One of the positions of need for the Indianapolis Colts this offseason was wide receiver.
Drafting Alec Pierce in the second round and getting Parris Campbell back to pair with Michael Pittman Jr. should be enough to build a young, solid receiving core in Indy.
However, there is a lot of young talent in this training camp roster, making the decision on final cuts more difficult.
With multiple players fighting for a spot, and only about six slots available, it will be a battle until the very end to see which players will suit up against Houston in Week 1.
Based on Saturday’s preseason game against Detroit, though, it looks like the decision may have been made for those in charge.
Two names that stood out from Saturday’s game were Mike Strachan and Dezmon Patmon. Both players had somewhat unproductive campaigns last season, appearing in only a handful of games. This year, their impact could be much greater with a more pass-friendly offense.
Strachan came back to the practice field this week after having offseason knee surgery. The 25-year-old receiver did not miss a beat, though, picking right up where he left off last preseason.
He finished the day with three catches for 45 yards and a touchdown. His 6-foot-5 frame would be a huge asset to this Colts receiving corps, and that was on full display Saturday against the Lions. It seems that the Colts have big plans for Strachan if he can stay healthy and consistently perform while on the field.
Patmon has had some flashes throughout training camp and the preseason. But an explosive game is what he needed.
Against Detroit, Patmon led all Colts receivers with five catches for 103 yards and a touchdown, including a 50-yard bomb from Sam Ehlinger. Patmon is another player that has not consistently put up numbers in this offense over the last two seasons. The talent is there, but will he get the opportunity to go out and showcase it?
At this point, it looks like Strachan and Patmon will round out the wide receiver room, with Ashton Dulin as the fourth player behind the big three.
Dulin is utilized more on special teams, so his reps at receiver have been limited. But his role as the fourth wide receiver is essentially locked in.
However, this does leave some guys out of the wide receiver room. Keke Coutee is a player the Colts were excited to work with this offseason, but a groin injury has sidelined him this week, leaving his status for the remainder of training camp up in the air.
It is likely he will be cut, along with undrafted rookie Ethan Fernea and recent addition D.J. Montgomery. The speedy DeMichael Harris will likely stay on the practice squad, with a history of being used on special teams periodically.
The Colts did not feel the need to bring in a veteran receiver this offseason, and we may be starting to see why. This young receiving corps is filled with the talent, size, and speed capable of going against some of the league’s best secondaries.
Expect this offense to throw the ball a lot more this year as Matt Ryan becomes more comfortable with his new teammates.
It seems as though the mystery of “Who will make the 53-man roster?” has been solved, with Mike Strachan and Dez Patmon making their cases to stick around and contribute.
