Clayton Geathers Re-Signing with the Colts
 

@JoelAErickson
Clayton Geathers is finalizing a deal to return to the Colts, according to a source.

I’m expecting a one year deal, but we’ll see. This fills a glaring hole; though SS is definitely still a target in the draft.

As I said on twitter:
 

Mixed emotions on the signing. Even though I like Geathers, and he is a home brewed product, I think he has a lot to prove, and a lot to work on to be a better overall SS. Injury concerns are a bit worrisome.
But I jave said all along that all these F.A.'s that Ballard let walk out and check their worth around the league would probably be back once they say Ballard would offer a similar deal to just stay put in a locker room they know and trust.

I figured this would happen glad they resigned him

Definitely still a position to look to upgrade for the long-term in the draft. Should be a good option in the first 3 rounds.

I'd expect a low deal and him starting half the games next season.

Well that's good. Still not any better than at the end of last season so far.

Yep, it's inconceivable that players under the age of 25 could get better this offseason and training camp.

Nice sarcasm :cool: That was sarcasm right?:D

I think with the coaching staff we have now the young players we have will continue to get better.

I think we can reasonably expect many of these guys to show some improvement in 2019. The question will be whether they can consistently show it or whether it will be demonstrated in flashes.

Mack
Hines
Wilkins
Cain
Nelson
Smith
Lewis
Turay
Walker
Wilson
Moore
Hooker

I also think we'll see a better Andrew Luck...

Are you related to Dam? Obviously the post was about getting better from free agency. I guess I thought it was obvious that everyone hopes that the young players we have improve. We haven't upgraded the talent though.

I agree 100%

The thing is, with ALL the guys you listed there, I can’t argue that I think they’re hopeless. None of them.

This is not the Grigson/Pagano era any longer where you saw guys like Antonio Morrison, D’Juon Smith, TJ Green and so many others and immediately knew they were trash and knew they would never get any better (and were correct).

Love the signing. Not sure that any of the other remaining free agents were a definitive upgrade. Bringing him back continues changing the culture. Ballard said he wants to sign his own guys and he is doing it. Players must see that Ballard tells the truth to them and that he definitely values players on his own roster higher than free agents. The fact is that if you are a good citizen and produce you will find a home here in Indy. It is a great sign for the future that players want to and do re sign with this regime. I continue to love how Ballard/Reich are going about building a team here (having Luck sure does help move things along). Not every move will pan out but damn the direction sure seems right.

2nd cousin on his mothers side? :cool:

Factor in all those guys coming back healthy and staying healthy will be big for us as well.

Anyone related to Dam is also related to Pagano, I believe.

I'm pretty excited about watching Smith and the pass rushers. Smith because he will have an entire off season and training camp to develop technique for a position he wasn't even supposed to play. The pass rushers because pass rushers always seem to take a year or two to develop and injuries stole a lot of development from them. I expect Hooker to be back to pre injury also.

Yep, Smith and Hooker (health-permitting) could see big jumps.

I also didn't list Leonard because it will be hard to replicate his stats from last year, but I do think he can be a better in certain aspects of his game next year (e.g. short yardage, reading playaction, etc.).

Two key points in response to this:

1) If you're focusing on free agency, you're missing the ball. The whole point of Ballard's strategy is drafting and development.
2) If they draft and develop well, they will be an improved team next year.

I think Turay is really the only question mark on that list. Though, we could have said the same thing about Wilson last year and he took a major step forward beginning the middle of last season. Hopefully Turay turns a similar corner.

Back to Geathers, Holder is hearing that it's a one year deal.

Makes sense given the injury history.

Pass coverage

Leonard could improve because nobody is perfect,logically he is going into his second year and he should get better, it's just difficult for me to see anyone improving on what he did last year. I'm probably just not giving him enough credit for just how good he is.

And just to add to this, the defense in general and the OL were mostly trash the first 7 games of last season. That's almost half the season. If they simply maintain their performance from the last 13 games (w/playoffs), you're looking at a team easily capable of 12-4 without any external upgrades.

Sure, there's risk of injury and some bad bounces, but those could be easily offset by current player progression, seemingly minor additions (MY GUY, Devin Funchess!), and a good draft class.

If the defense improves his stats should go down. Which would be a good thing overall. He will get smarter and instincts should start to get better.

I like a one year deal. Geathers has shown flashes, just need to be healthy and have some consistency.

Still I’d rather have geathers than any of the available safeties we can still draft a young safety and let geathers play the box safety in passing situations. Bottom line any player that will sacrifice his neck to make a 4th down stop is a guy I want on my team

I wonder if the one year/short deals for players are scaring off free agents more than the money offered by the Colts.

Not sure how much difference it makes, since NFL contracts are not guaranteed anyway, but just a thought

Depends on the player. For instance, Funchess said he wanted a one year deal.

Everyone already knows this. As I said with your second point, that is pretty obvious.

It's also been pointed out that you don't have to only draft and develop well, but you can fill in some key spots via free agency. They don't have to go crazy like some of these teams do. This team needs depth along with starters in several spots.

Am I focused on free agency? Currently, yes, because this is the free agency period and they need more talent. I'm bored and waiting for them to sign someone like they did last year with Ebron.

This is a nice article about Geathers return.

"Geathers happy to return home to the Colts"

https://www.normantranscript.com/cnh...ab8699c3d.html


And, yikes, about this comment - He also became the first defensive player drafted by the team to sign a second contract with Indianapolis since defensive lineman Fili Moala — a second-round pick in 2009. :eek:

Good to have Geathers back.

I agree that we still need to add competition at the safety position. I would like to have a combo safety who could play SS or FS.

That was the great thing about the few seasons/games that Bethea and Sanders had together...they were very much interchangeable in many situations.

Agree on every one of these (health permitting), and I'd add Kelly and Desir (I know he's 29, but he's been consistently improving, and he seems the type who will play better contract security).

You're obsessed with free agency.

Hardly. I have repeatedly said they could add some pieces without going overboard. I would just like them to use every chance to upgrade the talent. They did a good job using both last season.

How could you leave out Daurice Fountain?

He’s dead to me after dropping that TD against the Chiefs.

They did, see Funchess.