Indianapolis Colts cornerback Pierre Desir emerged in the second half of the regular season to be a key part of the defensive success that helped pave the way to a playoff berth.
For the second season in a row, Desir showed why he should be among the starters with a strong second half working both in man coverage and zone coverage while providing stout run defense from the boundary.
Desir wound up playing all 16 games (12 starts) during the regular season. He recorded 70 tackles (60 solo), eight passes defended, two forced fumbles and one interception.
A solid fit for the Colts’ new zone-heavy scheme brought along by coordinator Matt Eberflus in 2018, Desir thrived pressing at the line of scrimmage and dropping into a zone. He was also a solid contributor against the run, which is an underrated aspect of the Colts defense.
Desir wound up playing 86.3 percent of the defensive snaps in 2018, which was the second-most in the cornerback room and the fourth most among all Colts defenders for the regular season.
A pending free agent when the new league year hits March 13, the Colts might let Desir test the market. However, he still could re-sign on another deal, which would provide the Colts with veteran depth in an extremely young secondary.
Desir proved he deserves another contract with the Colts after a strong 2018 season, but it remains to be seen if the front office will bring him back for another campaign.
