Colts Are Prepared to Embrace Committee Approach at Wide Receiver

The Indianapolis Colts' passing game in 2026 won't be that different from a season ago, though the void that Michael Pittman Jr. left when he was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers will be tricky to fill.

Quarterback Daniel Jones is set to have three of his four top targets from his first season with Indianapolis. Wideouts Alec Pierce and Josh Downs, and tight end Tyler Warren, are poised to step up in Pittman Jr.'s absence, but an opening at outside receiver remains.

Pittman Jr.'s departure means that over 100 targets are up for grabs. Even with Alec Pierce's emergence, one that saw him net a 4-year, $114M deal to kick off free agency, this leftover production won't be easy to replace.

Following the 2026 NFL Draft, the Colts are slated to fill said opening with an aggregate of players, each of which has a specialization that head coach Shane Steichen, offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, and wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne are confident they can utilize as they see fit.

The group of wideouts in question features longtime contributor Ashton Dulin, free agent signee Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, 2026 seventh-round pick Deion Burks, and even Josh Downs. The latter of which is no doubt a slot specialist, but the aforementioned trio of offensive coaches are confident that Downs can produce from the outside as well.

In particular, offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter thinks they've put together a room that complements eachother well.

“Yeah, there are some really good players in that room," Cooter explained. "I think there's a lot of different ways to play good football in the wide receiver room. We've tried to do a good job in years past of utilizing those guys for their strengths. Whether it's, one guy playing 1,000 snaps, or two guys playing 500 a piece, or however it shakes out, 700, 300 – maybe there's three or four guys sort of utilizing those snaps."

"We're going to try to use guys to the best of their ability to help our offense, and really to the best of their ability to showcase what they can do. Because we do have some guys in that room who have played good NFL football before, and I think those guys are excited to sort of have an opportunity, maybe to play a couple extra reps here and there and take advantage of those opportunities. Now, we like those guys. We like the room. It'll be sort of fun to watch how it goes offseason (and) in training camp. We'll do everything we can to put them in the best position to have success.”

The Colts' offensive coordinator is entering his fourth season running the offense alongside head coach Shane Steichen. The pairing has produced shades of greatness during their three seasons together thus far, but a lack of sustained success, particularly from the quarterback position, has what's prevented them from taking the next step offensively.

Now, Jim Bob Cooter and Shane Steichen are set to run it back with a quarterback in Daniel Jones who proved to be their best option moving forward. This continuity is most important as the Colts are in a true playoffs or bust scenario.

Deion Burks' Rookie Impact

The Colts' late-round selection of Oklahoma wide receiver Deion Burks (254th overall) was viewed as one of the best value picks in the entire draft class.

The 5'9", 180-pound receiver sports blazing speed (4.3 40-yard dash) and inside-out versatility. Even though his stature suggests that he'll compete for slot reps and nothing more, Burks is best suited for an outside role.

Offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter is excited about the prospect of Burks getting some real run as a rookie, and explained why he thinks the near-undrafted wideout could be a rare case of smaller, faster wide receivers who carve out a sustainable role in the NFL.

“Yeah, I mean the tape is really good. We were excited flipping the tape on and sort of learning about him, writing him up, learning about his background. He played at a couple different places, but really is a flash with his athleticism and his speed at both of those places," Cooter explained.

"He's a guy we're excited to get here on campus in the building here soon, and we'll put him through his paces with different routes and different responsibilities, and let him go try to beat different guys in man coverage, get open versus zone coverage, catch the ball (and) block in the run game. We'll put the full menu on his plate and see what we’ve got. He’s a guy we're excited to see here live, out here on hopefully these grass fields when the rain stops raining on us and see what he's got.”

Making the 53-man active roster is Burks' main priority this summer, but the Colts are excited to add him to the mix regardless.

Potential Additions to the Room

There are still a handful of viable veteran wide receivers left on the free agent market, namely Stefon Diggs and Keenan Allen, but there remains one option who could fit seamlessly into the Colts' room.

Former Commanders wideout Deebo Samuel by no means has the explosiveness that earned him All-Pro First-Team honors earlier in his career, but his versatility and run-after-catch ability are enough to bet on him for a one-year deal.

The Colts currently have the 7th-most cap space available with $31M at their disposal, so if they're serious about contending, adding legitimate competition to a room that's currently set to duke it out for snaps would be a huge first step in ensuring insurance for the upcoming season.

Even if Samuel nets a deal with Indianapolis and becomes nothing more than a rotational piece in 2026, the Colts would be better off having another body in the room, because as it stands, one injury could derail their passing game entirely.

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