Colts 2016 player preview: Cornerback Vontae Davis

The Indianapolis Colts will report to training camp on July 26 with their 90-man roster, which will be cut down to 53 players by the end of the preseason.  To pass the time until camp, we're taking a look at every player on the Colts' 90-man roster.  Today, we're looking at cornerback Vontae Davis.

Who is he?

Vontae Davis is undoubtedly the number one cornerback for the Indianapolis Colts and one of the top corners in football.  His career took a little while to get going, but with Indy he has developed into a very good player.  Originally drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the first round of the 2009 draft out of Illinois, he played three years with the Dolphins before being traded to the Colts before the 2012 regular season for a second round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.  In his four years since joining the Colts, he has started 57 games and recorded 187 tackles, a sack, 53 passes defensed, nine interceptions, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery.  He was at his very best in 2014 as he had a career year that placed him among the NFL's elite, and he has made the Pro Bowl in each of the past two seasons.  His 2015 season was a step back from the year before, but he was still a good player and a reliable number one corner.  The next step for Davis, according to head coach Chuck Pagano, is consistency.  He's proven himself and that he is capable of playing at an elite level, so now his job is to do so on a consistent basis.

What is his role?

Vontae Davis is the Colts' top cornerback, plain and simple.  He has proven capable of handling the responsibility, and he's a perfect fit for the system the Colts have tried to run in recent years.  The Colts went out and added Patrick Robinson in free agency this year, but it was to complement Davis instead of replace him.  The signing of Robinson improves the Colts' cornerback group as a whole, giving them another reliable starter alongside Davis, but it's clear that Davis is still the top guy in the cornerbacks room.  One particular about his role is that the Colts like to leave him on one side of the field instead of shadowing the opponent's best receiver.  The Colts tried doing the latter at times last year, but it seems clear that the team likes leaving him on one side better.  There's no shame in doing that, but it's an aspect of his role with the team that should be noted.

What are his chances?

Davis is a lock to make the roster, as he's a lock to be the Colts' number one cornerback.