INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Indianapolis Colts are riding the high of being 2-0 and in the lead of the AFC South, but they know they have things to clean up urgently.
A day after allowing Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix to take advantage of multiple busted coverages on the way to 200-plus passing yards and three touchdowns, the Colts were kicking the tires on free-agent defensive backs.
On Monday, the Colts worked out cornerbacks Isaiah Bolden, Tre Flowers, Keenan Garber, Daequan Hardy, Keenan Isaac, Nik Needham, and center Jimmy Morrissey, according to the NFL's transaction log.
Bolden, Flowers, Hardy, Isaac, Morrissey, and Needham are veterans, while Garber is an undrafted rookie.
The Colts entered Sunday's contest battered at cornerback while their top player at the position, Charvarius Ward Sr., sat out with a concussion and backup Jaylon Jones (hamstring) was placed on Injured Reserve the day before. That was after injuries befell the position all throughout training camp.
Veteran cornerback Xavien Howard, who was thrust into the CB1 role on Sunday due to Ward's injury, had a rough go of it against the Broncos.
Performance alone, Howard was targeted eight times and allowed all eight, yielding 78 yards (33 of those after the catch) and a pair of touchdowns, according to Pro Football Focus.
And then, there was the drive from hell, in which Howard was penalized three times in a five-play sequence, including one on a third down that would've forced the Broncos to kick a field goal. Instead, Denver scored a touchdown on that drive, giving them a 21-13 lead late in the first half.
“They attacked me with a lot of quick stuff, quick slants and stuff like ‘now’ routes," Howard told reporters on Monday. "I knew a team was going to attack me early on in the season. I've been off a little minute, so I knew guys want to see if I still can play and stuff like that. And just on this side, just taking accountability of just – know I just got to do my job and work on my technique.”
The Colts' next matchup is on Sun., Sept. 21 at Nissan Stadium against the Tennessee Titans at 1:00 p.m. ET.
Jake Arthur has been covering the Indianapolis Colts for over a dozen years and is a member of the PFWA. He's one half of the Locked On Colts podcast and has worked for the Colts' official website, On SI, and more. You can follow him on X @JakeArthurNFL.