Former New York Giants cornerback James Bradberry was released from the team Monday in a cost-cutting measure. Should the Indianapolis Colts be among the teams pursuing the veteran cornerback?
The Colts have already reportedly shown interest in trading for Bradberry. At what stage of the process they were in at that time isn’t clear, and it was before they signed Stephon Gilmore to a two-year contract in free agency.
But Bradberry would be an interesting addition to a secondary that is beginning to look a lot stronger following the offseason moves that were made over the last few months.
Bringing in Bradberry to the mix would give the Colts some solid depth at a position where it seems they are always trying to add more depth and talent.
We already know Gilmore and Kenny Moore II are the starters at cornerback. Bradberry would compete with Brandon Facyson and Isaiah Rodgers for the other starting boundary position. Having a group of those five cornerbacks would go a long way for depth purposes during the season.
With how the AFC reloaded this offseason on offense, the Colts may want to invest a bit more in the cornerback position—even if it is only for a year or two.
Bradberry profiles more as a man-coverage cornerback, but he had success in zone coverage during the 2021 season. According to Pro Football Focus, Bradberry allowed 35 receptions on 54 targets for 404 yards, two touchdowns and a 76.5 passer rating while in zone coverage.
Given that the Colts are set to run primarily a three-deep zone under new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, Bradberry would often find himself with his eyes on the quarterback.
It’s all going to come down to price. The Colts have roughly $11.8 million in salary-cap space when factoring in rookie contracts, according to Over The Cap, so they certainly have enough to make a one or two-year deal work.
Whether they want to get into a bidding war with other teams doesn’t seem likely even if it meant solidifying the cornerback position in a pretty big way.
But Bradberry should be on the Colts’ radar as a post-draft addition because he would give them an edge at one of the most important positions in football.
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