The Indianapolis Colts won't have their starting quarterback on the field in the preseason. As expected, they'll hold Daniel Jones out as he continues to recover from a season-ending Achilles injury.
Jones has looked sharp in practice, and squaring off with the New England Patriots in joint practices helps the offense as a whole get into a rhythm. That's why we can already get a glimpse of how the pecking order might look, even if Jones doesn't play until the season opener.
Considering that, readers will be highly encouraged to buy as much Tyler Warren stock as there's left. The second-year tight end put on a show in joint practices vs. Mike Vrabel's team, and it looks like a breakout season is on the horizon.
Tyler Warren might lead the Indianapolis Colts' passing game
According to unofficial trackers, Jones completed 12 of 20 passes vs. the Patriots, six of which went in Warren's direction. He dominated in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 settings, including in an end-of-game drill vs. the Patriots' defense.
Jones reportedly found Warren back in that drill, which consisted of marching down the field with 1:12 seconds to go in need of a touchdown. Warren beat coverage on a deep ball to set the offense up at the 5-yard line for a Josh Downs game-winning score:
"He's just a tremendous player. He's got a natural feel, a natural knack for the game on how to get open, how to run routes, and he makes plays. He's got strong hands, big body, big target for Daniel (Jones) to throw to," Steichen said of his tight end.
Warren's physicality and size help him shake off defensive backs as if they were toddlers. He made some big plays with defenders draped all over him as a rookie, and an expanded role should only translate to top-tier production in his second year in the league.
Granted, he'll have to share the spotlight with Alec Pierce once he's finally healthy after missing all of training camp so far with an ankle injury. That said, Pierce has been a big-play specialist for his entire career, whereas Warren can be a consistent chain-mover and possession type of guy.
It's no coincidence that Warren's production took a nosedive as soon as Jones got hurt. They've developed seamless chemistry, and that will only continue to grow with another full training camp together.
Joint practices, training camp, and the preseason must always be taken with a big pinch of salt, but this is where the team lays the ground for what they'll do through the 18-week season. This is where guys earn the right to be the focal point of the offense.
Warren showed glimpses of superstardom in his first year in the league. His run-after-catch skills and jumbo-sized body will make him a perennial big-play threat downfield, and now that the game has seemingly slowed down for him and he's eager to make the most of his leaping ability in contested catches, 1,000 yards and double-digit touchdowns feel like a safe assumption.
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