Colts Know Tight End Need Remains
INDIANAPOLIS – Like a parent trying not to smile at a misbehaving child, Shane Steichen had a steel trap blanketed across his face at the NFL Combine.
When asked about the possibility of taking a tight end early in the draft, the uber-stoic Steichen didn’t crack, before providing an answer
“Depending on what route we go,” Steichen began, “Obviously to be multiple at that position, to be able to run block and pass catch, is huge.
“To be able to affect the game on third downs, as a pass catcher, at the tight end position, is huge”
Even though the Colts don’t want to directly say it, their tight end position has been beyond underwhelming in the receiving department in recent years.
You have to go back to 2019 to find the last time the Colts had a single tight end with more than 450 receiving yards in a single season (Jack Doyle). To put that into further perspective, the NFL has seen 126 individual seasons of tight ends having more than 450 receiving yards since the Colts last had one.
While the Colts have long stayed by the guys they have had in the tight end room (former draft picks in Kylen Granson, Jelani Woods, Drew Ogletree, Will Mallory, plus veteran undrafted free agent Mo Alie-Cox), they have started to acknowledge what a stud can be for them.
“I like our tight end room right now, but when you have an elite, elite guy that can be dominant on third down I think that really helps your football team,” Steichen says.
The 2025 Mock Drafts have bonded together with an almost universal thought the Colts will spend the 14th pick on either Tyler Warren (Penn State) or Colston Loveland (Michigan).
Such a choice would make plenty of sense. Although some push back, rather pointing to the ample tight end draft depth in 2025 to address such a need, focusing on more of a premium position at No. 14 overall.
It hasn’t happened in his two years with the Colts, but Steichen’s background has been one with a top-flight pass catching tight end.
A quarterback’s best friend can often be a safety valve tight end to keep a more methodical nature to the passing game consistent.
Too often in 2024, the Colts struggled to find that aspect to their passing offense.
This offseason though, the Colts have (eventually) said change is coming at tight end.
Will it be an emphatic matter when the draft arrives in a few weeks?
“We like the guys we have, (but) we have work to do,” Chris Ballard said at the Combine. “We think (Drew) Ogletree is really coming up. He did a really good job for us. We need to find out what (Wil) Mallory can be. He’s had some flashes. There’s been some depth in there.
But…
“It’s one (position) we need to do some work.”
Nothing so far this offseason, hence the tight end attention around the pending draft.
