According to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, former Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Kamar Aiken is expected to sign with the Indianapolis Colts on a 1-year deal:
The 27 year old wideout is coming off a season with the Ravens in which he caught 29 receptions for 328 receiving yards (11.3 ypr avg.) and a touchdown reception in 16 games (6 starts) and recently visited the Colts:
Former #Ravens WR Kamar Aiken is expected to sign with the #Colts, source said. A forgotten man in Baltimore with a new home.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 21, 2017
Originally signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2011, the 6’2″, 215 pound wide receiver has also spent time with the Chicago Bears (2012), New England Patriots (2012), and most recently, the Baltimore Ravens organizations (2013-16).
The 4-year veteran has 128 receptions for 1,539 total receiving yards and 9 touchdown receptions in 51 career games (20 starts).
New Colts general manager Chris Ballard promised to improve competition top-to-bottom from the 53-man active roster, all the way to the team’s practice squad this offseason.
While star wide receiver T.Y. Hilton is firmly entrenched as the team’s #1 wide receiver, the Colts need to get more production out of the remainder of their receiving corps.
The team’s other projected starter Donte Moncrief led the team with a team-high 7 touchdown receptions this past season, but finished with just 30 receptions for 307 total receiving yards. Missed games were partially to blame, as the 23 year old missed 7 games because of injuries.
However, both Moncrief and the Colts offense has to do a better job of utilizing him outside the red zone regardless.
Aiken’s signing could be bad news for last season’s 3rd wide receiver, former 2015 first round pick Phillip Dorsett, who has so far been underwhelming in his first two seasons with the team. Blessed with blazing fast speed, Dorsett is fresh off a largely forgettable season in which he caught 33 receptions for 528 total receiving yards and 2 touchdown receptions.
It’s too early to call the young wide receiver a bust, but he needs to get stronger at the point of attack as it relates to actually catching the football.
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Otherwise, it’s promising former undrafted rookie Chester Rogers and little else in the Colts cupboard of wide receivers. Until he gains more polish, Rogers is best suited as depth over starter status.
Aiken is not a star wide receiver by any means and very likely not even a starter with the Colts, but he does add a big bodied, veteran presence to the Colts receiving corps and could push for playing time in the team’s 3-wide receiver sets.