Colts named potential suitor to sign Pro Bowl defender before preseason

Kevin Hickey

Colts named potential suitor to sign Pro Bowl defender before preseason image

The preseason is one week away for the Indianapolis Colts, and they might want to take a serious look at the safety options in free agency.

Even though general manager Chris Ballard wants to get a closer look at his safety competition, the first week of training camp has shown the Colts may not have the depth they believed they did coming into Grand Park.

With Julian Blackmon — the team's strong safety last year — reportedly taking reps at free safety late this week at training camp, some concern is growing about what the Colts have in Nick Cross and Rodney Thomas II.

That's partly why the Colts have been urged to add three-time Pro Bowler Quandre Diggs in free agency before the season starts, according to Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report.

"Outside of [Blackmon and Kenny Moore] the Colts are once again trusting their young players will step up. It might work out for them, but it would still be a good move to add one more veteran to the secondary. Quandre Diggs is one of the top options left after a competitive group of safeties hit free agency," Gagnon wrote.

It makes plenty of sense for the Colts to add Diggs to the secondary. It's one thing for the Colts to want Cross and Thomas to develop into key pieces in the secondary. It's another thing to not have a viable contingency plan in place if it doesn't happen.

Diggs has been a Pro Bowl selection in three of the last four seasons, and he's been reliable as well, starting 67 of a possible 68 games during that span.

The 31-year-old has 15 interceptions and 29 passes defensed since the 2020 season began, per Pro Football Reference.

The safety market has been kind to those searching for new contracts, but this could be the time for the Colts to strike. Adding Diggs could help turn arguably the roster's biggest question mark into a strength.

Only time will tell where Diggs will land, but this a move the Colts should highly consider.

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Kevin Hickey

Kevin Hickey Photo

Hickey was previously the managing editor of USA Today's Colts Wire. His work is also featured as a fantasy football analyst for The Huddle. A career .232 hitter, he is an avid reader of Spider-Man comics, an admirer of the James Webb Space Telescope, and a keen enthusiast of Ma’s sauce. You can find him on Twitter/X @KevinHickey11