The next couple of weeks are going to be very important for the Indianapolis Colts. There are a lot of reasons to keep an eye on this team with training camp on the horizon as there are a few positional battles to watch on the field. Off of it, contract extensions are going to dominate the headlines.
Indianapolis has what some teams would consider a good problem in the fact they have multiple players worthy of receiving a contract extension from the team. Running back Jonathan Taylor and wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. are both entering the final year of their rookie contracts.
Both players were second-round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, with Taylor going No. 41st out of Wisconsin and Pittman going 34th out of USC. While a strong case can be made for both of them to have an extension prioritized, it is Pittman who should be in line for a deal first in the opinion of Kristopher Knox from Bleacher Report.
Taylor is certainly worth it, but there is a lot more uncertainty surrounding him than Pittman. He is coming off an injury-riddled season because of a balk ankle that required offseason surgery. There are also concerns with his workload as he already has 860 touches since joining the Colts after recording 960 with the Badgers collegiately.
Also, the running back market has seen a downturn. The Colts could place the franchise tag on Taylor next offseason, pushing his extension down the line another year. Premier running backs just aren’t receiving big-money contracts, which lessens the urgency to get a deal done.
The wide receiver market, on the other hand, has boomed in recent years. Pittman has proven to be a capable and reliable receiver on the boundary and another good season in 2023 would only lead to his price tag skyrocketing.
The Colts should want to make things as easy as possible for the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, quarterback Anthony Richardson, to transition into the NFL. Having a very good wide receiver of Pittman’s caliber in the fold would certainly help his development.
Keep in mind, a franchise tag for Taylor would also be significantly cheaper than one for Pittman. A nearly $9.7 million difference in the positions existed this offseason and that number is likely only going to grow.
Keeping both Taylor and Pittman is likely the long-term plan that the Colts have. But, more urgency should be shown with Pittman, given the wide receiver market, to get a deal done this offseason than with Taylor.
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