Did the Colts get Enough Weapons for Matt Ryan?

ESPN asks and answers the question.

ESPN asked the question following the NFL Draft after the weekend: Did the Colts get Matt Ryan enough help on offense.

Mike Wells, who covers the Colts for ESPN, answered.

Yes. The Colts were silent during free agency when they didn't sign an outside offensive player. But they gave Ryan some help by selecting receiver Alec Pierce in the second round and then tight ends Jelani Woods and Andrew Ogletree in the sixth round. And the Colts haven't officially shut the door on re-signing free agent T.Y. Hilton, who spent the first 10 years of his career with the franchise. They hope to have a resolution on Hilton's status in the near future. -- Mike Wells, ESPN

While there is always an unknown with rookies, the Colts did a very good job of addressing their needs to get more explosive on offense with the addition of Pierce and Woods.

Pierce was one of the stars of the NFL Combine, measuring 6'3 and 216 pounds with a 4.41 forty and a 40.5" vertical jump. Pierce had 52 catches for 884 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior for the Cincinnati Bearcats. 

At 6'7 and 259 pounds, Woods is an impressive target in the middle of the field for Ryan. His 4.61 forty was second best among tight ends at the NFL Combine. 

Woods began his career at Oklahoma State, and his receiving numbers took off when he transferred to Virginia. He had just 31 catches for 361 yards and four touchdowns in three years with the Cowboys, but produced 44 catches for 598 yards and right touchdowns in just 11 games with Virginia.

Ogletree was more of a blocker than receiver at Youngstown State. Expectations for him to become a prolific receiver on the next level should be tempered.

With their first-two picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Colts got size, speed, and athleticism at wide receiver and tight end. 

Time will tell if that will be enough for Ryan and the Colts to make a playoff run, but on paper, Pierce and Woods look like two excellent weapons.

Indianapolis Colts 2022 NFL Draft Class:

Round/Pick, Name, POS, College
2/53 Alec Pierce WR Cincinnati
3/73 Jelani Woods TE Virginia
3/77 Bernhard Raimann OT Central Michigan
3/96 Nick Cross S Maryland
5/159 Eric Johnson DL Missouri State
6/192 Andrew Ogletree TE Youngstown State
6/216 Curtis Brooks DT Cincinnati
7/239 Rodney Thomas II S Yale