INDIANAPOLIS – This is the Indianapolis Colts’ big move, I guess. A cornerback two years removed from massive leg surgery, a cornerback who turns 32 in September, a cornerback who was very good last season, unless he wasn’t good at all. Depends on the NFL-devoted website you read.
See what you want in new Colts cornerback Stephon Gilmore. I’m just here to show you both sides.
One side, the side you want to read, the side I’ve been waiting to write: Hooray!!! The Colts just landed the biggest name on the free-agent market, a player at a premium position, a player who was named Defensive Player of the Year just three years ago.
This is the other side:
The Colts just landed Stephon Gilmore.
Stephon Gilmore is better, sure
Don’t look at me like that.
Oh look at Doyel, always crapping on the Colts’ moves!
Well, Josh McDaniels and Carson Wentz and even Eric Fisher were exactly what I said they were. McDaniels was a loser and a jerk; Wentz was no leader; Fisher was a 30-year-old risk coming off a torn Achilles’. Do people like you get mad at people like me for being right? Fine, do it. Get mad at me for being right about McDaniels and Wentz and Fisher.
Look, I’m wrong a lot too. Take Aug. 17, 2019. You probably don’t remember what happened that day, seeing how it came one week before news broke during a Colts preseason game that quarterback Andrew Luck was retiring at age 29. What happened on Aug. 17, 2019? Another Colts exhibition game. Luck was on the field before the game, throwing passes, looking good and happy.
Headline to my story:
Andrew Luck’s pregame workout a positive sign for Colts
Yeah, about that.
Point here is this: I’m not always right. But you’re always going to read exactly what I think, not exactly whatever it is you want to read. I do know what you want to read today, because I’m not nearly as stupid as I look. You want to read that this is the next big move we’ve been waiting for from Colts GM Chris Ballard, after he acquired quarterback Matt Ryan from Atlanta and defensive end Yannick Ngakoue from Las Vegas. You want to read that this move puts the Colts closer to being a Super Bowl contender.
And in both cases, you’re right. This is Ballard’s third-biggest move of the offseason, behind the change at quarterback and the upgrade at pass rush. This does put the Colts closer to the Super Bowl. How much closer? Try this:
Wherever you are, stand up. Take two steps to the southeast.
You’re now closer to Tennessee.
Stephon Gilmore = Eric Fisher?
Gilmore upgrades what the Colts had at cornerback, which was dynamite nickel corner Kenny Moore and promising young burner Isaiah Rodgers and someone named Brandon Facyson, who’s here for the same reason Ngakoue is here: New Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley has coached him before.
This team, these Colts, are big on that. It’s why they added Eric Fisher from Kansas City (Ballard worked in KC) and Wentz from Philadelphia (coach Frank Reich had coached there) and even Philip Rivers from the Chargers (Reich had coached there).
The Colts love who they know.
Anyway, Brandon Facyson has played 56 NFL games and recorded one interception. Which puts Brandon Facyson one step closer than you and me to Lester Hayes.
Stephon Gilmore is a major upgrade on Facyson, which is very good, because Facyson at starting cornerback was going to be a disaster for the Colts. Gilmore at corner won’t be a disaster, but can we please pump the brakes?
You should know, I’m in awe of Chris Ballard as an executive. I think he’s terrific. He works with what he has here in Indianapolis, and what he doesn’t have, and he upgrades this team every year. The record on the field doesn’t always reflect that, and this is a bottom-dollar business where the record is all that matters, but we watch these games and we see a roster that gets better every year.
The Colts’ roster in 2022 will be better than their roster in 2021. The quarterback is better, the pass-rush is better, the starting cornerbacks are better. For sure, I’m saying Stephon Gilmore is an upgrade on Xavier Rhodes. The Colts are better at cornerback right now than they were in 2021. This is good news.
I’m looking at Gilmore and not loving what I see. Says you: Shut up and see what we want you to see!!!
Sorry, can’t do it. I see a guy who’s 32, who played just nine games last season after suffering a ruptured quadriceps, whose performance on the field is in question. On one hand, Gilmore made the Pro Bowl for the fifth time. That’s big, though maybe it’s a reputational pick. I can’t read the minds of voters, but I can read statistical breakdowns. Here’s what I see:
According to Sports Info Solutions, Gilmore allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete just 43.8% of their passes last season for 4.1 yards per attempt. He didn’t give up a touchdown.
According to Pro-Football-Reference, Gilmore allowed opposing quarterbacks to go 17-for-25 (that’s 68%) for 159 yards (that’s 6.4 yards per attempt) and two touchdowns (that’s 2 TD’s).
Which website is right? The one that says Gilmore is great! Obviously.
Look, this is a better day than one with no Colts news at all. It’s cool that the Colts believed in Gilmore so much that owner Jim Irsay sent his personal jet to fly Gilmore into town. It’s cool that Ballard opened the checkbook to the tune of $23 million over two years, with $14 million guaranteed. It’s cool the Colts just did something of note.
The two years, $23 million with $14 million guaranteed is right around what the deal is, source says. Will have to wait to get a look at the contract to see how it breaks down
— Joel A. Erickson (@JoelAErickson) April 15, 2022
Eric Fisher, similar to Stephon Gilmore in age and catastrophic medical history, seemed a like big a deal, too. All I’m saying.
