackmon can move down to nickel. Cross could even play some nickel to keep Moore II and Jones as the boundary corners moving forward, if that is defensive coordinator Gus Bradley and Co.'s wish.
Kenny Moore II currently leads the team in tackles for loss this season with 12, so his presence in the run game would be sorely missed if he were to remain at boundary corner. Not to mention, he's a Pro Bowler and is well-regarded league wide at the position.
There remains an in-house option for newly acquired Ameer Speed Jr., a recently waived sixth-round rookie from Michigan State, byway of the New England Patriots. Speed has the ideal Gus Bradley boundary corner frame, standing at 6-foot-3, 209 pounds, though he has only seen 10 defensive snaps in the NFL thus far.