The late-August addition of Sam Womack at the cornerback position has proven to be a game-changer for the Indianapolis Colts.
A 2022 fifth-round pick by San Francisco, Womack spent his first two seasons with the 49ers as well as the most recent training camp.
During roster cutdowns, the 49ers released Womack and the Colts were one of three teams to put in a waiver claim on him. Ultimately, having the higher priority of the three teams, the Colts were awarded Womack.
For a position group that faced a number of questions entering the season, Womack has provided some much-needed stability.
What started out as a time-share at cornerback with Dallis Flowers after JuJu Brents was placed on injured reserve, quickly transformed into Womack being the starting boundary option opposite of Jaylon Jones.
On the year, Womack has allowed only five completions on 11 targets at just 8.0 yards per catch. He’s also had an impressive knack for the ball with five pass breakups.
Those numbers are terrific and we all see the impact he’s making each week.
However, to take it a step further, ESPN’s Seth Walder recently dove into some of the more advanced metrics that further highlight Womack’s impact.
According to Walder, Womack has allowed 0.3 yards per coverage snap this season. This is the lowest mark by any boundary cornerback with at least 100 coverage snaps.
In addition to that, Womack’s 13 percent target rate is below the league average and when thrown at, he is allowing a minus-22 percent completion percentage over expectation, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
Walder also adds that this week against the Houston Texans, Womack will see the majority of his snaps likely lined up across from receiver Tank Dell. This season, Dell has caught 20 passes for 194 yards and a score.
