Colts: Why Parris Campbell actually benefits in big way from Michael Pittman addition

Colts WR Parris Campbell actually benefits from the arrival of Michael Pittman

Indianapolis Colts fans had lofty expectations for wide receiver Parris Campbell last year, and understandably so as the franchise used a second-round pick on him in the 2019 Draft after a monster senior season at Ohio State.

In 14 games, the 23-year-old speedster registered 90 receptions for 1,063 yards and 12 touchdowns, all of which led the Buckeyes by a wide margin. Unfortunately for Campbell, his highly anticipated rookie campaign was derailed by a strained hamstring and broken foot, which limited him to seven games (three starts).

Well, the latest buzz of out of Colts camp suggests that Campbell is fully healthy and extremely motivated to win the No. 3 wideout spot behind the likes of TY Hilton and rookie Michael Pittman Jr., who Indy drafted in the second round back in April.

On paper, you might think that the arrival of Pittman would further complicate things for Campbell to carve out a role in the Colts offense, but that is anything but the case. The rookie out of USC has been working out as the X receiver at training camp, leaving the all-important slot position up for grabs.

It just so happens that Campbell, though he’s more than capable of producing out wide, prefers to line up in the slot.

Why does that bode so well for the former Buckeye? Because free agent signing Philip Rivers will be quarterbacking the offense and he LOVES finding his slot wideouts on quick releases. The 38-year-old veteran made a living connecting with route-running savant Keenan Allen, who’s compiled a whopping 303 receptions over the last three seasons.

We’re not saying that Campbell is anywhere near Allen’s level, but you can’t deny the parallels in their respective roles with Rivers under center.

Don’t get it twisted, people: The addition of Pittman will only clear up more space for the Akron native to go to work and showcase his blazing speed. Call us crazy, but we could be looking at a breakout year for the young receiver.