Countdown to Kickoff No. 21: Profile on Indianapolis Colts CB Vontae Davis
This offseason, Indianapolis Colts fans have been treated to epic training camp battles between T.Y. Hilton and Vontae Davis– two of the best players in the NFL at their respective positions.
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In 2013 and 2014, Indianapolis Colts cornerback Vontae Davis was unquestionably one of the league’s best ten corners. Always a promising player, Davis finally became a superstar after the Miami Dolphins traded him to Indianapolis for a second-round pick. Davis’s emergence as a true shutdown corner had more to do with the life changes he made, but give the Colts credit for recognizing his talent and putting him in a position to blossom.
Across four seasons with the Colts, Davis has averaged 14 passes defended per season. In fact, since 2012, Seattle Seahawks star Richard Sherman, who is the best in the business, is the only player with more passes defended, per Pro-Football Reference’s Play Index.
When Davis inked a four-year deal worth $36 million with $20 million in guarantees after the 2013 season, he undoubtedly broke the bank. But today, there are 15 cornerbacks who make more money per season than him, according to OverTheCap.com.
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There are not 15 cornerbacks in this league who are better than Davis.
I realize Pro Football Focus gave Davis a remarkably average overall grade for his 2015 season, but grades always require context. In this case, the appropriate context is an injury that required offseason surgery.
Though Davis played in all 16 games, his performance likely suffered as a result of playing hurt. In early October, Davis was spotted wearing a walking boot, and his head coach even voiced some concern over the issue. The Colts downplayed the long-term impact of Davis’s offseason clean-up procedure, but the foot injury likely affected his play during the season.
A concussion and a hamstring injury also befell Davis in 2015, making it all the more impressive that he was able to appear in all 16 games.
Even with the injury, Davis managed to average exactly one pass defended per game, and though 16 PDs represents a drop-off from the 20 he racked up in 2015, it’s a commendable feat nonetheless. On a Colts defense with a lousy pass rush and no depth at cornerback, Davis’s work as the No. 1 corner is vital.
Now that the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars have made marked improvements, the AFC South figures to be one of the most tightly contested divisions in the upcoming season. If the Colts want to repeat their previous excellence (three straight 11-5 seasons since Andrew Luck first came into the league), then they need players like Davis and Mike Adams to be making as many plays as they usually do.
Adams and Davis have a combined 18 interceptions in the past two seasons, and it will be imperative for them to replicate their success at forcing turnovers in 2016. This Colts defense just does not have the depth or talent to shut down opponents, so they need to rely on their few stars to take control by shifting the momentum with a few brilliant plays.
The cornerback position is quickly receiving the coverage given to the wide receiver position, in that it’s become a star-focused position. People are interested in ranking cornerbacks, looking at their statistics, comparing their star corner to a rival team’s best corner, and adjusting their rankings at a moment’s notice.
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After falling a bit in 2015, Davis may not carry the same weight as, say, Marcus Peters or Josh Norman right now, but it would be a mistake to drop him outside of the top ten. Remember, he and Sherman are the most accomplished players in terms of passes defended over the past four seasons, and Davis’s situation isn’t always ideal for a true shutdown corner looking to get his hands on passes.