Indianapolis, IN

From undrafted to starter: Why Dallis Flowers is the wild card in Colts CB picture

Published

2 years ago

January 26, 2024

Press Room

From undrafted to starter: Why Dallis Flowers is the wild card in Colts CB picture

INDIANAPOLIS — The Colts have to be much better in the secondary next season.

Indianapolis general manager Chris Ballard decided to go young at defensive back last year, and the decision bit the Colts, limiting Gus Bradley’s play-calling options and leaving the defense vulnerable to talented receivers.

How Ballard plans to address the secondary this offseason remains the question. Ballard praised rookie cornerbacks JuJu Brents and Jaylon Jones in his postseason news conference, promising to add competition at the same time.

And he offered a reminder that another name is in the mix.

Dallis Flowers.

The second-year cornerback opened the season as the team’s top starter on the outside, then suffered a torn Achilles tendon late in the team’s overtime loss to the Rams, ending what was supposed to be his breakout season after just four games.

“We thought he was playing pretty good,” Ballard said. “Getting Dallis Flowers back will be big.”

Flowers gave up eight completions in 15 attempts for 91 yards in four games, according to Sports Info Solutions, allowing a quarterback rating of 71.8 that would have led the Indianapolis cornerbacks last season.

But a torn Achilles tendon can be difficult to rehabilitate.

“Camp is in July, the end of July, so I’ve got about seven months,” Flowers said at the end of the regular season. “Long as I’m ready for camp, that’s all I’m focused on. I’ll be straight.”

Being back on the field is well within the realm of possibility.

When other Colts have suffered the same injury, they have typically been able to return by the start of the next season.

Being back at full strength is often more difficult. Players who have suffered an Achilles tendon tear typically do not regain the same explosiveness until the second season after the injury, though they can play.

In other words, a player can be back on the field, but they might not be quite the same athlete, at least not right away. For a player like Flowers, whose remarkable athleticism is the reason the Colts believed he could eventually make the leap from undrafted free agent to starting cornerback, that can be a big distinction.

“This is my first real injury,” Flowers said. “It’s new to me.”

Injury is new to Flowers. Adversity is not.

Flowers played basketball and football in high school at Oak-Park River Forest in Illinois, and in part because of his dual-sport status, he was lightly-recruited, leading him to at Robert Morris, an FCS program. He then transferred to Tiffin’s Division II program, moved to the NAIA level with Grand View and finally caught the NFL’s attention at Division II Pittsburg State, leading to a contract with the Colts.

Flowers believes what he learned on the winding road he took to the NFL will serve him well as he attacks his Achilles recovery.

“The tables are always turned against me,” Flowers said. “It’s still kind of natural to me. I’m kind of used to it now.”

Flowers needed to lean on that prior experience when his Achilles tendon tore in OT against L.A., removing him from the lineup as the Rams put together a game-winning drive.

Because the injury came at exactly the wrong time. Undrafted free agents rarely get multiple chances to establish themselves as NFL starters, the kind of reputation that can make or break a player’s career.

“I started to get real comfortable in game three against Baltimore, and game four at home, when the injury happened against the Rams, I was bringing the calls to life,” Flowers said. “It was kind of a breakout game for me on defense, and now I’m just trying to get back and go from there, keep going.”

Flowers will return to a Colts cornerback room that looks very different from the day he got injured.

When Flowers got hurt, it opened the door for Jones, a seventh-round pick, to enter the lineup. Despite his struggles down the stretch, Ballard spoke glowingly about the rookie’s promise at the end of the season. Brents battled injuries as a rookie, but Indianapolis invested a second-round pick in the Warren Central product.

An addition or two is likely coming at the position. 

“We’ll add fuel,” Ballard said. “We’ll add some competition to it.”

Flowers first has to get healthy.

Then he will have to prove himself again.

“It’s easy to be negative when something bad happens. I just tried my best to go the other way, go the opposite way. There’s always going be light at the end of the tunnel.”

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Indianapolis, IN

Pirates farm report for April 18, 2026: Rafael Flores Jr. hits 1st homer in Indianapolis win

Published

3 hours ago

April 19, 2026

Press Room

Pirates farm report for April 18, 2026: Rafael Flores Jr. hits 1st homer in Indianapolis win

INDIANAPOLIS (Triple A, 6-14) thumped Omaha (Royals), 11-3. 1B Rafael Flores Jr. (.206) went 2 for 3 with a double, his first home run, two runs scored and three RBIs. LF Tyler Callihan (.239) went 3 for 4 with a double and his first homer, a two-run shot. DH Enmanuel Valdez (.273) went 2 for 4 with his first homer and three runs scored. RF Esmerlyn Valdez (.258) went 2 for 5 with two doubles and a run scored. SS Davis Wendzel (.269) went 1 for 3 with a double, two walks, two runs scored and two RBIs. RHP Carson Fulmer (2-0, 5.51) started, gave up three runs on three hits in five innings and earned the win. RHP Chris Devenski (1.50) and LHP Joe La Sorsa (3.24) each pitched two scoreless innings.

Next: Sunday at Omaha (Royals), 3:05 p.m.

ALTOONA (Double-A, 2-12) had two hits – both solo home runs – and beat Portland (Red Sox), 2-0. LHP Dominic Perachi (1-0, 1.80) started and went six innings, allowing three hits and two walks with three strikeouts. RHP Landon Tomkins (3.38) followed with two scoreless. RHP Jaycob Deese (3.00) worked the ninth for his first save. LF Titus Dumitru (.146) went 1 for 3 with his second homer. C Shawn Ross (.182) went 1 for 3 with his second homer.

Next: Sunday vs. Portland (Red Sox), 1 p.m.

GREENSBORO (High-A, 10-4) lost 8-3 to Brooklyn (Mets). C Easton Carmichael (.273) went 2 for 4 with an RBI. RF Shalin Polanco (.250) went 1 for 3 with a stolen base and an RBI. 1B Jared Jones (.277) went 2 for 5 with a run scored. RHP Carlson Reed (0-1, 7.36) started, recorded one out and gave up four runs on two hits and four walks. RHP Jose Garces (3.60) pitched two scoreless innings.

Next: Sunday at Brooklyn (Mets), 2 p.m.

BRADENTON (Low-A, 5-9) allowed seven stolen bases in its 6-5 loss to Tampa (Yankees). CF Edward Florentino, starting a rehab assignment as he recovers from an ankle injury, went 1 for 3 with a walk, double and run scored. LHP Reinold Navarro (6.43) started and gave up three hits, four walks and two earned runs over three innings while striking out five. SS/1B Eddie Rynders (.128) went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. DH Edgleen Perez (.238) went 1 for 4 and drove in two runs. LF/CF Josh Tate (.208) went 2 for 5 with an RBI. 2B/SS Antonio Pimentel (.154) went 2 for 4 with a double. RHP Greiber Mendez (5.40) and RHP Noah Murdock (0-1, 9.00), who took the loss, each gave up two hits and one run in one inning. RHP Treyson Peters pitched the final three innings, allowing five hits, one earned run and one walk while striking out two.

Next: Sunday at Tampa (Yankees), noon

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Indianapolis, IN

The Zone Extra | April 18, 2026

Published

15 hours ago

April 18, 2026

Press Room

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — It was another busy week in high school sports in central Indiana and ‘The Zone Extra’ has it all covered.

Athlete of the week and Guerin Catholic senior outfielder Ian Taylor is off to a scorching hot start to the young season. Check out his interview as well as Guerin Catholic head coach Dave Schrage talk about Taylor’s success.

The Johnson County baseball tournament came to a close. See highlights from Center Grove’s tournament victory.

The 4A baseball coaches poll was released as well as the 3A softball coaches poll.

The former Columbus North gymnastics coach, John Hinds, passed away at 88 years old.

Center Grove head softball coach Alyssa Coleman joins the show for a coaches corner conversation.

See highlights from the Colts Local Pro Day, featuring several former Hoosiers and Purdue’s Devin Mockobee.

Girls lacrosse is in the first season as an IHSAA emerging sport.

All of that, and more, can be found in the full The Zone Extra show above.

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Indianapolis, IN

Tornado watches issued for counties north and west of Indianapolis

Published

1 day ago

April 18, 2026

Press Room

Tornado watches issued for counties north and west of Indianapolis

(WISH) — A tornado watch was issued until 3 a.m. EDT Saturday for counties northwest and west of Indianapolis, and into Illinois.

Indiana counties in the watch area are Boone, Carroll, Cass, Clay, Clinton, Elkhart, Fountain, Fulton, Howard, Kosciusko, La Porte, Marshall, Miami, Montgomery, Parke, Pulaski, Putnam, St. Joseph, Starke, Tippecanoe, Vermillion, Vigo, Wabash, Warren and White. The watch area includes the cities of Crawfordsville, Elkhart, Lafayette, Lebanon, South Bend, Terre Haute, and West Lafayette.

The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center has issued two watches in Indiana. The other one until midnight EDT Friday includes the Indiana counties of Benton, Jasper, Lake, Newton and Porter. That includes the city of Gary. That watch also extends into Illinois.

Storms on Friday night in central Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Minnesota led to dozens of confirmed tornado warnings. The storms in central Illinois has gusts up to 80 mph, and tornadoes embedded in heavy rain.

An alert issued after 10:30 p.m. Friday from the National Weather Service at Indianapolis said, “A line of strong thunderstorms is nearing the state line with a history of widespread damaging winds and tornadoes. The line is expected to continue to produce damaging winds as it moves into Indiana with the potential for additional tornadoes. The line is then expected to gradually weaken as it moves further into the state.”

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