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Colts Move Up to Secure 'Game-Changer' in New Mock
According to Bleacher Report, the Indianapolis Colts should trade up in the 2024 NFL Draft for a game-changing pass-catcher.
The NFL Draft has arrived for the Indianapolis Colts. With multiple positional needs on the roster, there are several avenues that Indy can take in the first round. Will they trade back and grab additional picks? Could they make a play-up for a higher-level prospect?
Bleacher Report's Ryan Fowler recently projected a trade scenario for each team. Here's what he laid out for Indianapolis:
- Colts Get: 2024 First-Round Pick (No. 9)
- Bears Get: 2024 First-Round Pick (No. 15), 2024 Third-Round Pick (No. 82), 2025 Third-Round Pick
Indianapolis could very well be a team that throws a wrench into the top 15 picks.
While GM Chris Ballard could stand pat at No. 15 overall and hope CB Quinyon Mitchell makes it there, moving up for a wideout could be a hypothetical that soon becomes reality.
There is a drop-off of talent behind Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze.
For Ballard, if wideout is priority No. 1, sitting at No. 15 overall won't present him the chance to grab one of the aforementioned game-changing pass-catchers.
The trade that Fowler has for the Colts isn't bad for Indy at all. Given how badly Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs need receiving help, why not go big and snag a Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze? While Fowler mentions Marvin Harrison Jr., he won't be available by the fifth spot, let alone the ninth position.
There is an argument for how deep the 2024 wide receiver class is. Names like Brian Thomas Jr., Adonai Mitchell, Xavier Worthy, Xavier Legette, and Malachi Corley aren't top 10 but still could be great players if they reach their full potential. However, Fowler makes a good argument in his entry for Indianapolis.
Behind the big three draft receivers (Harrison, Nabers, and Odunze), the drop-off in rank begins. That's not to say guys like Thomas, Mitchell, and Worthy can't be massive additions to an NFL team. However, they are the tier-two pass-catchers behind Harrison, Nabers, and Odunze.
Regardless of the situation, the Colts' offense, quarterback Anthony Richardson, and the receiving corps would benefit highly from a trade like this. Keeping in mind that Michael Pittman Jr. (109 catches for 1,152 yards) and Josh Downs (68 catches for 771 yards) accounted for 177 of the 355 team catches (49.9%), Indy could afford to make the deal and grab Nabers or Odunze.
Anything can happen on draft day, especially in the first round. Fowler's trade scenario for the Colts isn't asking too much for a potentially dynamic receiver for an offense that desperately needs playmakers. The real question is whether or not Colts GM Chris Ballard and the war room will trade up, or at all, on day one. We’ll see what happens tonight.
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