Colts' Wide Receiver Room Is Becoming a Problem

The Colts signed Darius Slayton shortly after Pierce went down, and the move made perfect sense. Slayton has averaged 15.0 yards per catch throughout his career and spent six seasons playing alongside Jones in New York.

Slayton even said that he and Jones "see the field pretty similarly," which made him seem like about as close to a plug-and-play option as Indianapolis could find.

Yet he has been inactive in back-to-back games.

The first one was understandable. Slayton had just arrived and was still learning the offense.

But being a coach's-decision inactive again in London, especially with Pierce on injured reserve and Keenan Allen out with a groin injury, is much more concerning.

Ashton Dulin finally returned against Washington and caught three passes for 29 yards, including a 23-yard reception, but even he is now dealing with a hamstring injury.

The Colts did sign veteran wideout Quez Watkins to their practice squad on Tuesday, reuniting him with head coach Shane Steichen from their days together in Philadelphia, though he hasn't played in the NFL since 2023, so it's hard to imagine he'll surpass Slayton on the depth chart anytime soon.

Josh Downs remains the reliable volume option underneath, and guys like Keenan Allen and Laquon Treadwell certainly have their roles.

But none of them replace what Pierce does.

Colts May Need to Make a Move

Indianapolis does not need another possession receiver. This offense needs somebody who can consistently threaten a defense vertically and create explosive plays.

Whether that means exploring free agency or attacking the trade market, the Colts at least need to be looking.

I understand the complicated part. Indianapolis just committed $114 million to Pierce, and once he returns, a room featuring Pierce, Downs, Allen, Slayton, Dulin, Treadwell and Burks suddenly looks crowded.

But crowded on paper doesn't mean much when the players expected to provide your explosiveness are either injured or not playing.

The Colts are 2-2 and still right in the middle of the AFC South race heading into Pittsburgh.

There is too much talent on this offense to allow one missing element to hold it back, and right now, the lack of a legitimate downfield threat is doing exactly that.