The Indianapolis Colts revealed some unfortunate news Wednesday, placing rookie safety Daniel Scott on the injured reserve list after he suffered a torn ACL on the final play of OTAs last week.
A fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft out of California, Scott was expected to contribute significantly on special teams while providing depth as a versatile player in the safety room.
Because Scott was placed on the injured reserve list before the 53-man roster has been finalized, he will miss the remainder of the 2023 campaign.
Here are five safeties the Colts can replace Scott with going into training camp next month:
1
John Johnson III
Age: 28
One of the bigger names on the market at the safety position, this would be a somewhat splash signing. It’s unlikely the Colts go that route considering Rodney Thomas II and Julian Blackmon are the expected starters right now. However, Johnson would be a quality addition to the safety room. He has experience playing both free and strong safety while contributing a bit on special teams. According to Pro Football Focus, Johnson III allowed a 77.7 passer rating and 57.9% completion rate in coverage on 38 targets.
2
Josh Jones
Age: 28
Despite being listed as 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, Jones spent more snaps lined up at free safety than he did in the box, according to Pro Football Focus. The former second-round pick is an athletic freak and had a short stint previously with the Colts, spending roughly a month on the active roster during the 2021 season. Jones struggled in 2023 before missing the final five games of the season due to a hamstring injury, but his athleticism and special teams capabilities make him intriguing.
3
Duron Harmon
Age: 32
The veteran safety was one of the most reliable players in a shaky Raiders defense during the 2022 season. He started all but one game as the free safety, posting one of his best seasons yet. According to Pro Football Focus, Harmon allowed just a 70.2 passer rating despite a completion rate of 84% on 25 targets. He didn’t work a whole lot on special teams outside of field goals and extra points, but he’s been lauded for his leadership and could hold a role similar to Rodney McLeod in terms of being a veteran presence.
4
Joshua Kalu
Age: 27
Kalu split time between slot corner and free safety in Mike Vrabel’s defense during the 2022 season while playing a significant amount of snaps on special teams. The former undrafted rookie free agent never played more than 100 snaps in a season since entering the league in 2018. He’s not the fastest safety (4.58 40), but he’s lengthy (32.75-inch arms) and incredibly explosive, posting a 41.5-inch vertical and 11-foot-2-inch broad jump at the NFL combine. According to Pro Football Focus, Kalu allowed an 82.1 passer rating and 9.1 yards per reception on 27 targets while adding 16 defensive stops in 2022.
5
Trevor Denbow
Age: 24
The most likely candidate to replace Scott is Denbow. The second-year safety signed with the Colts as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2022. Denbow’s appeal comes with his athleticism and ability to contribute heavily on special teams. He initially made the 53-man roster following the preseason but a hamstring injury forced him to miss the first eight games. He returned to a special teams role in Week 9 but was waived and re-signed to the practice squad until getting the call-up in Week 18. Denbow is unproven as a defender so the Colts would be taking a risk when it comes to their safety depth, but he would cover the special teams part of Scott’s intended role.
