The Indianapolis Colts addressed their two primary needs in the offseason by keeping Alec Pierce and Daniel Jones in town. Other than that, they have done little to help Shane Steichen on his side of the field.
General manager Chris Ballard took a defense-heavy approach to free agency and the NFL Draft. He's bending over backward to give defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo the groceries he needs to fix what needs fixing.
While that's valid to a degree, the Colts lost their possession receiver when they traded Michael Pittman Jr. Considering that, Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox urged them to add a veteran pass catcher before training camp.
The Indianapolis Colts still need to add a veteran wide receiver
"They didn't draft a receiver before taking Deion Burks in Round 7 and should look to add a veteran before camp," wrote Knox. "That could mean signing a player like Keenan Allen or Stefon Diggs. The Colts should also consider making a play to reunite A.J. Brown with head coach Shane Steichen."
The idea of getting Brown and Steichen back together is certainly enticing. In their lone season teaming up in Philadelphia, Brown had a career-high 1,496 receiving yards and tied his career high with 11 touchdowns.
That said, the Eagles may already have a deal in place with the New England Patriots, and even if that's not the case, the Colts might not be willing or able to outbid the. That leaves them with Diggs, Deebo Samuel, or perhaps Keenan Allen as more feasible options.
Josh Downs took a step back after a career year in his second season. A quarterback change, plus the addition of Tyler Warren, took a toll on his usage, although he should be highly motivated to bounce back in a contract year.
Likewise, Warren is only scratching the surface of his potential, and he should be even more of a factor in the passing game in his second season. Other than that, the Colts don't have a prototypical chain-mover.
Alec Pierce is a great player, but he's not that guy. He's a big-play specialist who may need someone else to draw defensive attention to find gaps in the defensive backfield. Not pairing him with a workhorse receiver might be a bit of a disservice.
Stefon Diggs comes with some baggage. Everyone knows what he can bring to the table at this point in his career, but he's fresh off a 1,000-yard season and still has two of the most reliable hands in the game. He had 51 first-down catches in 85 receptions last season, so he's clearly someone who can be trusted to keep the chains in motion and the offense on the field.
This Colts team has more than enough talent to hold its ground in the AFC South and make a deep postseason run, including the most underrated running back in football. That said, you cannot be one-dimensional in this league, and giving Daniel Jones another weapon will be the best way to put him in a position to succeed.
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