The Indianapolis Colts are down another free agent, as tight end Kylen Granson has signed a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Granson did not have a particularly good season in 2024, and was predicted to be one of many free agents on the chopping block. He became known for more dropped passes than catches, and despite leading the Colts' tight end room, he didn't do much to stand out. So it's a bit surprising to see the reigning Super Bowl champion interested in what appears to be a subpar player.
Eagles agreed to terms with TE Kylen Granson on a one-year deal. pic.twitter.com/DaOkNBXMbq
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 14, 2025
Granson finished 2024 with 14 receptions for 182 yards with zero touchdowns, and was ranked a cringeworthy #47 out of 74 tight ends. While Granson did do decently well as a blocker, he wasn't good enough that a signing like this makes much sense.
Originally drafted by the Colts in 2021, he's had just one touchdown in his entire career. Presumably, the Eagles signed Granson for depth, to back up their current tight ends.
The Colts' tight end room has been notoriously bad, and this position is seen as one of their greatest needs in 2025. It's highly expected that their first pick in the draft will be a tight end, with both Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland named as possibilities, as there currently is no strong receiving tight end on the Colts' roster.
Arguably, the best tight end Indianapolis currently has is Mo Alie-Cox, but he has indicated that he is ready to move on - making the need for new tight ends even greater. In interviews about his goals for 2025, he seems to insinuate that he's getting too old to remain with a team in turmoil.
"I would say just... [pause] ... winning," he said. "I mean, we've won here, but so I just -- we're like... and we've kind of been in the same position for a while. So I would just say just taking the next step forward and different things like that. I mean, not saying that we can't do that here, but like... I'm 31 now. I'm older. So just being an older veteran, things like that, just different things like that."
Even if the Colts are able to draft Warren or Loveland, they will likely need to either hold on to Alie-Cox, or sign a veteran tight end through free agency to guide their rookie TE through their first season.