The Indianapolis Colts' seventh training camp practice of the year had just wrapped up when the news broke of a division rival making an addition to their secondary.
With the Tennessee Titans signing veteran safety Quandre Diggs .
The fan outrage of the Colts missing out on Quandre Diggs
Diggs was a popular name on the minds of most Colts fans as a possible free-agency signing . The FS position is one of the biggest weaknesses on the team's roster ahead of the 2024 season. After seven practices, it's not only clear that FS is a weakness, but it's becoming evident that if the Colts don't make an addition, it's going to be a problem.
To say fans were upset by the news of Diggs signing elsewhere would be an understatement, and to make it worse, he ended up with a division rival in the Titans.
Colts fans aren't overreacting
Every move, or lack thereof, a team makes is always going to get a loud reaction from fans. At times, that can mean a bunch of overreactions, both positive and negative.
The Colts' not adding a safety is no different, as fans have been criticizing the decision all offseason long. And it's ramped up even more with the announcement of Diggs signing with the Titans. And fans have every right to do so because, at this point, the Colts are playing a dangerous game at FS.
The Colts have been rotating Nick Cross, Rodney Thomas II, and Ronnie Harrison Jr. as the starting FS in 11-on-11's and 7-on-7's. None of them have stood out to take the reigns on the job. As each practice passes, it becomes increasingly clear that the team doesn't have a starting caliber player at the position. August isn't typically the ideal time to grab a free agent to plug in, but even after the Diggs signing, there are multiple upgrades sitting there waiting for the Colts to do the smart thing.
- Tracy Walker
- Adrian Amos
- Adrian Phillips
- Caden Sterns
- Justin Simmons
All four players would improve the Colts' starting FS position, but fans have been begging the team to sign one in particular all off-season long .
That player, of course, is former Denver Broncos two-time All-Pro safety Justin Simmons. The Broncos released Simmons this offseason in a cap relief move. The ball-hawking 30-year-old safety might have had a slight dip in production last season but still had three interceptions, eight pass deflections, and 70 total tackles. He is also only one season removed from recording six interceptions in 2022 in only 12 games and back-to-back seasons with five in 2020 and 2021.
The Colts have just under $25 million in cap space, which is still available for the upcoming season. There is absolutely no reason the Colts shouldn't be making an aggressive run at Simmons to improve the FS position and their defense as a whole. If they continue to sit by and do nothing, and the FS position proves to be a liability and a detriment to their 2024 season. There will need to be some tough conversations in the offseason about this malpractice decision made by the Colts brass.
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