INDIANAPOLIS – Chuck Pagano knew the question was coming.
Pagano had just run through his team's injury list going into Week Three of the preseason.
On it was arguably his team's top four cornerbacks, with Vontae Davis' medial sprain timetable as "week-to-week" being the most glaring.
"It's not pretty," Pagano said before a question about the cornerback depth could even be finished.
"It's a little scary right now."
Just how scary are things at the cornerback position in Indianapolis?
Over the last week, the six cornerbacks on the roster who were drafted coming out of college have all been limited with some ailment.
The other five are former undrafted free agents, combining for a grand total of two games of NFL experience.
Hence, why the Colts then added veteran cornerback Antonio Cromartie late on Monday evening.
Taking Cromartie out of the situation, let's take a look at the depth chart at cornerback and who is healthy and who is not:
- Vontae Davis (ankle): A medial sprain suffered by Davis during last Thursday's practice has him on the "week-to-week" shelf. It's no secret what Davis means to this defense and how valuable a lockdown corner is to this system. Davis has played through injuries before (missing just one game the past three seasons). Will he have to do it to start 2016?
- Patrick Robinson (groin): Three snaps was the playing time for Robinson on Saturday night. A groin injury took the starting cornerback for the Colts off the field against Baltimore. A "day-to-day" timetable should have Robinson back on the field once the regular season opener rolls around on Sept. 11.
- Darius Butler (hamstring): The hamstring injury for Butler has kept him on the sideline for the past week. Butler is expected return to practice on Tuesday. He's played all over the secondary this offseason and he could very well be a starter, as an outside cornerback, when the Eagles visit this Saturday night.
- Jalil Brown (foot): The star of last year's preseason has missed the first two preseason games of 2016. Like Butler, Brown is expected to return to practice on Tuesday. Brown did start four games for the Colts last season when Greg Toler was dealing with his own injuries.
- D'Joun Smith (knee): The 65th overall pick from 2015 is still on a pitch count due to his knee problems. Smith played 15 snaps on Saturday night. The Colts obviously would love to expand his reps this preseason.
- Tay Glover-Wright: Against Baltimore, it was Glover-Wright who started opposite Robinson. Glover-Wright was a 2014 undrafted free agent. He joined the Colts practice squad last October and was called up to the active roster in late December.
- Tevin Mitchel (hamstring): A 2015 sixth-round pick of Washington, Mitchel was on IR all last year, after the Colts claimed him off waivers. Like Smith, Mitchel has been limited this preseason. He played just three defensive snaps against Baltimore.
- Frankie Williams: On Monday, Chuck Pagano spoke very highly of the former Purdue cornerback. Darius Butler also had praise for Williams, pointing out the way the 2016 undrafted free agent carries himself.
- Darius White: The 35 snaps White saw versus the Ravens were the most of any cornerback. However, a 41-yard pass interference penalty marred the undrafted free agent's night. Ted Monachino said earlier this preseason he liked the potential of White, also a 2016 undrafted free agent.
- Christopher Milton: Another 2016 undrafted guy, Milton has played 28 total defensive snaps this preseason.
- Winston Rose: We've seen Rose on the field for 32 snaps this preseason.
