Colts Remove WR Mike Strachan from PUP List
The Indianapolis Colts are getting one of their most promising players back on the practice field this week.
On Monday, the Colts announced that they have activated second-year wide receiver Mike Strachan from the Physically Unable to Perform List.
Strachan was placed on the Active/PUP List at the beginning of training camp after undergoing a procedure on his knee that also kept him out of much of the spring program. He has missed the first 10 practices of camp as well as the first preseason game. Luckily for Strachan, he's getting back on the field in time for six more practices and two more preseason games.
Last summer, the Colts got a pleasant surprise when the rookie seventh-round pick became one of the team's breakout stars in training camp.
The 6'5", 224-pound wide receiver routinely made impressive plays during practice and defied the odds as a final-round pick to make the team's roster.
Despite making a strong impression in his first training camp, Strachan saw just 61 snaps during the season — primarily during the first quarter of the schedule — exclusively on offense, nearly all of them at outside receiver
In six games, Strachan had 2 receptions (3 targets) for 26 yards (13.0 avg.). Both catches resulted in first downs. Per Pro Football Focus, Strachan had no drops, caught the only contested catch target thrown his way, and generated a passer rating of 93.8 on passes thrown to him.
The Colts' wide receiver corps has been a big point of contention throughout the offseason and into camp, as people on the outside argue that the unit doesn't have enough firepower while the Colts have pledged their belief in guys like Strachan and the team's young, high-potential players.
The Colts had plenty of opportunities to add established, veteran wide receivers to the roster throughout the offseason but have elected not to so far. Strachan and his teammates have taken notice.
"It's a big thing for me to make sure that they made the best decision possible by not bringing in anybody," Strachan told Horseshoe Huddle during the offseason. "I want to be that person they can rely on. My teammates, my coaches, (general manager) Chris Ballard, I want to be that player they can rely on so they don't have to go looking for anybody else.
"Right now, I'm just working to get myself better," Strachan continued. "I plan to come back better each time they see me. So I'm just taking it up a notch and showing that they made the right decision in not bringing anybody in. The role now for me, it's time to rock and roll."
While Strachan may have been a star in last year's camp, he still has work to do in order to carve out a bigger role in 2022.
"Year 2 for me is a big year," Strachan said. "They've been encouraging and telling me how it's time to step it up, even being a leader now. I'm a second-year guy now so it's coming in and knowing what to expect, and just taking over now, and letting myself go and being who I really am as a person."
Strachan should be getting into direct competition with Dezmon Patmon and Keke Coutee for the fifth/sixth wide receiver spots behind Michael Pittman Jr., Parris Campbell, Alec Pierce, and Ashton Dulin.
If he's physically ready to, get ready to see him a lot in these last two preseason games.
What do you expect from Strachan in 2022? Drop your thoughts in the comment section below!
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