INDIANAPOLIS — The Colts keep saying they have enough at wide receiver.
Indianapolis forked over a four-year megadeal to Alec Pierce because the Colts believe he can be a No. 1 receiver. Josh Downs has led the Colts in receptions.
But it is fair to wonder how Indianapolis plans to replace either player if they have to miss games. While trading Michael Pittman Jr. made sense considering his cap hit and level of play the last two seasons, the lack of investment after the trade has left the Colts with uncertainty beyond the top two.
That uncertainty that could become a critical issue if Indianapolis cannot get one of the other receivers on the roster to play above his pedigree.
“Yeah, we’ll see how that plays out,” Colts head coach Shane Steichen said. “I mean, (Ashton) Dulin is a guy, Westbrook (Nick Westbrook-Ikhine) that we signed is a guy, and (Laquon) Treadwell is a guy that’s been here. … And then obviously we’ve got (Deion) Burks as well.”
Indianapolis has options.
But none of those players profiles as a clear-cut starter.
Dulin, one of the NFL’s best special-teamers, has 40 career catches in 82 career games. Westbrook-Ikhine, a downfield weapon during his time in Tennessee, has never caught more than 38 passes in a season. Treadwell hasn’t caught more than six passes in a season since 2021.
Burks, the team’s seventh-round draft pick, has incredible downfield speed but lacks the size of a player who can carry a passing offense as an outside receiver, and Colts fans know all too well that it’s risky to get excited about the potential of a late-round pick, no matter how he looks in training camp.
Indianapolis has shrugged off questions about the receiver position this offseason by focusing on the front-line players it brought back.
Pierce was handed a four-year, $114-million contract in free agency not only because he’s the NFL’s best deep threat, but because Indianapolis has seen proof that he can handle any route Steichen designs for him. When Pierce signed, he acknowledged that higher volume comes with that kind of contract.
Downs, the team’s slot receiver, took a back seat in the offense because of the emergence of rookie tight end Tyler Warren, but he should get more chances in Pittman’s absence. The two players often operated in the same areas, although Downs beats coverages in different ways than Pittman.
“Obviously, losing Pitt, I think Downs, his role will step up a little bit more – more targets for him,” Steichen said. “He’s a hell of a player. We’ve played him in the slot a long time. Get him some reps on the outside as well in the spring and see where that goes, but I’m excited about Josh and his development since he’s been here.”
Then there is Warren.
The team’s tight end led all Colts with 112 targets last season, and Indianapolis has acknowledged that the No. 14 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft might have only been scratching the surface. The Colts built Warren’s role around designed plays that schemed him open; the Penn State product now has a season of NFL football under his belt, giving Warren a chance to learn how to get open on his own.
“What he was able to do as a rookie was pretty impressive, and to add to that, the understanding of the offense — certain routes, how to run certain routes to create more separation going into Year 2 — is going to be big,” Steichen said after Warren’s 817 receiving yards were the eighth most by a rookie tight end in NFL history.
If all three players are healthy throughout the season, it’s easy to see Pittman’s role being divvied up among them.
If somebody misses time, like Pierce and Downs have the last two seasons, the options for Daniel Jones seem to dwindle quickly.
Indianapolis could still address the position. A handful of big-name veterans remain on the market, and Steichen has proven he can scheme a player open if they have the savvy to take advantage.
At the same time, the Colts head coach revealed how important it is to find a receiver who can get open on his own by saying last week what he tried to find at the position in the draft.
“Separation at the top of routes is big for me,” Steichen said “Can they win one-on-one on the outside? Obviously, they’ve got to have great hands and then depending on their skill set, their body type – are they a slot receiver? Are they an outside receiver? Do they have a feel for zone coverage? If you’re in the slot on option routes, whether it be that – the bigger-body-type guys, being physical at the top of routes is huge for me, and the separation is big, and the explosive ability.”
Do the Colts have players who fit that bill beyond Pierce and Downs?
Indianapolis is going to find out one way or the other.
Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Do the Colts have enough at receiver behind Alec Pierce, Josh Downs?
Reporting by Joel A. Erickson, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
