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Secondary Burning Questions Heading Into OTAs

Intro: The Colts secondary will have plenty of NFL experience in 2015. What’s in store at the secondary position group heading into the team’s offseason program?

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INDIANAPOLIS –Our final defensive positional group look takes us to a group filled with starting experience.

What is the makeup of a unit filled with veterans in 2015?

Here's a look at the defensive back burning questions heading into the team's offseason program.

  • Is there a more valuable player to the Colts than Vontae Davis?

The act of ignoring was the greatest compliment Vontae Davis received in 2014.

In a Week Four matchup vs. Tennessee, Titans quarterbacks did not throw in Davis' direction one time.

Davis eliminated one half of the playing field on that Sunday and made an early statement of the Pro Bowl season he was about to embark on.

The Colts defense significantly benefited from what Davis was able to do from his right cornerback spot.

When Davis left a Week Seven matchup early with the Steelers, the defense had its trouble in grounding the Pittsburgh air attack.

It served as a rather harsh reminder of how important Davis is to the Colts.

In a scheme that asks a lot of individual work from their corners, Davis has the rare abilities to thrive in such an environment.

With Davis often locking down the opponent's top pass catching option, that allowed the Colts to get more creative up front in trying to make up for Robert Mathis' loss.

On the defensive side of the ball, Davis rivals Andrew Luck in how vital he is to that unit reaching its potential.

STAT TO NOTE: Vontae Davis hasn't allowed a touchdown in coverage in more than 1,300 defensive snaps (Week 13 of the 2013 season).**

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  • Is Dwight Lowery the starting safety next to Mike Adams?

While last year, the Colts didn't see their starting safety duo work together until the latter stages of the preseason that could change in 2015.

The Colts signed Dwight Lowery a few weeks back after the seven-year vet started 15 games for the Falcons last season.

A duo of Adams and Lowery should get plenty of run together during the Colts offseason program.

Even though the safety position didn't really hinder the Colts defense last season, having Adams and Lowery work together early in 2015 should only benefit the necessary cohesion.

What seems like more of an uncertainty at safety is what the depth looks like behind Adams and Lowery.

Veteran Colt Anderson is primarily a special teams player. Younger options in Winston Guy and Dewey McDonald are intriguing after showing signs in practice last year.

STAT TO NOTE: Mike Adams played 1,014 defensive snaps last season, the most on the team.**

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  • How important is drafting another cornerback and/or a safety in 2015?

Experience is certainly not lacking in the secondary.

If the Colts go with a starting four of Vontae Davis, Greg Toler, Mike Adams and Dwight Lowery (toss in nickelback Darius Butler, too), the Colts have five defensive backs with at least six years in the NFL.

That's ideal for the here and now of the 2015 season.

Long-term options though in the secondary aren't aplenty.

Safety seems to be the most important defensive back item to address in the draft.

The safety class in this year's draft isn't particularly deep but selecting one would seem to be a good fit.

Even if the safety doesn't immediately challenge for a starting position, learning behind the 34-year old Adams and the 29-year old Lowery would be beneficial.

At cornerback, the Colts will have a battle for their fourth and fifth corner spots.

A draft pick at the cornerback position would definitely come in and compete for playing time on special teams, and possibly the occasional defensive reps behind Davis, Toler and Butler.

STAT TO NOTE: Since 2010, the Colts have drafted just one defensive back in the first five rounds (1/22).

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