With the roster construction portion of the NFL offseason now largely behind us, what needs remain for the Indianapolis Colts?
Following the NFL draft, we highlighted three position groups that GM Chris Ballard could add to, one of which was also mentioned by ESPN’s Aaron Schatz in his recent article.
Schatz would pore over all 32 rosters, selecting the biggest remaining positional need for each team. For the Colts, he selected wide receiver.
Why is wide receiver still a need for the Colts after the 2026 NFL draft?
Leading the way at this position for the Colts will be Alec Pierce and Josh Downs. However, after trading away Michael Pittman earlier this offseason, there is another starting spot up for grabs.
As of now, presumably competing for that playing time will be Ashton Dulin, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and Deion Burks.
“The second outside receiver penciled in is Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who had just 11 receptions for 89 yards last season in Miami,” wrote Schatz. “His career numbers are juiced by nine touchdowns in 2024, but Westbrook-Ikhine has never topped 500 yards in a season. Behind him are veteran Ashton Dulin, who has seven catches over the past two seasons, and third-year receiver Anthony Gould, who has three career catches. Seventh-rounder Deion Burks could play a role.”
To Schatz’s point, Westbrook-Ikhine is coming off a down season in Miami. Dulin has primarily been a special teams contributor and run-blocker when called upon on offense. Burks, meanwhile, is a seventh-round rookie. Gould is a slot-first receiver.
Of course, at this stage of the offseason, free agent options are going to be limited, which could likely mean that the Colts roll with who they already have on the roster.
None of the players mentioned are expected to replace Pittman’s production. Pierce and Downs should see more opportunities in his absence, while tight end Tyler Warren continues to play a big role in the passing game.
On paper, there will be a starter opposite of Pittman, but the weekly matchup and in-game situations could dictate what playing time looks like in that potentially shared WR3 role.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Analyst identifies remaining roster hole for Colts after NFL draft
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Colts Wire / Colts Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
