Landon Collins

[VeveJones007]

Erickson chimes in .

Safety is a position that matters more to the Indianapolis defense than most teams. Safeties are critical in Matt Eberflus’ defense, a fact fans in Indianapolis know all too well after watching what Bob Sanders could do in Tony Dungy's scheme when he was healthy.

The Colts need a strong safety who can tackle, both as a thumping presence in the running game and a sure stopper in the open field. As good as Indianapolis was against the run last season — the Colts finished eighth in the NFL — Eberflus repeatedly said improved tackling from the defensive backs was key to taking the next step.

And even in an NFL that’s increasingly focused on the pass, defensive backs who tackle are critical to a Colts defense that forces opposing quarterbacks to throw it underneath and trusts its linebackers and secondary to make tackles in the open field.

No defensive back in the NFL makes more plays than Collins, who has made 437 tackles over the past four seasons.

“There’s no doubt it’s important,” Ballard said last week. “Because of the way we play, the 8-man fronts, we ask our safeties to do a lot. They’ve got to drop in the box and be able to play the run in the 8-man front, they’ve got to be able to play in a half field, we’re going to ask them to play man-to-man sometimes on a slot and on a tight end.”