Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton was once a consistent 1,000-yard receiver, but he’s failed to hit that mark in three of the last four seasons. Despite that, Hilton appears to have some hope of things changing for 2021.
Hilton said Monday that he’s looking forward to more deep shots from new quarterback Carson Wentz, adding that he is impressed with the QB's arm strength and is excited about what they’ve already worked on together.
Every one of Hilton’s 1,000-yard seasons came with quarterback Andrew Luck throwing to him. He dipped below the 1,000-yard mark in 2017, when Luck missed the season with a shoulder injury. He hasn’t hit the mark since Luck’s abrupt retirement, struggling to develop the same rapport with Jacoby Brissett and Philip Rivers. That’s shown in his longest receptions for the season. With Luck, the number was routinely more than 70 yards, but his longest reception in the last two years has been a 50-yarder in 2020.
Injuries as well as the inconsistent quarterback play have been an issue for Hilton. The hope is that pairing Wentz with Frank Reich could breathe new life into the quarterback’s career, which would benefit receivers such as Hilton as well. Maybe that’s part of why Hilton apparently turned down some extra cash to remain in Indianapolis.
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