It is no secret that the Indianapolis Colts came into the 2023 offseason with plenty of holes on the roster.
The biggest hole on the roster is the quarterback position, where the Colts have been going around the QB carousel since the shocking retirement of Andrew Luck back in 2019. The Colts are, finally, expected to address the position by drafting a rookie at the top of the first round of April's NFL draft. Cornerback, offensive line, and wide receiver are also areas where Indy could use an upgrade in talent.
But one of the deepest groups on the Colts is the tight end position. Before the offseason began, the group consisted of Mo Alie-Cox, Jelani Woods, Kylen Granson, and Drew Ogletree. While three out of the four have played two seasons or less in the NFL, there is sky-high potential with the group.
An addition to the tight end room was made last week when the Colts reportedly signed former Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns tight end Pharaoh Brown. Brown's stats do not jump off the page, as he only has 51 catches for 478 yards and two touchdowns in his career. However, he does excel as a blocker and is a huge asset in the running game.
The Colts now have a logjam at the position, with more bodies than snaps to go around. Who could be the odd man out in this situation? It seems more likely than ever that Alie-Cox could be playing elsewhere in 2023.
Before the 2022 season, the Colts suffered a big blow when former Pro Bowl tight end Jack Doyle decided to hang up his cleats. Doyle had been a security blanket for his quarterbacks and was a tremendous asset as a blocker, sealing off defenders as All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor hit the hole for a big gain. The loss of Doyle hurt the Colts more than expected, especially in the running game.
With Doyle gone, Alie-Cox was given the opportunity to step up as TE1 and take over many of the blocking responsibilities. Alie-Cox had been used as a blocker before, but his strengths resided as more of a receiving threat in past years. It was time to see if he could be an all-around tight end.
Alie-Cox had a very disappointing 2022 season. From a receiving standpoint, Alie-Cox only managed 19 catches for 189 yards and three touchdowns despite playing all 17 games. The issues at quarterback must be considered when looking at any of the stats from the Colts' pass catchers last season, but those numbers are still very low for a starting tight end in today's NFL.
The blocking statistics from Alie-Cox were not much better a season ago. According to Pro Football Focus, Alie-Cox had a run-blocking grade of 49.3, ranking 55th out of 72 eligible tight ends and the worst grade of his five-year career. His pass-blocking grade of 65.7 ranked 27th out of 73 eligible tight ends.
The dip in production from Alie-Cox, combined with an abysmal season blocking, does not bode well for him holding a prominent role with the Colts. Another thing working against him is the ascension of the other young tight ends on the team.
Much of the ascension can be attributed to Woods, a former third-round pick from the 2022 NFL Draft. Woods is an athletic freak with the size and speed to be a threat anywhere on the field. While playing almost 20% fewer snaps than Alie-Cox, Woods put up better numbers as the rookie tallied 25 catches for 312 yards and three touchdowns. The Colts are very high on Woods and want to get him on the field as much as possible.
Granson and Ogletree are also on the rise. Granson is the smallest of the tight end group, and the Colts like to use him primarily as a receiver. However, he has proved to be dangerous in the open field. Ogletree, another rookie from the 2022 draft class, was the star of training camp last summer before tearing his ACL in practice.
All three young tight ends are expected to take another big step forward in 2023. New Colts tight ends coach Tom Manning, who was with Indy in 2018, is known for his work with young tight ends. It is not a stretch to say the Colts could have three legitimate options at the position next season.
The ascension of the young tight ends, combined with the signing of Brown, hints that Alie-Cox may be a prime trade candidate for the Colts. Before free agency began, it was reported the Colts had made Alie-Cox available to other teams around the league. The noise surrounding the possibility of Alie-Cox being moved has not quieted down, either.
Moving off of Alie-Cox also makes sense financially for the Colts. The Colts signed Alie-Cox to a three-year, $17.5 million deal last offseason, according to Spotrac. If the Colts were to trade or release him, Indy would gain $5.3 million in cap space while suffering just a $2.4 million dead cap hit.
If Alie-Cox is traded, a deal could come after the draft. This year's draft class is stacked at the tight end position, with talented players likely available on all three days. If a team misses out on the tight end prospects they want in the draft, Alie-Cox could become more valuable in trade discussions.
All options are on the table when it comes to Alie-Cox. The Colts could trade the veteran tight end before next season begins and let the young players take over the room. He may show great improvement in his blocking abilities through the spring and training camp, affording himself another shot in Indy.
But given the moves made, do not be surprised if Alie-Cox has played his last down as a Colt.
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