Previewing Colts’ TE Depth Chart Entering 2022 Season
The Fourth of July weekend has come and gone, which means we are only getting closer to the return of football.
Later this month, NFL teams will reconvene as each organization will begin training camp. Players and coaches will return from their summer break fresh and ready to start the long grind of the NFL season. The Indianapolis Colts are one of those teams and will begin camp on July 27th at Grand Park Sports Complex in Westfield, Ind.
The Colts are a team that will see plenty of new faces taking on major roles for the 2022 season. Some position battles have already been determined, while others will be up for grabs throughout training camp. The Colts are hoping this competition leads to improved play all over the field.
As was the case a season ago, it is time to preview the Colts’ depth chart as we head into the 2022 season. We will go position by position and discuss how the players stack up heading into the fall. The fourth position group to preview is the tight ends, where a veteran is ready to be the alpha dog, and plenty of young faces are looking to make an impact.
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Mo Alie-Cox
2021 Stats: 24 catches, 316 yds (13.2 avg), 4 TDs
Since 2016, Jack Doyle has been the TE1 for the Colts. Doyle was known for his sure hands and dependability, so much so that the phrase “WWJD” – What Would Jack Do? – became synonymous with excellence in the locker room. But with Doyle calling it quits after the 2021 season, who will step up in the tight end room?
Enter Alie-Cox, the veteran tight end entering his fifth season in the NFL. The former college basketball star has faced a long road up until this point. His hard work and determination to improve have taken him from an undrafted free agent who had not played football since high school to signing a three-year, $17.5 million contract extension with the Colts this past spring.
Alie-Cox has been the TE1 for the Colts at times over the past couple of seasons when Doyle was injured. However, this will be the first time he will take the reigns as the top tight end in the room, an opportunity he is excited to have. Not only will Alie-Cox be responsible for the main blocking duties at tight end, but he will also need to become more of a consistent threat in the passing game. At 6’5” and 267 pounds, the 28-year-old has the size and catch radius to be a mismatch all over the field.
Many Colts fans have hoped to see Alie-Cox in an expanded role for some time now. 2022 is the time for him to prove them right.
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Kylen Granson
2021 Stats: 11 catches, 106 yds (9.6 avg)
After being a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of SMU, Granson’s rookie year was one filled with ups and downs. The rookie tight end shined throughout training camp, making plays in the passing game and consistently being one of the top performers. It looked as if the Colts had found an exciting “move” tight end that could be a mismatch down the field.
However, things changed once the regular season came around. Granson struggled to make much of an impact on offense, and while he saw his snaps increase as the season went along, he never found his way to the end zone. His struggle to find playing time was due to the fact the Colts became such a run-centric team throughout the season and that he did not show he deserved to be on the field instead of Doyle and Alie-Cox.
2022 is a big year for Granson. The Colts have high hopes for him coming into the season and believe that a new quarterback in Matt Ryan will fit Granson’s strengths better in the passing game. He will be given a chance to be the “move” tight end that head coach Frank Reich desperately wants in his offense, but he will have competition for this spot and must earn the snaps in Year 2.
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Jelani Woods
2021 Stats (college): 44 catches, 598 yds (13.6 avg), 8 TDs
Some guys just look the part as a football player, and Woods fits that bill to a T. Woods stands at 6’7”, 253 pounds, and runs a 4.61 40-yard dash. That combination of size and speed is enough to keep defensive coordinators up at night.
Woods started his collegiate career at Oklahoma State as a quarterback for the Cowboys. He did not switch to tight end until coaches asked him to play the position on the scout team one week as they prepared for an opponent. After running circles around the starting defense, Woods never went back.
He transferred to the University of Virginia for his senior season and dominated the competition. Woods led the ACC in touchdowns by a tight end and was voted First-Team All-ACC for his efforts. The massive weapon was too enticing for the Colts to pass up on as they took him in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
The rookie tight end will look to compete for snaps right away in the Colts’ offense. Not only does Woods have the size and speed to be a weapon in the passing game, the Colts believe he can be an asset in the run game with his blocking ability. Woods has all of the physical tools to be an important part of the Colts’ offense, and Reich will make sure to feature him to exploit his strengths.
Andrew Ogletree
2021 Stats (college): 28 catches, 282 yds (10.1 avg)
Another rookie in the group looking to make his impact felt is Ogletree. A sixth-round pick of the Colts in this past spring’s NFL Draft, Ogletree is a former wide receiver turned tight end. He started his collegiate career at Division II Findlay before transferring to Youngstown State, where he transitioned to tight end.
While Ogletree’s stats do not jump off the page, he has the physical makeup to be a mismatch at the position. He stands at 6’5” and 260 pounds while running a 4.70 40-yard dash with a 35-inch vertical. The big tight end has displayed the ability to be agile and move well down the field with a catch radius that makes him a big target.
Ogletree did impress in spring practices and showed that he may not be as far away as some other sixth-round picks. If he continues to impress in camp and can carve out a role on special teams early, Ogletree could be an interesting prospect to keep an eye on down the line for the Colts.
Other Colts Depth Chart Previews
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