With Michael Pittman Jr. gone, the Indianapolis Colts needed to make a move and add another pass catcher. They didn't break the bank for one, though, turning their sights to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and giving him a one-year, $3.1 million deal.
That said, Westbrook-Ikhine might not even be the third-best wide receiver on the team. Reports from spring workouts told a different story, with guys like Ashton Dulin turning heads. That might change the team's plans for the position.
With rookie seventh-round pick Deion Burks also looking like a true ball-winner in contested situations, Westbrook-Ikhine might've been pushed down in the pecking order. That means his roster spot is all but guaranteed by now.
The Indianapolis Colts have a decision to make about Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
For most of his career, Westbrook-Ikhine's value has resided on special teams. He's a sturdy, big-bodied guy and a willing tackler. That said, the Colts already have wideouts and players for those purposes on the roster, so his value in Indianapolis might now be limited. He's not particularly great at anything and does not offer a different skill set from any of the Colts' current options.
Westbrook-Ikhine has never been much of a burner, though he doesn't use his big frame to move the chains, either. Last season, he only started three of 15 games with the Miami Dolphins, logging 11 catches on 20 targets for 89 yards and zero touchdowns.
If you consider that the Dolphins spent most of the season with a receiver corps consisting of Jaylen Waddle, Cedrick Wilson Jr., Malik Washington, D'Wayne Eskridge, Theo Wase, and Tahj Washington, the fact that he played less than half of the offensive snaps in eight games is an indictment of his lack of impact on offense.
Westbrook-Ikhine had nine touchdown receptions in 2024, but that year was clearly an outlier. He's never even reached 500 receiving yards or hauled in 40 receptions in a single season. He averages 3.8 yards after the catch, so he doesn't bring explosive-play potential to the table, either.
Alec Pierce, Josh Downs, and Tyler Warren will do most of the heavy lifting, with Duliln potentially also entering the mix in three-wideout sets. The Colts might bring six wide receivers on their 53-man roster, so there's still a chance that he's on the team come Week 1. However, even if that's the case, it's hard to imagine he'll be much of a factor for Shein Steichen's offense.
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