The young wide receiver galloped effortlessly down the sideline. As the deep pass came spiraling toward him, he positioned himself for a perfectly timed leap. He then propelled his body vertically, stretching out his long arms to haul in the football.
For those few fleeting moments during a recent practice, Colts rookie Alec Pierce could make one forget about the very legitimate questions surrounding the team’s wide receivers and their collective readiness for the roles they are about to assume. There have actually been many such moments during the past few weeks, giving the coaching staff hope that this group of receivers can make good on its massive potential.
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Still, despite the very real flashes displayed in recent workouts, questions remain. As the Colts put the finishing touches on their offseason work with this week’s mandatory minicamp, they have continued to evaluate their young wide receivers while still considering the addition of a veteran, likely T.Y. Hilton.
But it’s easy to see why the Colts are intrigued by what they’ve seen. It might be enough to embolden the team to lean into its young talent, even while the organization has taken a very different approach to other areas of the roster.
Indianapolis has upgraded this offseason with aggressive moves at a number of key positions, adding notable veterans at quarterback (Matt Ryan), cornerback (Stephon Gilmore) and defensive end (Yannick Ngakoue). But when you look at the Colts’ needs coming out of 2021, wide receiver ranked high among them. Yet, the biggest (only?) upgrade to date is Pierce, a talented player, for sure, but one who has not yet played a snap in the NFL.
It’s not that the Colts are taking the wrong approach. Rather, it’s that they can’t be totally certain they’re taking the right one.
“That’s the ongoing discussion,” coach Frank Reich said. “We can feel good about where we’re at. I can tell you right now, I’m going to feel good after (summer workouts) with this group that we have. Does that mean that we don’t go make another move? No. We’re always looking to make the team better.
“We’ll see how these guys do through all these (practices) and then (ask), ‘Do we need to add somebody? Do we need to talk about T.Y. if T.Y.’s still out there? And then how does that all play out?”
The performance of this group of wide receivers through offseason team activities (OTAs) has done nothing to dissuade the Colts from buying into the young group. Pierce is off to a great start, showing consistency with his hands. Michael Pittman Jr., the team’s No. 1 wideout, has been brilliant. Parris Campbell, seemingly perpetually injured but simultaneously possessing tantalizing talent, has dazzled during the spring. Even little-used Dezmon Patmon has come on of late, showing he might be ready to finally earn a bigger role entering his third season.
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But it’s impossible to ignore the realities around this group. Will they respond similarly when the games matter and the lights shine brightest? Answering in the affirmative will require a leap of faith for the Colts.
No member of this group is older than 25. None has played more than 30 games. Pittman, the most accomplished of the bunch, is just 24.
“I’m only going into Year 3, but I’m just trying to be the elder of the group,” he said.
And then there is the specter of injury, which is inevitable in the NFL. Should one of the team’s top receivers suffer a significant injury, the Colts would be tapping into their next tier of receivers, most of whom are unproven. Ashton Dulin (18 career receptions), Patmon (two) and Mike Strachan (two) would be among those in the pecking order.
So, what makes the Colts think this can work?
A major reason for their optimism is someone who doesn’t play wide receiver at all. The acquisition of Ryan is the biggest factor in the Colts’ confidence about their 2022 passing game. And, to be clear, what he has demonstrated so far in practices indicates they might be right. Ryan’s pinpoint accuracy has a chance to fast-track his young receivers.
“The ball is just right there,” Pittman said of Ryan’s accuracy. “You just turn and you catch the ball and it makes it easier. … Matt can put it pretty much wherever he wants, so you kind of just catch it and run. He’s gonna put it where it needs to be.”
Summer practices, while noncontact in nature, have revealed Ryan’s ability to throw with anticipation, a quality the Colts lacked last season with Carson Wentz under center. That has put his wide receivers in prime position with easily catchable balls while giving them the potential to accumulate yards after the catch.
Ryan is also challenging his young counterparts and imparting some of his encyclopedic knowledge gained from 14 seasons in the NFL.
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“I certainly have experience in this league,” he said. “So, I think that accumulation of knowledge through the years is definitely going to help, hopefully, bring these young guys along.”
The Colts are also banking on coaching. That means the role of first-year wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne takes center stage. The former Colts great has a chance to mold this impressionable unit, but he also is finding his own way after taking on a new role. The good news is that Wayne was as detailed a player as the Colts have ever seen. He didn’t amass 14,345 receiving yards (second in club history behind Marvin Harrison) because he was a freak athlete. Rather, it was Wayne’s dedication to precise route running, his understanding of coverages and his ever-reliable hands.
But the Colts coaching staff also includes Reich. And there is, perhaps, no one better at utilizing individual skill players to their respective strengths. The Colts have essentially used a receiver-by-committee approach for most of Reich’s tenure. He almost seems to prefer it.
Part of that is an effort to keep defenses off-balance by using a variety of personnel groupings. But it’s also a way to avoid putting certain players in suboptimal positions, thereby increasing the odds of successful execution. If, for example, a particular player is better suited to run certain routes, Reich and his staff will use him in those instances rather than ask him to do everything. Another benefit of Reich using this approach, he believes, is that it fuels young players’ confidence when they get involved.
Pierce, for the record, has already been heavily involved in practices. He figures to be a big part of game plans this fall if OTAs are any indication.
“Alec has looked really good. Really good,” Reich said. “Matt (Ryan) and I were just talking about that. He just does a couple things instinctively that are really good signs. I think some of that is Matt and how smart he is and knowing how to use him. But some of that is Alec. He’s a smart player and not just smart, but instinctive. Because there is a difference.”
The Colts are leaning heavily on production from Pierce, Pittman and this young group of receivers. And the stakes are high. The Colts believe they have a team equipped to make a run in 2022. But it’s hard to envision that happening without this unit coming through.
“These guys are young, for sure,” Ryan said, “but their attitude, their energy, their sense of professionalism for young players is really good.”
Time will tell whether that’s enough.
(Photo of Alec Pierce: Robert Goddin / USA Today)
