Taylor-Britt Suspended for Week 1, Adding to a Secondary That Was Already Short-Handed

The NFL announced Friday that Cam Taylor-Britt will serve a one-game suspension for violating the personal-conduct policy, meaning he misses the season opener. Per the coverage, the suspension was expected — this was a known issue when Indianapolis picked him up. That doesn't make it easier to absorb.

The Colts have been working on this cornerback room all camp. I noted the August 4 roster move and the three workouts that followed, and the team's urgency there was already evident before Friday's news. Charvarius Ward played only seven games last season, and the depth behind him was essentially nonexistent — one cornerback logged meaningful snaps all year. Taylor-Britt was supposed to help fill that gap. He still will, starting in Week 2.

Worth noting: Sauce Gardner is listed as questionable, which adds another variable to an already unsettled secondary picture heading into the opener. The depth chart at corner — Mekhi Blackmon, Justin Walley, Rob Carter — will need to hold things together for one game without Taylor-Britt in the mix.

The offense looks fine. Jones is healthy, Taylor is locked in on a new deal, and the pieces are largely in place. The secondary is where Indianapolis opens the season most exposed, and Week 1 just got a little thinner.