Colts: Philip Rivers’ comments on Parris Campbell indicate breakout season is ahead

Colts QB Philip Rivers had strong words for second-year WR Parris Campbell.

Remember during the middle of the 2019 season when the Indianapolis Colts were crazy thin at wide receiver? As if Andrew Luck’s retirement wasn’t a big enough blow to the passing game, projected starting wideouts TY Hilton and Parris Campbell both missed significant time with injuries.

This unfortunate luck resulted in Zach Pascal, a second-year pro out of Old Dominion, assuming No. 1 duties for the majority of the campaign. Amazingly enough, he led the team with 607 receiving yards.

Well, fans in Indianapolis will love hearing that the position doesn’t figure to be much of a problem for the Colts this year. Not only is Hilton healthy, but they added USC stud Michael Pittman Jr. in the second-round of the 2020 Draft.

What’s better than that? The fact that Philip Rivers is heaping praise on Campbell’s behalf in the early stages of training camp, turning this into a dangerous trio.

It’s well known that Rivers is one of the most kind-hearted players the NFL has to offer. However, he doesn’t go around handing out compliments for the sake of appeasing reporters. If the 38-year-old vet has strong words for a teammate, it’s because he genuinely likes what he’s seeing.

Rivers’ praise also adds up because Campbell has been all of the rage out of Colts camp.

After a strained hamstring and broken foot limited him to just three starts as a rookie in 2019, it’s clear the Ohio State product is out to make a statement this year, and you better believe that we are hopping aboard the hype train.

As long as Campbell stays on the field, we fully believe he’ll remind the Colts why they used a second-round pick on him in the 2019 Draft. So many fans were quick to get on his case for his lack of production in Year 1, and that was extremely harsh considering the seriousness of his two injuries.

Let’s keep in mind that the former Buckeye is still just 23 years old. It’s like Rivers said, the sky is the limit for him. Not all receivers burst onto the scene as rookies. Mark our words: Those who kept the faith in Campbell will reap the benefits in 2020.