Indianapolis firms up secondary by adding Patrick Robinson

By foxsports
Published

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Free-agent cornerback Patrick Robinson relied on a gut feeling to find his next NFL team.

After having one good lunch conversation with Colts coach Chuck Pagano in Florida, Robinson landed in Indianapolis late Tuesday, spent most of Wednesday at the Colts' complex and then quickly agreed to terms with a team that could quench his thirst for winning.

Contract details were not immediately available.

''Sometimes you get that feeling that the guy that you're talking to, he's telling the truth,'' Robinson told local reporters on a conference call following the announcement. ''Sometimes you get the feeling and I got that feeling (with Pagano).''

Adding Robinson could give the Colts something they desperately need - a replacement for Greg Toler, who became a free-agent earlier this month after three injury-plagued seasons in Indy.

Robinson still isn't sure exactly what the plan is. Pro Bowler Vontae Davis has a lock on the starting job on the right side, and Darius Butler has excelled at covering receivers out of the slot. Robinson also has been known for covering slot receivers.

But Colts general manager Ryan Grigson made one thing clear: He expects the Florida State product and former first-round draft pick to play a key role in upgrading Indy's defense.

''We've been interested in Patrick since early in free agency and we're glad it finally came together,'' Grigson said in a statement issued by the team. ''He is a versatile, experienced and steady corner that gives us immediate help opposite Vontae. He was a fit on a number of levels in regards to overall skill but also adds some strong intangibles.''

It's a familiar gamble for Grigson, too.

Just before the start of the 2012 season, the Colts traded a second-round pick to Miami in exchange for Davis, who never quite lived up to his first-round reputation. Davis has had no trouble settling in with the Colts.

Now Grigson is trying to strike gold again with Robinson, who New Orleans took with the final first-round pick in the 2010 draft. Robinson spent five seasons with the Saints before joining the San Diego Chargers last season.

Robinson started all 16 games for the first him in his career in 2015, finishing with 49 tackles, one forced fumble and one interception. In 74 career games, the 5-foot-11, 190-pound Robinson has started 43 and has 234 tackles with 10 interceptions - one of which he returned for a touchdown.

There was speculation he was headed to Dallas after he visited with Cowboys officials recently.

But after talking to Pagano on Tuesday, Robinson just didn't have the appetite to go anywhere else.

''I was sold halfway through the (lunch) conversation, I already knew that I wanted to be a Colt,'' he said. ''The conversation that we had was deep, and I felt how genuine he was with the things he was saying. I just had a gut feeling and I just went with it.''

---

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/AP-NFL