Position Battles: Tight End Roster for the 2013 Indianapolis Colts

The 2013 version of the Indianapolis Colts may have the best roster of offensive weapons that they have had in the last ten years.

Indianapolis has loaded up at several positions during this offseason, in order to create competition and stability on their roster. One of the roster spots that has been padded very well over the last two NFL Drafts was the tight end position. In 2013, we may see the Indianapolis Colts becoming the two-tight end team that the New England Patriots were hoping to be.

In 2012, the Colts were in the middle of a total exodus from a franchise that had won more games in the past decade than any other team in NFL history. The Colts cut ties with Peyton Manning, and decided to use the first pick in the first round of the draft on Andrew Luck. In the second and third rounds, the Colts made two interesting follow-up picks. One pick was almost expected, and the second pick was a bit of a surprise to many.

After taking Luck at the top of the first round in 2012, the Colts’ next two picks were both tight ends. Round two brought Coby Fleener to the Colts, which wasn’t much of a surprise, because Fleener had been Luck’s top target at Stanford in college. With their pick in the third round, the Colts took Dwayne Allen, another top-notch tight end. The picks came with varied observations by fans and the media, but the results were fairly undeniable.

In the end, Allen ended up being the more productive of the two tight ends, although Fleener battled through injury. Still, the groundwork had been laid for what this team had planned to do in the future. Indianapolis wanted to give weapons to the new face of their franchise, as well as help to keep him protected.

In the 2013 NFL Draft, with the final pick in the final round, the Colts selected another tight end. Justice Cunningham, a 6ft3in 258lb tight end, could be the extra piece that the Colts need at this position. Cunningham is a good blocker, as well as being a dedicated receiver. Cunningham could very well make this team in 2013, and could help make the tight end roster of the Colts one of the most deadly in the NFL.