The Indianapolis Colts find themselves in a tough situation, with an already thin cornerback roster now suffering a major blow. The team is reeling after the news that cornerback JuJu Brents will be placed on injured reserve following a significant knee injury. According to a league source, the injury is severe enough to require surgery, but the Colts are keeping a slim window of hope open that Brents might return toward the final stretch of the season. This injury compounds an already fragile cornerback position and leaves the team searching for solutions.
The Setback for Brents
JuJu Brents, an Indianapolis native and a proud product of Warren Central High School, was supposed to be a key piece of the Colts’ defense this season. In fact, his performance in the Colts' season opener against the Houston Texans showed promise—Brents was on the field for 62 defensive snaps and recorded seven tackles. It seemed like things were starting to click for the young cornerback.
However, what initially looked like a minor issue turned out to be something much more serious. The knee injury first showed up during that game against Houston, but Brents was still available for media interviews after the game. No one, including the Colts' medical staff, expected the news that came after an MRI—the injury was more severe than first thought.
And just like that, Brents’ season took a sharp downturn, marking the third significant injury of his career. For a player who’s already faced his share of adversity, this was a tough pill to swallow.
Brents' Injury History: A Rough Rookie Year
Injuries have been a consistent theme for JuJu Brents ever since he entered the league. Drafted in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Kansas State, Brents was expected to bring much-needed stability to the Colts' secondary. However, his rookie year was a frustrating one, marked by multiple injuries that limited him to only nine games and 496 snaps.
Before he even made it to the NFL, Brents had to undergo surgery on his wrist, which caused him to miss the Colts’ spring practices in 2023. His string of bad luck continued in training camp when a hamstring injury sidelined him for the first two games of his rookie season. And just when it seemed like he was getting his footing—starting four games—another injury hit. This time it was a quadriceps injury, followed by a hamstring issue in the season finale, which limited him to just 30 snaps.
Brents entered the 2024 season with high hopes of turning things around. He focused on injury prevention during the offseason, even undergoing a cleanup procedure on his ankle in June. Unfortunately, fate had other plans. A freak preseason accident, where a player’s cleat slid under his face mask, led to a broken nose that required surgery. And now, the knee injury, his third surgery of 2024, is a crushing blow to what was supposed to be his breakout year.
The Impact on the Colts' Defense
Losing Brents for an extended period puts the Colts in a difficult position, especially in an already thin secondary. The Colts were banking on young players like Brents, Jaylon Jones, and Dallis Flowers to step up and contribute alongside veteran corner Kenny Moore II. General Manager Chris Ballard decided not to sign a veteran cornerback during the offseason, instead opting to develop the younger talent.
“They’re young, and they’re going to continue to get better,” Ballard said during training camp. “Things don’t always work out, even when you’re trying to acquire a player. Not saying we didn’t try to do some things, sometimes it just doesn’t happen. But we do think we have good, young talent back there.”
That plan now seems a little riskier, with Brents’ injury putting more pressure on players like Flowers and Jones. The Colts have promoted Chris Lammons to the 53-man roster, but Lammons is mostly a special teams player, and it’s unlikely he’ll be a full-time replacement for Brents. Lammons did see some defensive action late last season, filling in for an injured Kenny Moore II and Julian Blackmon, but his experience on the outside is limited.
Who Steps Up Now?
So, who’s going to replace Brents on the outside? All signs point to Dallis Flowers as the obvious choice. Flowers started the 2023 season as one of the Colts’ outside cornerbacks but suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the fourth game, which ended his season. He worked hard to recover and returned to the field during the spring, but his strength and explosiveness haven’t yet fully returned. Flowers was inactive for the season opener against Houston, a decision that defensive coordinator Gus Bradley explained as part of the team’s strategy for that specific game.
“We talked about what’s best,” Bradley said. “Sometimes those decisions, when you get to the third corner, the fourth corner, sometimes that special teams value and where he’s at there (plays a role). … We just felt that what was best for that particular game was to go with Sam (Womack III).”
Sam Womack III, another third-year cornerback, was claimed off waivers from the San Francisco 49ers at the end of training camp. He’s more likely to play in the nickel spot, as he’s built more like Kenny Moore II at 5’9” and 190 pounds. But with the Colts’ secondary being so thin, Womack could also be asked to take on an outside role.
Colts’ Secondary Depth in Question
The Colts’ secondary is certainly in a precarious position, and beyond Flowers and Womack, there’s a lot of uncertainty. The team recently lost Darrell Baker Jr., who started eight games last season, to the Tennessee Titans after the Womack signing. Veteran cornerback David Long Jr. was added to the practice squad before the season opener, and the team also has rookies like Jaylin Simpson and Ameer Speed, who have mostly contributed on special teams.
Finding another experienced cornerback at this point in the season will be tough. While the Colts have worked out a few veteran cornerbacks in recent weeks, they’ll likely have to rely on their young talent to step up.
JuJu Brents' Future
Looking forward, there’s hope that Brents might return for the final stretch of the season, but that’s far from guaranteed. This knee surgery will be a major recovery process, and it’s uncertain how well he’ll bounce back.
JuJu Brents signed a four-year contract worth $8,196,927 after being drafted in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. According to Spotrac, he received a $2,961,408 signing bonus, and $5,975,996 of his contract is guaranteed. That investment shows the Colts believe in Brents’ potential, but the constant injuries have been a frustrating roadblock for both him and the team.
It’s clear that Brents has the talent to succeed in the NFL, but he’ll need to find a way to stay healthy. Colts fans will be hoping that this latest injury isn’t a career-defining moment and that Brents can make a strong return—just in time to help the team when they need him the most.
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