Participation: 9 games, 9 starts, 601 snaps: 225 run (37.4 percent), 7 rush (1.2 percent), 369 cover (61.4 percent)Pass rushing: 0 sacks, 0 QB hits, 0 pressures
Tackling: 38 tackles, 6 assists, 1 tackles for loss, 4 missed tackles (9.5 percent), 9 defeats, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery
Pass defense: 56 targets, 32 catches allowed, 300 yards allowed, 0 TDs allowed, 1-1 interception, 4 passes defensed, 64.6 opp QB rating
Special teams: 1 tackle, 1 assist, 0 missed tackles
Contract status: signed through 2012
Triangle numbers: 5091/188/4.51c4.43pd
Summary: This relatively unknown third-round pick has already established himself as a legitimate NFL player in less than one season. Inserting into the starting lineup for Game 1 (he missed the second game due to injury), Powers has been consistently strong in both pass coverage and run stopping. He did have a bit of a rough time against Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston, but bounced back quickly – and that’s a very good sign in a young corner. Injuries have forced him to be the Colts’ de facto No. 1 corner and he’s responded with aplomb. Future: No matter who returns to the Colts’ secondary and who doesn’t, Powers could have at least one starting spot sewn up for quite a long time. At worst, he’s the third guy.
27 Jacob Lacey
Participation: 9 games, 4 starts, 431 snaps: 148 run (34.3 percent), 0 rush (0.0 percent), 283 cover (65.7 percent)Pass rushing: 0 sacks, 0 QB hits, 0 pressures
Tackling: 36 tackles, 5 assists, 1.5 tackles for loss, 4 missed tackles (10.0 percent), 8 defeats, 0 forced fumbles, 0 fumble recoveries
Pass defense: 57 targets, 33 catches allowed, 353 yards allowed, 1 TD allowed, 1-35-1 interceptions, 5 passes defensed, 74.7 opp QB rating
Special teams: 4 tackles, 1 assist, 1 missed tackle
Contract status: Signed through 2011 season
Triangle numbers: 5097/177/4.47pd
Summary: This undrafted rookie free agent made the team on his own merits and then was thrust into the starting lineup when injuries struck. Considered by many to be too small to stand up to the rigors of the NFL, Lacey has proven his doubters wrong; and come up strong, even in run support. It should be noted, however, that he has graded out significantly better in games when he plays fewer snaps, as opposed to those he starts. Future: Clearly Lacey has earned a roster spot. He may be somewhat overmatched as a game-in, game-out starter, but he’s a solid nickel back who can start if you need him to.
23 Tim Jennings
Participation: 8 games, 5 starts, 367 snaps: 126 run (34.3 percent), 0 rush (0.0 percent), 241 cover (65.7 percent)Pass rushing: 0 sacks, 0 QB hits, 0 pressures
Tackling: 30 tackles, 3 assists, 1.5 tackles for loss, 4 missed tackles (11.8 percent), 7 defeats, 0 forced fumbles, 0 fumble recoveries
Pass defense: 46 targets, 33 catches allowed, 332 yards allowed, 1 TD allowed, 1-0 interceptions, 6 passes defensed, 90.1 opp QB rating
Special teams: 3 tackles, 0 assists, 0 missed tackles
Contract status: Will be a free agent after 2009 season
Triangle numbers: 5077/185/4.32c4.28pd
Summary: The much-maligned but actually quite effective Jennings has had a year just like his career – one jaw-droppingly great play followed by once wince-inducingly bad one. A little jitterbug in coverage, he’s much better off matched against opponents his own size (although he did a great job on Houston’s massive Andre Johnson this year). Despite his size, Jennings is very aggressive against the running game, but is not an effective tackler. Future: Eclipsed by younger, cheaper talents and limited in what he can offer, Jennings might wear a different uniform next year. I’m sure the Colts would welcome him back, but only at their price.
26 Kelvin Hayden
Participation: 4 games, 4 starts, 207 snaps: 107 run (51.7 percent), 0 rush (0.0 percent), 100 cover (48.3 percent)Pass rushing: 0 sacks, 0 QB hits, 0 pressures
Tackling: 18 tackles, 1 assists, 0 tackles for loss, 0 missed tackles (0.0 percent), 4 defeats, 0 forced fumbles, 0 fumble recoveries
Pass defense: 25 targets, 18 catches allowed, 204 yards allowed, 0 TDs allowed, 1-6 interception, 1 passes defensed, 79.4 opp QB rating
Special teams: 0 tackles, 0 assists, 0 missed tackles
Contract status: Signed through 2013 season
Triangle numbers: 5103/197/4.48c
Summary: While Powers has been a serviceable No. 1 cornerback in Hayden’s absence, when he’s healthy Hayden is the guy. An outstanding athlete, this former wideout is a premier player against both the pass and the run. This year, though, he’s been hurt and when he tried to come back too early, he had a hard time contending with mediocre receiving corps in games against the Rams and 49ers. Future: If he returns to full strength, Hayden’s team’s the No. 1 corner. He signed a big deal before the 2009 season, so expect him to be around for quite a while.
28 Marlin Jackson
Participation: 4 games, 0 starts, 147 snaps: 24 run (16.3 percent), 8 rush (5.4 percent), 115 cover (78.3 percent)Pass rushing: 0 sacks, 2 QB hits, 0 pressures
Tackling: 7 tackles, 2 assists, 1.5 tackles for loss, 2 missed tackles (22.2 percent), 3 defeats, 0 forced fumbles, 0 fumble recoveries
Pass defense: 15 targets, 8 catches allowed, 72 yards allowed, 1 TD allowed, 1-3 interception, 1 pass defensed, 61.0 opp QB rating
Special teams: 0 tackles, 2 assists, 0 missed tackles
Contract status: Will be a free agent after 2009 season
Triangle numbers: 6005/198/4.52c4.48pd
Summary: When he's healthy, Jackson is a legitimate NFL starter who brings a rare amount of strength and toughness to the position. But he hasn't been healthy this year. Even before he went on injured reserve, he played hurt. When he's right, Jackson's equally at home outside or in the slot, Jackson can also play safety, but he’s not as good there as he is at corner. Future: A corner of Jackson’s ability would fetch $6.0 million to $7.5 million annually on the open market, and I’m not sure the Colts could afford that even if 2010 is uncapped. More likely, Jackson will move on.
20 TJ Rushing
Participation: 2 games, 0 starts, 13 snaps: 6 run (46.2 percent), 0 rush (0.0 percent), 7 cover (53.8 percent)Pass rushing: 0 sacks, 0 QB hits, 0 pressures
Tackling: 2 tackles, 0 assists, 0 tackles for loss, 0 missed tackles (0.0 percent), 0 defeats, 0 forced fumbles, 0 fumble recoveries
Pass defense: 1 target, 1 catch allowed, 14 yards allowed, 0 TDs allowed, 0-0 interceptions, 0 passes defensed, 118.8 opp QB rating
Special teams: 0 tackles, 1 assist, 0 missed tackles
Contract status: Will be a free agent after 2009 season
Triangle numbers: 5090/186/4.45pd
Summary: Somewhat more comfortable at slot corner than at safety, Rushing is at best a marginal defensive back at any position. When he has played, it has been because of injuries to more appropriate players. Future: Rushing’s future with the team will be determined by the return specialist competition, which I’ll examine in a future post.
37 Anthony Madison
Participation: 2 games, 0 starts, 0 snaps: 0 run (0.0 percent), 0 rush (0.0 percent), 0 cover (0.0 percent)
Pass rushing: 0 sacks, 0 QB hits, 0 pressures
Tackling: 0 tackles, 0 assists, 0 tackles for loss, 0 missed tackles (0.0 percent), 0 defeats, 0 forced fumbles, 0 fumble recoveries
Pass defense: 0 targets, 0 catches allowed, 0 yards allowed, 0 TDs allowed, 0-0 interceptions, 0 passes defensed, 0.0 opp QB rating
Special teams: 2 tackles, 0 assists, 0 missed tackles
Contract status: Will be a free agent after 2009 season
Triangle numbers: 5083/180/4.42pd
Summary: Madison is a veteran defensive back who was signed the Colts as injury insurance. Since signing with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2006, he’s been cut by them three times and also by the Buccaneers and Browns. The two games he played this season were for Cleveland. What value he has is on special teams. Future: It’s unlikely Madison will show the Colts anything he didn’t show the other teams, so his grip on a roster spot is tenuous at best.
34 Terrail Lambert
Participation: 0 games, 0 starts, 0 snaps: 0 run (0.0 percent), 0 rush (0.0 percent), 0 cover (0.0 percent)
Pass rushing: 0 sacks, 0 QB hits, 0 pressures
Tackling: 0 tackles, 0 assists, 0 tackles for loss, 0 missed tackles (0.0 percent), 0 defeats, 0 forced fumbles, 0 fumble recoveries
Pass defense: 0 targets, 0 catches allowed, 0 yards allowed, 0 TDs allowed, 0-0 interceptions, 0 passes defensed, 0.0 opp QB rating
Special teams: 0 tackles, 0 assists, 0 missed tackles
Contract status: Will be a free agent after 2009 season
Triangle numbers: 5101/188/4.36pd
Summary: After an up-and-down career at Notre Dame, Lambert was ignored by the Combine and flew well under most draft observers’ radar. But he drew some attention after a remarkable Pro Day, and was signed by the 49ers. They cut him just before the season, and the Colts signed him to their practice squad. Future: Few consider Lambert to be a great prospect, but he has all the tools and seems like a pretty smart young man. He’ll be given every chance to win a spot next year.
Conclusion: Colts president Bill Polian has proven he’s not afraid to invest in cornerbacks. When he first arrived, he signed free agents Tyrone Poole and Jeff Burris (themselves former Polian first-round picks from previous stops in Carolina and Buffalo, respectively). Since then, he has drafted Jackson in the first round, Hayden (who later re-signed for big money) and Jennings in the second and Powers, Dante Hughes, Joseph Jefferson, David Macklin and Donald Strickland in the third. And he’s also signed veteran Walt Harris.
So it’s interesting that the current starters are a rookie third rounder and a rookie undrafted free agent. Of course, that has a lot to do with injuries to Jackson and Hayden, as well as the fact that Jennings plays better the less he’s exposed. But the team is undefeated in games without the top two and even opened the season with Jackson at third corner, behind Powers (although Jackson injury had something to do with that).
If money were no object and the Colts could re-sign all their free agents, they would have a very impressive set of corners. Hayden at No. 1, Powers and Jackson battling for No. 2, and Lacey and Jennings duking it out for No. 4.
More realistically, though. Either Jackson or Jennings or both will be wearing different jerseys next year. That would leave Hayden and Powers as the starters and Lacey as the top reserve.
If they lose one or both free agents, the Colts would likely draft a corner or two. I’d love to give you some insight on the kind of corner they’d pick, but Polian’s history has shown no obvious tendencies. He’ll grab a muscleman like Jackson or a flea like Poole, a burner like Jennings or a slug like Hughes.
There are a lot of corners out there that fit many of the Colts’ criteria, and one of the most intriguing is Powers’ old running mate at Auburn, Walter McFadden.
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