When the Indianapolis Colts drafted Dezmon Patmon out of Washington State in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Colts were hoping for a big, physical receiver that could be a bit of a possession guy while also having the speed and physicality to win vertically.
Though he didn't see much action at all in 2020 as a rookie, Patmon has emerged in training camp in 2021 and turned his strong performance in camp into a good performance against the Carolina Panthers Sunday to open the preseason at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Working with the starting unit Sunday, Patmon hauled in five passes for 49 yards on six targets, adding a long of 26 yards, showcasing his ability to get into and out of cuts quickly and serve as a quasi possession receiver, moving the chains throughout the afternoon.
Just being back out on the field in uniform was the key for Patmon coming out of the win though, regardless of the stats.
“It felt great. I kind of got like one opportunity to suit up last year versus Jacksonville, but it’s kind of like my first game in two years," Patmon said to reporters following the win Sunday. "You’re out there with the fans. It felt great honestly – high electricity, high energy and it felt good to go out there and make some plays. I’m excited.
"...I think I did alright," Patmon added. "Like I said, first real game basically in like two years so you kind of forget what it feels like to get tackled (and) you have guys running at you. I think I did good – good enough.”
Right away, Patmon clicked with second-year quarterback Jacob Eason, catching two passes on the Colts' first drive of the game, moving the chains with a 6-yard gain on third and five.
That rapport with Eason stems from the work the pair put in during the offseason, working together with Carson Wentz and Michael Pittman Jr. to try and speed up the development process in Indianapolis' offense.
“I’ve been training with him all offseason, so I definitely feel like we have that chemistry already," Patmon said. "He hit me probably like three or four times and that showed up on the field. I feel like he’s confident with me and I’m confident that he’ll put the ball in the right spot. I think it definitely showed up on the field tonight.”
For the Washington State product to stick in Indianapolis in a deep wide receivers room, he'll need to continue to put together performances like he did Sunday, as well as stand out on special teams to ensure his future remains in the blue and white of the Colts.
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