he Indianapolis Colts brought in safety Camryn Bynum in the first week of NFL free agency to replace Julian Blackmon. Bynum signed a four-year deal worth up to $60 million to be a foundational piece for defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo.
Bynum was the first new player to be brought in by general manager Chris Ballard this offseason. Indy obviously had their sights set on landing a young gamechanger at safety, but did they bring in the right guy?
Pro Football Focus analyst Dalton Wasserman feels that Indy could have penned a deal with a different free-agent safety. When looking at Bynum’s stats, he excels defending the run but has not stood out in coverage.
“The issue with this signing is that the Colts already have a safety who is more effective in the run game in Nick Cross,” wrote Wasserman. “They came into free agency seeking to replace Julian Blackmon, who placed inside the top 20 safeties in coverage grade this past season. The Colts are now projecting to start two safeties who earned under a 65.0 coverage grade last season.”
“Jevon Holland, who is tied for the fifth-highest coverage grade among qualified safeties since 2024, could’ve been had at a nearly identical price… If the Colts were aiming to improve their coverage unit, there could be questions asked about whether they have actually done so in choosing Bynum over Holland.”
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Wasserman mentioned Bynum and Cross should shine most when teams run the ball. Cross earned an 80.4 PFF run defense grade in 2024, ranking 19th among 171 eligible players at his position. Bynum earned a 70.7 run defense grade, ranking 55th.
In coverage, Bynum earned a 59.6 grade, ranking 97th. The Colts struggled with opposing passing yards per game (229.4 allowed) and opposing completion percentage (69.36%) last season, proving why upgrades in the secondary were always going to be needed this offseason.
Wasserman feels that Jevon Holland, who signed with the New York Giants on a three-year deal worth $45 million, could have been the better fit. At the same price as Bynum, Holland could have found his place in Anarumo’s system.
Regardless, it doesn’t matter now. Bynum is here to stay in Indianapolis and has the chance to win over fans with hard-nosed football that limits opponents in the ground game and through the air. Clearly, Anarumo thinks he’s a good fit, and that’s all that matters for now.