Colts rookie CB could have unexpected opportunity in 2023

The Indianapolis Colts had Isaiah Rodgers in mind when they traded Stephon Gilmore and let Brandon Facyson defect to the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency. It now looks like Rodgers, currently under investigation for an alleged violation of the NFL’s gambling policy, will not play this season. Three other players – C.J. Moore, Quintez Cephus and Shaka Toney – found to have bet on NFL games have received indefinite bans that will cover at least the 2023 season. The Colts did not become aware of the investigation into Rodgers until recent news broke, Stephen Holder of ESPN.com notes (on Twitter).

Although the Colts did not know of any Rodgers gambling probe during April's draft, they chose cornerback Julius Brents in the second round. But the team already had a long-term need at the position, even if Rodgers was part of the 2023 equation. Rodgers, who has admitted to some degree of wrongdoing in the hours after the report of his gambling surfaced, was not at the Colts’ latest OTA session, per Holder. The fourth-year defender had previously been attending Indianapolis' voluntary workouts this offseason.

Here is the latest from the AFC South:

• As the list of AFC teams connected to DeAndre Hopkins expanded again on Wednesday – via the former All-Pro’s upcoming Tennessee Titans meeting – the Jacksonville Jaguars do not appear interested. Doug Pederson said (via 1010 AM’s Mia O’Brien) it is “not a reality” for the team to add another receiving piece. This makes sense, as the Jaguars already have their top three receivers tied to notable contracts. The team’s top move for 2023 was adding Calvin Ridley to a receiving corps which already housed Christian Kirk‘s $18M-per-year contract and Zay Jones‘ $8M AAV deal. Ridley is tied to a $10.9M fifth-year option, which tolled from 2022 due to his gambling-induced absence.
• On the subject of re-emerging receivers, the Houston Texans will have to wait a bit longer for John Metchie. While the 2022 second-round pick has done some offseason work, he is currently sidelined with a hamstring strain. Metchie suffered the injury during the first phase of Houston’s offseason program, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who adds a training camp return is expected. Metchie is on his way back from a leukemia diagnosis that sidelined him as a rookie. The Alabama product also has not played since suffering a torn ACL late in the 2021 season.
• A ruptured Achilles tendon kept Rigoberto Sanchez off the field throughout last season, but the veteran Colts punter is now back at work. Sanchez is punting again, per the Indianapolis Star, though he has yet to participate in a Colts workout. The team is ramping up its seventh-year punter, who sustained the injury to his kicking leg in practice just before the start of the past season. Sanchez, who has also served as Indy’s kickoff man, is entering the final season of his four-year, $11.6M contract. The 28-year-old is the only punter currently on Indianapolis’ roster.