Should Colts have pursued Sammy Watkins following TY Hilton deal?
By Jerry Trotta
The Indianapolis Colts’ offense taking a major step forward next season will be heavily contingent on whether Carson Wentz rediscovers his confidence.
However, given the much-needed change of scenery and his familiarity with head coach Frank Reich, we’re not betting against him. Could a wide receiver like Sammy Watkins help?
Though the left tackle position still hasn’t been addressed, Wentz will be working behind one of the league’s best offensive lines.
The Colts’ elite rushing attack, which only got better following the re-signing of Marlon Mack, will also lessen the pressure on him to make plays.
By process of elimination, the biggest question mark pertaining to Indy’s offense is the wide receiver position. While there’s no doubting that retaining TY Hilton will provide Wentz with a reliable No. 1 target, it’s worth pondering if the Colts should look to make another move.
Speaking of which, the Colts brought in Watkins for a visit this week just before they finalized a deal with Hilton. However, after Watkins signed a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens, one has to wonder what the Colts’ plan is here.
I can’t answer with certainty on Sammy Watkins, but if you want my educated opinion: I think the Colts are done at WR. https://t.co/4Sg1G5hilS
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) March 25, 2021
Should the Colts have gone after Sammy Watkins?
The Colts’ offense emphasizes distribution, meaning they don’t necessarily need a top-drawer wide receiver to force feed targets. However, it’s worth noting that all of Hilton, Michael Pittman Jr. and Parris Campbell (the projected top three for 2021) missed time due to injury last season.
The last thing Indianapolis needs is to have Wentz facing a repeat of what he dealt with over his final two seasons with the Eagles. With that in mind, adding more depth wouldn’t hurt, and adding Watkins, despite his durability issues, wouldn’t have been the worst idea in the world.
If everyone remains healthy, the WR room would become a little crowded, especially considering that Zach Pascal, who caught 44 passes for 629 yards and five touchdowns last season, will be back after receiving a second-round tender. But that’s a HUGE if. Recent history has proven that the Colts have woeful luck in the injury department.
I know I’ll get grief for this, but IF guys are healthy, the Colts are looking at a top four WR group (in no particular order) of Hilton, Pittman, Campbell and Pascal.
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) March 25, 2021
I mean, you definitely do worse. Just ask Carson Wentz.
Assuming the Colts have championship aspirations, “you can definitely do worse” is the exact mindset they shouldn’t be embracing. Why settle when you have the requisite cap space — even after considering extensions for Darius Leonard, Quenton Nelson and Braden Smith — to rid all questions concerning the receiving corps?
As presently constructed, the Colts’ WR room is good enough to help the offense reach its full potential. However, that goes out the window if any one of them were to suffer a serious injury. That’s precisely why they missed out on Watkins, who, as evidenced by his free agent visit, was clearly intrigued by what Indy is building.
