To be more of an offensive threat, the Colts need to add more talent.
The Indianapolis Colts have a problem, and that problem was on full display against the Patriots on Sunday. Currently, the team doesn’t have enough playmakers. They don’t have enough players who can take over and impact a game. When the Colts need a big play, who can they turn to to make something out of nothing? Dropped passes almost doomed this team last week, and if not for the legs and improvisation of Anthony Richardson, we would be looking at a much different situation heading into the bye. The good news is that all of this can be remedied with a playmaker or two this offseason.
Let me first say this with a caveat: The Colts have playmakers on offense. Richardson and Jonathan Taylor qualify as playmakers in my opinion with Josh Downs having potential, but they can’t do it all.
Alec Pierce is good for the occasional long ball. Yes, he caught the game winning touchdown, but he isn’t someone the team is consistently looking to when things get tight. While I understand he has been battling some back injuries, Michael Pittman Jr. has seemingly disappeared after receiving his contract. From bringing in 8+ receptions game after game last year, he is struggling to eclipse more than 5 in 2024. Not sure what to say about A.D. Mitchell either. Not that I am giving up on him because rookie receivers can take a minute to adjust to the league, but the preseason hype has not translated to the season. With 20 total receptions, a slew of drops, and an avoidance of contact, things aren’t off to a hot start. Although the coverage was solid, Mitchell had a chance to make a monster catch on the game’s final drive in Foxboro but couldn’t haul it in.
Don’t even get me started on the tight end group. Yes, Mo Alie-Cox came up with a critical fourth down catch, but I need to see more than that. Kylen Granson had his own huge drop on what was a tough but certainly catchable ball. That group has been completely nonexistent and is the reason why Brock Bowers was a draft trade up target for the Colts. Bowers has 84 receptions and 884 yards with four touchdowns. That is the type of production the Colts need to find out of a tight end this offseason. Trotting out this same unit would be a disaster.
To create a more potent offensive attack and help Anthony Richardson take that next step, the Colts have to obtain higher level talent. Whether it be through a trade or the draft, bringing in a playmaker or two has to be top priority. Richardson needs receivers who can get open and catch the ball when thrown to them. He is never going to be a precision passer, so someone who has some range and can bail him out occasionally is a must. The Colts need to find players who can create on their own and impact the game when they touch the ball. It isn’t an easy task, but it is necessary if we want to see this offense get to the next level.
