Colts CB Darius Rush can help overcome Isaiah Rodgers' gambling debacle
It didn't take long for people to find out Indianapolis Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers is the player under investigation for potentially violating the NFL's gambling policy. First report of the investigation described Rodgers as a player that isn't a star, but one the average fan probably is familiar with, to an extent. That's because Rodgers balled […]
It didn't take long for people to find out Indianapolis Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers is the player under investigation for potentially violating the NFL's gambling policy.
First report of the investigation described Rodgers as a player that isn't a star, but one the average fan probably is familiar with, to an extent. That's because Rodgers balled out in 2022 and easily had the best year of his young career. He was expected to be a fixture in the secondary, but now, his 2023 season is in serious question.
The key with Rodgers is he's alleged to have placed bets on NFL games, including Colts games. That's huge. Detroit Lions wideout Jameson Williams was suspended back in April for the first six games of the 2023 season and he didn't bet on any NFL games. Jacksonville Jaguars wideout Calvin Ridley did bet on NFL games, however, and was handed an indefinite suspension that lasted through the entire 2022 season.
The sportsbook account was opened under the name of an associate of Rodgers, sources said. Approximately 100 bets were placed on the account over an undisclosed amount of time, including on Colts games, the sources said. Most of the bets were in the $25-$50 range, although there was at least one low four-figure bet. – Stephen Holder and David Purdum, ESPN
Rodgers apologized for his alleged actions Monday night, which all but confirms his involvement.
This is obviously not a good development for the Colts, at all. Cornerbacks are obviously very important in today's game – especially good ones. And, defensive coordinator Gus Bradley's scheme heavily relies on strong play from his secondary. With Stephon Gilmore also out of the picture, it's obvious the cornerback room will be in flux once/if Rodgers is suspended for the 2023 season.
That's primarily because the Colts are very likely to have two rookies starting on the outside in second-round pick Julius "JuJu" Brents and fifth-rounder Darius Rush. While both players have excellent athletic traits that can't be taught, they are still rookies learning the NFL game. There are bound to be learning curves that can affect the team in major ways.
But, the Colts probably won't have a choice in the matter, so they may as well maximize their situation and lean into their young corners – and it's the latter name in Rush that can really help turn the tide for the Colts.
For starters, he was an absolute steal in the fifth round of the draft. As a matter of fact, The Athletic's draft expert, Dane Brugler, had Rush ranked as the ninth-best corner in the 2023 NFL Draft, while Brents was 12th. He gave Rush a 2nd-3rd round grade thanks to his athletic prowess and ability to effectively play man coverage.
Overall, Rush is not a secure tackler and must continue developing his instincts in off coverage, but he has the fluidity and length to turn, run and stay stride-for-stride with receivers. His athletic cover traits give him NFL starting potential as a man- to-man corner. – Dane Brugler, The Athletic
Bradley's Cover-3 scheme is more like a man coverage scheme since the corners are typically one-on-one on the outside versus their assignment(s), so that helps offset some of Rush's off-coverage struggles, to an extent. Bradley also runs 2-man and quarters on passing downs, which is a version of man coverage (2-man) and another that requires corners to be on the outside, alone, like Cover-3.
In other words: There are plenty of ways Bradley can take advantage of Rush's skills in man coverage. And, don't forget, Stephon Gilmore's strength is man coverage. Per Pro Football Focused, he finished with his best coverage grade (81.1) and overall defensive grade (79.1) since 2019 under Bradley.
You cannot teach length. And though some people will argue that you can teach speed, nobody can teach long speed. That’s what Rush has…
… Rush also has extreme length (33 3/8-inch arms), and he ran a 4.36 at the combine… and he covered a lot of ground out of zone and press coverages at South Carolina. Rush… is a steady teammate who is willing to do whatever’s necessary. He played receiver and defensive back in college and took more than 400 special teams reps.
Rush has some Woolen-like traits and should be able to help the Colts right away if they need him. – Nick Baumgardner, The Athletic
Brents is also very capable of having a good year, but he was already penciled in opposite Rodgers, although things can always change. Rush, on the other hand, will be the one to step up in place of Rodgers unless the Colts add a veteran at some point.
Honestly, that would be a mistake unless it's strictly a depth signing. Rush has too much potential to be put back on the shelf, so to speak. And considering the Colts are entering a year with low expectations, it wouldn't be a bad idea to let promising youngsters play as much as possible in hopes of accelerating their development and simply seeing what they have in them.
The NFL has seen plenty of situations turnover from bad to good over the years, especially if a team has the right players to make it happen.
Fortunately, the Colts have a guy in Rush that can do just that.
Featured image via Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
