Colts WR Situation Rears Its Ugly Head After First Training Camp Practice

The Indianapolis Colts were bound to take a step back at wide receiver following Michael Pittman Jr.'s departure, but they're already feeling the weight of said loss after just one practice in training camp.

The team entered training camp without top wideout Alec Pierce after placing him on the active Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List as he works back from his ankle clean-up surgery that he had four months ago, and his presence is already sorely missed.

Pierce's return timeline is somewhere in the four-to-six month range, so even though he's technically in line to comeback in the near future, the Colts are being cautious as they don't want to rush him back and cause further detriment to his outlook.

This is no doubt the smart move, but their remaining receiver room leaves a lot to be desired, and such inspiration (or lack thereof) was very evident during their first training camp practice.

Colts Current-Look WR Room Suggests it Won't Be Enough

The Indianapolis Colts' starting wide receiver group to kick off training camp featured the trio of Josh Downs, Ashton Dulin, and Laquon Treadwell.

As noted, this room will be without Alec Pierce for the foreseeable future, but if the Colts' were to start the regular season tomorrow, there's little reason to believe this group could get the job done.

Ashton Dulin has only continued to prove himself as a legitimate receiving option, instead of just being the special teams player most consider him as, with a strong first practice showing that featured multiple impressive catches.

The Colts also have veteran wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikine at their disposal, a player they view as a legitimate red zone threat.

However, he'll need to be acclimated to head coach Shane Steichen's offense, but even then, he doesn't add much confidence to the room.

The starting group got plenty of run in team sessions to kick off training camp, but were mostly locked down by the Colts' starting defensive backs.

The Colts have a legitimate defensive backfield that provides a good idea of what NFL teams will roll out come the regular season, so while it's promising that Lou Anarumo's defense is in good hands, WRs Coach Reggie Wayne was dealt the opposite observation.

Head coach Shane Steichen spoke with the local media following the Colts' first training camp practice in question, and propped up the current room outside of Pierce.

“Right now, we’ve got moving parts right there and guys are moving around. You’ve got to step up. And there's some competition in that room right now that we're excited about, but excited about (Josh) Downs right now. Obviously, a guy that can play inside and outside now for us, and his role is going to improve this season for us, which we're excited about. And (Ashton) Dulin's a guy that's got to step up and (Laquon) Treadwell and (Nick) Westbrook-Ikhine and the rest of those guys. So, I'm excited about that group, and they're going to compete like crazy during training camp," Steichen said.

GM Chris Ballard Points to TE Room When Addressing WR Situation

Colts TE — Jun 10, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren (84) and Indianapolis Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox (81) are seen during minicamp at Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Colts may be lacking at the wide receiver position, but their tight end room, led by Tyler Warren, gives general manager Chris Ballard confidence that they will contribute to the passing attack's ceiling for the upcoming season.

“Yeah, because I think our tight end group is really good too and I think – like one player we want to see what we can get more of is (Will) Mallory, all right? And he's kind of been stuck in a spot where he's been the fourth tight end, but every time he's played, he's done pretty well. So, using different personnel groups. I think that's the one thing Shane (Steichen) and his staff will do is find a way to, how can we personnel it and get the best 11 on the field and the best weapons on the field at the time? And you're seeing a lot," Ballard explained.

"Like, there's some real mismatches that can happen at the tight end position with those bigger bodies. And I've failed to mention, like our two young running backs, now that's going to be a fun battle to watch too.”

Tyler Warren led the Colts in targets (112) as a rookie, even with Michael Pittman Jr. still in the mix, and should only continue his upward trajectory, but that still doesn't make up for the team's situation at wide receiver.

If the Colts were to lose to either Alec Pierce or Josh Downs for any amount of time in 2026, aka what the room looks like right now, it could serve as a disatrous hindrance for their overall outlook through the air.

Defensive Player Flirts With Position Change to Supplement Lacking Room

The Colts' wide receiver room is in such a bad place that the team has resorted to flirting with a position change of a second-year defensive back.

Safety Ben Nikkel was seen getting individual work with the wide receivers during the Colts' first training camp practice, and head coach Shane Steichen addressed his potential position change afterwards.

“Ben's (Nikkel) kind of a jack of all trades. He's a Swiss Army knife. He does a lot of different things for us through special teams last year on the scout team. So, playing safety – obviously you have so many practice squad players, and so he would go both ways for us last year and he made a ton of plays on the scout team," Steichen said about Nikkel after practice.

"So, we switched him over to offense. I was excited to see him out there. He had a catch today. He's going to continue to improve and grow in that role.”

Ben Nikkel is a career practice squad player, so even though he looks to making a position change to help supplement the team's offensive lows, he doesn't really move the needle.

Colts In Market for Veteran Free Agent Addition, and They Should Be

Chris Ballard, Indianapolis Colts general manager, talks Friday, July 25, 2025, with Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon during training camp held at Grand Park in Westfield. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Colts' longtime general manager feels confident in the wide receiver room he's constructed, but even he admitted ahead of training camp that the team will be monitoring the free agent market.

Proven veterans such as Deebo Samuel, Stefon Diggs, and Keenan Allen are the top remaining options of what's left in free agency.

The latter's familiarity with head coach Shane Steichen's offense from their days together with the Los Angeles Chargers makes him the perfect candidate, but we'll have to see if the Colts can convince any of the top options to sign a one-year deal in Indianapolis.

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