If all goes well this season, the Indianapolis Colts will have one of the better cornerback groups in the NFL. That is, as long as Charvarius Ward and Sauce Gardner stay healthy. Neither did that much after joining Indy last season.
This emphasized Indianapolis's depth at the position, of course, and there was a steep drop-off. Part of that depth was Johnathan Edwards, who was forced into starting five games and had a quarterback rating allowed of 113.1 for the season. Not great.
With Ward's back already a problem after a season in which he had three concussions, the Colts' depth might once again become a factor between the team winning or losing games, and potentially making the postseason for the first time since 2020. After last season and what Edwards showed against the New England Patriots in preseason Week 1, he shouldn't be on the roster.
The Indianapolis Colts shouldn't keep Johnathan Edwards on the roster
Edwards wasn't simply bad against the backups for the Pats, but he was atrocious. He was targeted seven times and allowed four completions, but two other passes could have been easy completions had the throw been on target. He gave up 75 yards receiving and was beaten badly on a touchdown.
Again, this was against the Patriots' backups. Had Edwards been up against New England's starters, which include AJ Brown, things probably would have been uglier.
28 of the yards Edwards allowed were after the catch was made, implying he wasn't close enough when the ball was caught to shut the play down before things got worse. His quarterback rating allowed, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), was a terrible 133.9.
He also whiffed on one of his three tackle attempts, so in the catches, which further proves why the 28 yards after the catch were so troubling.
The Indianapolis Colts simply need to look elsewhere for cornerback depth. The team signed Cam Taylor-Britt, who has experience working under defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo when both were with the Cincinnati Bengals. He would be a better option for reps, and the game against the Patriots appeared to imply his spot on the roster was safe.
The Patriots obviously assumed they could more easily attack Edwards than other cornerbacks. Edwards' seven targets were more than twice as many as any other defender except for West Weeks. Weeks is definitely not going to make the team, though.
Neither should Edwards. The Indianapolis Colts cornerback room should consist of Ward, Gardner, Taylor-Britt, Mekhi Blackmon, and Jaylon Jones. If the team decides to keep six CBs, the risk of keeping Edwards around is too much.
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