Report: Colts "Nearing a Deal" with Vontae Davis

According to a report from CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora, the Colts are "nearing a deal" with cornerback Vontae Davis and the deal is expected to be done Monday, in advance of free agency starting Tuesday.

Corner market continues to constrict - the Colts nearing a deal with Vontae Davis. Every expectation it will get done Monday

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 10, 2014

This report comes as no surprise, as all along every indication was that the Colts and Davis would get a deal done before free agency begins on Tuesday.  The Colts and Davis both want to get a deal done, so it's no surprise that they're nearing a deal.

For Davis, it was smart to wait and see some other offers and see what some other corners got from teams.  Brent Grimes re-signed with the Miami Dolphins on a 4-year, $32 million deal ($8 million a year), and Sam Shields re-signed with the Green Bay Packers on a 4-year, $39 million deal ($9.75 million a year).  The market for cornerbacks this year has been raised, and that is good news for Davis.  No matter what deal the Colts offered (which I'm not sure what it was), Davis turned down until he could see other offers - a smart strategy.  It is expected that he will get around $10 million a year, but we will see.

Remember that deals are not done until they're officially done, but reports indicate that Davis and the Colts are close to a deal and it seems like it will get done soon.  This was the number one priority for the Colts management entering the offseason and they are closing in on getting it done.  It was important that the Colts re-sign Davis, because they couldn't afford to leave a gap at cornerback considering their current situation.  I'm not saying that Davis is worth $10 million a year, but it amazes me how many fans think that young corners with man coverage skills are easy to come by.  Hint: they're not.  Whether or not Davis is worth the money, I think that it is a deal the Colts had to make.  Remember, Vontae Davis is 25 years old - Brent Grimes is 30 and Sam Shields is 26.

We'll talk much more about whether paying Davis the big contract he is sure to get is a smart move for the Colts.  But the bottom line right now is that the Colts and Davis are nearing a deal that will keep the Colts' number one cornerback in Indianapolis, and that is a good thing.