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Indianapolis Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers posted an apology on social media following the surprising news that he was the subject of an NFL investigation for possible violations of the league’s gambling policy:
It’s potentially a serious lapse of judgment by Rodgers, who very well could have jeopardized his future in the NFL with such alleged gambling—possibly facing an indefinite suspension (even longer than a season) if serious violations are ultimately found.
Per the ESPN’s Stephen Holder and David Purdum, Rodgers allegedly placed roughly 100 sports bets through an associate acting on his behalf—including on Colts games:
“The sportsbook account was opened under the name of an associate of Rodgers, the sources said. Approximately 100 bets were placed on the account over an undisclosed amount of time, including on Colts games, the sources said. Most of the bets were in the $25-$50 range, although there was at least one low four-figure bet.”
It’s an unfortunate development for both the Colts and Rodgers, who is in the last year of his rookie contract and could’ve been poised for a multi-year contract with a strong showing during the 2023 campaign, as he was penciled in at starting cornerback.
While undersized, Rodgers features exceptional speed, ball skills, and closing burst (as well as special teams return ability). He appeared in 15 games (9 starts) for the Colts last season, recording 34 tackles (24 solo), 3 passes defensed, a forced fumble, and 4 fumble recoveries.
Per PFF, Rodgers Sr. was their 5th best graded cornerback this past season with a +82.1 overall grade and was named the Colts ‘most underrated player’ earlier this offseason.
Having already seen both Stephon Gilmore and Brandon Facyson depart this offseason, the Colts cornerback depth will be tested with Rodgers potentially facing an indefinite suspension.
The Colts did recently load up at cornerback in the NFL Draft with Julius Brents, Darius Rush, and Jaylon Jones, but in three cornerback sets, having two rookie cornerbacks starting along the outside isn’t ideal (with Kenny Moore II presumably manning the slot). It’s very much possible Indy could look at a free agent cornerback with starting experience to ease the initial learning curve and expectations for its now even younger secondary.