Here are 6 cornerback options the Colts could sign to replace Isaiah Rodgers Sr. if n

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The Colts exited this year's NFL Draft ready to boast one of the youngest secondaries in the NFL.

They had no idea it could be this young, though.

The recent investigation of Isaiah Rodgers Sr. into gambling could place the franchise in a challenging spot to play defense in a passing league. The Colts have just one other cornerback who has started more than three games in a season in the NFL, and that's nickel corner Kenny Moore II. They're in a spot where they might need to play all three of their draft picks heavily in JuJu Brents, Darius Rush and Jaylon Jones.


Though this year is about growth with first-year coach Shane Steichen and rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson, the Colts also have a need for playable veterans in order to build a culture and create an environment where these young players aren't overextended. That can be especially true at an unforgiving position like outside cornerback.

Here are six veteran options the Colts could look into signing:

As a two-time first-team All-Pro, Marcus Peters is the most accomplished cornerback currently available on the free agent market.
Marcus Peters

As a two-time first-team All-Pro, Peters has had a fascinating career at this point, from starting a Super Bowl and making game-changing plays -- like three times leading the league in interception yardage -- to bouncing around on three different teams before he turned 30. He can be a ball of fire on and off the field, and he has to prove he still has it after missing 21 games the past two seasons. But he was a first-round pick by a Chiefs front office that featured Chris Ballard back in 2015, and he's more accomplished than anyone currently available. It's possible that Peters, as the top option available, is waiting out the right deal.

Eli Apple has started two straight seasons for a Cincinnati Bengals team that has made deep playoff runs to reach the AFC Championship Game.
Eli Apple

Peters isn't the only cornerback on the market who likes to make his presence felt. Apple has had his detractors throughout a career that has already seen four different franchises. He's just 27, and he's played a lot, but he has yet to find a long-term home. But he's the most in-his-prime option with experience out there, having started 30 games the past two seasons for a Bengals team that reached the AFC Championship Game in both seasons. At 6-1 and 203 pounds, Apple has a tendency to give up some back-breaking plays but can also force incompletions, as opponents completed just 50% of passes his way in those two seasons, per Sports Info Solutions.

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William Jackson III battled a back injury last year with the Washington Commanders and the Pittsburgh Steelers but has been rehabbing in Houston with hopes of signing with a team.
William Jackson III

Former first-round picks are populating this list so far, but that pedigree often produces the players who have experience as No. 1 options for a team. At 6-0 and 196 pounds, William Jackson III was a first-round pick of the Bengals in 2016 and played at a high enough clip in 48 starts over four years to land a $40.5 million deal from the Commanders in 2021. Injuries have dropped him to 16 total games the past two seasons, and he never suited up for the Steelers after they traded for him at midseason last year due to a back injury.


But the 30-year-old has been training in Houston and appears ready for a comeback.

“I’m feeling great. I’m just feeling really motivated,” Jackson told KPRC 2 in Houston last month. “All the doubters, I want to literally come out and show what I can do. I’m just using it as motivation, basically all the critics, all the people who had something negative to say. I’m just ready to come out this year and show them what I can do.”

Casey Hayward has played cornerback for Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley in two stops, including with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021.
Casey Hayward

If the Colts want an accomplished veteran cornerback they already know, they can sign Hayward. He played for Gus Bradley on the Chargers from 2017-2020, when Steichen was on their offensive staff. He also started for Bradley and the Raiders in 2021. As a two-time Pro Bowler with 118 career starts, he's one of the most respected veteran voices in the game, but he's also 33 and just got cut by the Falcons. At 5-11 and 192 pounds, Hayward has spent his career bouncing from outside to inside corner, but the question is whether he can hold up as an outside option at this stage after missing 11 games with a shoulder injury last season. He's probably best as a part-time starter but he could be a valuable presence.

Fabian Moreau had his best season last year with the New York Giants, who reached the divisional round of the playoffs.
Fabian Moreau

Moreau doesn't have the same pedigree as the other names on this list, but he might be the most underrated option. A third-round pick in 2017, Moreau has played for three teams and has started half of his 90 games, but the underlying numbers show a better player than that. In 11 starts last year with the Giants, he allowed just 53.6% of passes to be completed for an elite 6.0 yards per attempt. He hasn't picked off a pass since 2020, but he does have 21 breakups in that span. Having just turned 29 years old, the 6-0, 204-pounder could be ready for another key role somewhere else.

Anthony Brown rose from a sixth-round pick out of Purdue in 2016 to a reliable starting cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys.
Anthony Brown

If the Colts want to sign a cornerback who is an easy scheme fit here, they should look at Brown. The 29-year-old started all 28 of his games the past two seasons for the Cowboys under Dan Quinn in the Seattle-style scheme that Bradley runs in Indianapolis. At 5-11 and 192 pounds, Brown is one of the rare underdog stories at this position, rising from a sixth-round pick to a 69-game starter. He's spent all seven of his seasons in Dallas and found his peak under Quinn, holding opponents to less than 47% completions in each of the past two seasons with 20 breakups. The former Purdue star could be a fit playing close to where he went to college.