Even with the addition of Charvarius Ward, one NFL exec believes that cornerback is a "big-time" need for the Indianapolis Colts.
Mike Sando of The Athletic recently asked NFL execs to weigh in on the Colts' free agency moves. The addition of Ward was a move that was obviously received well, but the cornerback position still remains a need.
“I think corner is still a big-time need for them,” one exec told Sando. “Jaylon Jones played OK last year, you have JuJu (Brents), who missed all last year, and Kenny Moore is 30 years old. At this point, upgrading the pass rush might help their secondary as much as anything would.”
To the exec's point, while Jaylon Jones did make strides in Year 2, he still allowed a completion rate of 65% at 13.2 yards per catch, although he did have good ball production with two interceptions and 10 pass breakups, according to PFF.
Competition for that starting spot opposite of Ward may not be a bad thing.
Brents, meanwhile, has appeared in only 11 games in his first two NFL seasons due to injuries, and with the NFL draft also being about planning ahead, of note, Moore does enter a contract year in 2026.
Along with Ward, the Colts would also sign Corey Ballentine to bolster their depth at the position, although Ballentine has primarily been a special teams contributor during his career. Also, not to be forgotten about is Samuel Womack.
So, yes, you can certainly justify further adding to this room in the NFL draft, especially if we are going to see more dime looks from Lou Anarumo, which means more defensive backs on the field.
However, with the addition of Ward, I don't know that cornerback falls into the "big time" need category anymore, but instead is one the Colts could look to tackle on Day 2 and beyond.
If you ask me, tight end, offensive line, and defensive tackle are all more pressing needs.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: NFL draft: Cornerback still 'big-time' need for Colts, says NFL exec
