The Indianapolis Colts are reportedly parting ways with a pair of veteran wide receivers, Breshad Perriman and James Washington, as well as waiving rookie undrafted linebacker Donavan Mutin.
Neither Perriman nor Washington were the flashiest signings for the Colts. However, with a receiving room that was being constructed around star pass-catcher Michael Pittman Jr., deep threat Alec Pierce, and slot receivers Isaiah McKenzie and Josh Downs, Perriman seemed to potentially have a place on the team. Washington was a late addition following the season-ending injury to receiver Ashton Dulin, who signed near the end of training camp.
Perriman’s chances increased to make the roster when Dulin went down with an ACL tear during training camp, but this wasn’t to be, as Perriman didn’t make much of a case to be a weapon with Shane Steichen’s offense and rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson during training camp. Perriman is a speedy, deep-threat receiver who was thought to maybe be a WR5 or WR6 that could fit Richardson’s strengths and catch big throws downfield.
Perriman will test the free agent market with a multitude of experience. He’s a seven-year pro with 145 catches, 2,343 receiving yards (16.2 avg.), and 16 touchdowns. Given how the NFL is more pass-heavy than ever, Perriman will look for a team that desperately needs speed and downfield threats at receiver to bring him onto their roster for depth.
Washington did actually make a quick impact, hauling in a 42-yard reception against the Chicago Bears in the preseason just 24 hours after signing with the Colts. However, it was too little, too late. In his 62 career games (25 starts), Washington has caught 114 passes for 1,629 yards (14.3 avg.) and 11 touchdowns.
Now that Perriman and Washington are out of the competition and Dulin is out for the season, who will the Colts turn to for the fifth or sixth spot in the receiver room? Will Indianapolis keep as many pass-catchers as some are thinking? It will be interesting to see how this pans out.
As for Mutin, he showed glimpses in the training camp of possibly being a piece that could be a long shot to make the roster. The Colts picked him up after he’d gone undrafted out of the University of Houston. Despite Mutin not making it in Indianapolis, he may still have value for another franchise given his athleticism at an evolving linebacker position.
With the deadline for roster cuts being Tues., Aug. 29 at 4:00pm ET, there will be more to come from the Colts as it gets closer and closer. Will there be more from the receiver position as Indianapolis starts to shape Richardson’s pass-catching weapons? Can the same be said for the linebacker corp that needs depth?
It’s a tough time for all NFL franchises to make these cuts, but necessary to get to that golden number of 53 players as the regular season is on the horizon.
Stay tuned to Horseshoe Huddle as the Colts continue their cuts.
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