Parris Campbell injury leaves Colts with intriguing options in the slot

The injury to WR Parris Campbell doesn’t completely hamstring the Colts’ passing game.

The Indianapolis Colts’ already concerning injury woes took a drastic turn for the worse in Week 2 as the likes of wide receiver Parris Campbell and safety Malik Hooker both sustained serious leg injuries.

Campbell was fortunate enough to avoid a season-ending injury, but updates confirm that he will be sidelined indefinitely. The same cannot be said for Hooker, whose MRI confirmed that he suffered a torn Achilles, which will keep him out of action until 2021.

There’s no denying that both are brutal losses for Indianapolis, but the team is actually equipped with enough reinforcements to get by at receiver while Campbell works his way back to the gridiron.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni acknowledged that the Colts’ offense won’t just turn to one player to replace the speed and dynamism that Campbell offers in the slot.

"“I don’t think when you lose a player like Parris – an explosive guy like Parris – it’s never just a, ‘This guy goes in for him,'” Sirianni said. “Yes, Zach (Pascal) is playing the ‘F’, but it’s who does what well? Can Nyheim (Hines) do some stuff in the slot? Yes. Can our tight ends do some things in the slot? Yes. Can T.Y. (Hilton) do some things in the slot? Absolutely. Can Michael Pittman do some things in the slot? Absolutely.“Zach might get his letter as far as, ‘Hey, he’s the slot receiver.’ We call it the ‘F.’ He gets the ‘F’ tag, but it’s a by-committee thing. Zach will do a great job and everyone just has to do their share to pick up the slack when we lost Parris.”"

Well, those comments certainly make us feel a lot better after learning of the extent of Campbell’s injury. Talk about making the most out of a seemingly demoralizing situation. It sounds like the Colts are going to keep a handful of options open in the slot, and you know what? We are totally fine with any one of Pascal, Hines, Hilton and Pittman Jr. filling in.

If Sirianni wants to get crazy and experiment with tight end Mo Alie-Cox, who is fresh off tallying five receptions for 111 yards (both of which were team highs) against Minnesota, as a big-bodied target in the middle of the field, count us in.

Couple their depth at wide receiver with the experience of quarterback Philip Rivers, who knows a thing or two about overcoming injuries on offense, and the Colts could very easily not even skip a beat on offense while Campbell is sidelined.

You better believe we’ll be keeping close tabs on the slot snap count on Sunday when the Colts welcome the winless New York Jets to Lucas Oil Stadium. Assuming head coach Frank Reich’s side takes care of business, that might be more intriguing than the game itself.

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