On Monday, June 5, reports surfaced that Colts CB Isaiah Rodgers Sr. was under investigation by the Indiana Gaming Commission Deputy Director for gambling. Some reports continued to describe that the betting included “wagers placed on his own team.” Additionally, “approximately 100 bets were placed on the account over over an undisclosed amount of time, including on Colts games. Most of the bets were in the $25-$50 range, although there was one low four-figure bet.”
The next morning, Rodgers took to social media issuing an apology saying how he wants to take full responsibility for his actions and that he’s “willing to do whatever it takes to repair the situation.”
A sixth-round selection by the Colts in the 2020 NFL Draft, Rodgers carved a role for himself thanks to his versatility as a kick returner and boundary CB. With the Colts being thin at CB, it was assumed that Rodgers would be a starter this upcoming season. However, with the recent reports on Rodgers, this doesn’t seem likely given that Rodgers will likely be suspended to start the season.
Over the past few years the League has cracked down on gambling most notably with the Calvin Ridley case. Over the current offseason, the NFL has suspended 5 players, 4 on the Lions and 1 on the Commanders.
It’s too early in the investigation to know or assume if or how long Rodgers will be suspended for. But, if the Colts do lose this valuable piece, who’s to fill his shoes?
Replacement at CB for Isaiah Rodgers
As I mentioned in my Colts draft grade article, the Colts did a good job drafting CBs that should fit very well in Gus Bradley’s defensive system; specifically K-State’s Julius Brents and South Carolina’s Darius Rush. Both are bigger and more physical than the typical outside CB and posses enough speed to match almost any receiver. However, both need to get better matching routes at the top of their brakes and stop being so handsy downfield. If these two rookies can fix a fraction of their inefficiencies, it isn’t crazy to think that Gus Bradley roles out a pair of rookies to hold down the backend until Rodgers can play again.
Replacement at Kick Returner for Isaiah Rodgers
Currently on ESPN’s depth chart for the Colts, Dallis Flowers is projected to be the starting return man on kick-offs. Flowers is a 26 year old CB going into his second year in the League. He runs a 40-yard dash in the low 4.4s resulting in him being a consistent NAIA All-America selection in college.
Another option the Colts could deploy on special teams is rookie Josh Downs. Downs has some experience as a returner from his days in Chapel Hill but due to the large role many assume he’ll have on offense, HC Shane Steichen could opt to use special teams as an opportunity to get downs a breather inbetween game-breaks. If Downs is used as a returner, he features a 4.48 second 40-yard dash and is slippery when evading tacklers.
Wrapping Things Up
Losing Isaiah Rodgers Sr. would hamper the Colt’s efforts to reclaim the division from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Still, thanks to a solid draft this past year the Colts could end up being just fine with Rodgers sidelined. Only time will tell how things go from here.
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