INDIANAPOLIS – It’s not that the Indianapolis Colts don’t have playmakers on offense.
They just don’t have enough. Not even close.
There’s Jonathan Taylor.
And Michael Pittman Jr.
And Nyheim Hines. If, that is, the coaching staff can ever figure out how to fully maximize his versatility and unlock his potential.
“Really excited about those three players,’’ Frank Reich said. “Three big-play playmakers.’’
But that’s about it. It’s a list that’s much too short, and the Colts know it.
“We’re no doubt trying to add pieces, add weapons, add players,’’ Reich said.
The NFL is all about offenses stressing defenses to the max with explosive plays and game-changing moments. It’s too difficult to rely on 10-play, move-the-chain drives. Too much can go wrong on the long journey.
There’s nothing wrong with featuring a young running back – Taylor turned 23 in January – but let’s not forget the Colts became the first team since the 2011 Jacksonville Jaguars to have the league’s leading rusher and not reach the playoffs.
As is the case with edge pass rushers, a team can never have enough offensive playmakers.
“Look, you want as many playmakers as you can get, OK?’’ Chris Ballard said. “I guess that would be the best way to summarize it.
“We need to add some more weapons.’’
Ballard revealed T.Y. Hilton is leaning toward returning for an 11th season, but would the Colts be receptive to re-upping one of their more popular players who’s clearly on the downside of his career? He’s missed 16 games over the last four seasons with a variety of injuries and managed 23 receptions and 331 yards – both career lows – in 10 games in 2021.
If Hilton returns to Indy, it would have to be with the understanding of a lesser role and on a lesser contract than the one-year, $8 million deal he accepted last offseason.
And even if Hilton returns, that wouldn’t diminish the need to add playmakers to the offensive mix.
It’s imperative Ballard and his personnel staff add outside speed at wideout to complement Pittman. The tight end room needs restocked as well, especially if veteran Jack Doyle retires.
The Colts face a complicated issue at quarterback. Everything points to them moving on from Carson Wentz after one unsatisfactory season, even though the options at finding a replacement aren’t enticing. It appears to be a thin draft class at the position – not to mention the Colts sent their first-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles as part of the Wentz trade – and the veteran free-agent market is just as unappealing.
But while the timing doesn’t appear to be right to reload at quarterback, that’s not the case at receiver/playmaker.
The free-agent market should be loaded. An already-attractive group – Allen Robinson, Chris Godwin, Mike Williams, D.J. Chark Jr., etc. – could be boosted by the addition of Amari Cooper. ESPN is reporting the Dallas Cowboys likely will cut their 27-year old wideout who’s had five 1,000-yard seasons.
And the draft once again teems with intriguing prospects.
“It’s a great wide receiver draft,’’ said NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah. “I feel like we could copy and paste the comments on wide receiver and use it for the next 20 years because the college game is giving us a ton of these guys every year.’’
Jeremiah ranks six receivers among his top 27 players: Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson (6th overall), USC’s Drake London (13th), Arkansas’s Treylon Burks (14th), Penn State’s Jahan Dotson (25th), Ohio State’s Chris Olave (26th) and Alabama’s Jameson Williams (27th).
ESPN draft analysts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay agree with Jeremiah’s assessment. Each has those six being selected in round 1. That, by the way, would extend a recent receiver-heavy draft. Five were taken in round 1 and round 2 last year. In 2020, there were six selected in round 1 and seven in round 2.
With so many top-end prospects, on-field workouts at the on-going NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium could help create separation, or at least better align the group.
Speed often boosts or lessens a receiver’s draft stock, and speed was on display Thursday. Eight wideouts were timed at 4.4 or better in the 40. Baylor’s Tyquan Thornton led the way at 4.28 followed Tennessee’s Velus Jones (4.31), Memphis’ Calvin Austin III (4.32), SMU’s Danny Gray (4.33), Rutgers’ Bo Melton (4.34), North Dakota State’s Christian Watson (4.36) and Wilson (4.39).
Pittman turned in a 4.52 in the 2020 Scouting Combine, which didn’t dissuade the Colts. They invested the first of their two second-round picks – 34th overall – in the 6-4 223-pound USC product.
The previous year, the Colts used another second-round pick on Ohio State’s Parris Campbell. His three-year stay in Indy has been marred with injuries. He’s missed 34 of 49 regular-season games and managed only 34 receptions and 360 yards.
While Pittman has taken the No. 1 baton from Hilton – who took it from Reggie Wayne, who took it from Marvin Harrison – he desperately needs help. Again, it’s unclear if there’s a role for Hilton if he wants to return and it’s impossible to count on Campbell as anything more than a bonus in 2022 if he’s able to stay on the field.
“I’m not quitting on Parris Campbell,’’ Ballard said. “Does it mean we’re going to sit here and count on him being our two or three right away? No, we will add competition to the position.
“But Parris Campbell is still a very talented guy. Unfortunate for the injury part of it, but the flashes have been really good with Parris. So hopefully we’ll see it come to fruition.’’
No one should be surprised if Ballard commits to a veteran free agent as well as uses another early pick on a wideout.
Contributing to the Colts’ historic collapse last season was a passing game that gradually eroded as the season unfolded. Some of that was the performance of Wentz. But some of it was a supporting cast of skill players that was lacking.
In 2020 with Philip Rivers under center, the passing game generated 56 receptions of at least 20 yards, 10th in the NFL. Last year with Wentz, there were 42, tied for 24th. Most distressing, after producing 29 receptions of at least 20 yards in the first nine games, there were just 13 in the last seven games.
“Our pass game has to be better,’’ Ballard said.
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