The Indianapolis Colts cornerback Pierre Desir earned a contract extension this offseason after proving he can be a staple in the secondary over the last two seasons.
There are many reasons the Colts re-signed the veteran to a three-year extension. Among the reasons was due to his prowess as a red-zone defender.
According to Pro Football Focus, Desir has the second-highest red-zone grade among all cornerbacks in the NFL.
PIERRE DESIR, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS — 87.1 RED-ZONE GRADE
Desir allowed a mere 14 yards in red-zone coverage but that was at the cost of three receptions allowed, with two of those receptions ending in either a first down or a touchdown. It wasn’t the prettiest coverage effort from the fourth-year corner, but he made up for it in run defense. Desir’s 91.3 run-defense grade in the red-zone is sixth-highest since 2006 for a qualifying cornerback — due in large part to the fact he didn’t miss a single tackle while racking up three stops inside the 20-yard line. It was a breakout year in many aspects for Desir, and it earned him a $7.5M-per-year contract this offseason.
Desir, a long corner that excels in zone coverage and run defense, has proven to be a great fit for the Colts defense led by coordinator Matt Eberflus. The 28-year-old is also viewed upon as a leader in a very young secondary.
The Colts could very well add to the cornerback room during the 2019 NFL Draft next week, but Desir is cemented as a starter in the secondary. His play in the red zone is one of the reasons why.
