An NFL team obviously hopes that all of its draft picks will turn into solid performers; otherwise, the team would not have made the choice. For the Indianapolis Colts, wide receiver Deion Burks was a seventh-round pick this year, and while he isn't big, he does have explosiveness. He was also given the gift of being taken by a team that needs depth at his position.
Veteran Laquon Treadwell, meanwhile, didn't have the career that the Minnesota Vikings hoped he would have when they chose the wideout with the 23rd overall selection in 2016. Not only did Treadwell fail to develop into a WR1, but he's never had more than 35 receptions in any season and has only had more than 20 in three of his 10 years.
Yet, he keeps hanging on with Indy. He's entering his third year with the Colts and is only slightly impactful on special teams. He hasn't caught a pass with Indianapolis yet, but he had eight tackles in the third phase of the game in 2025. Treadwell is now 31 years old, though, so whatever he was going to do well in the league is likely already done.
Indianapolis Colts projected to keep veteran Laquon Treadwell over rookie Deion Burks
Which is why ESPN's Colts reporter, Stephen Holder, choosing Treadwell over Burks to stick on the 2026 roster in Holder's pre-training camp roster projection is worrisome. Holder could be wrong, of course, but he also has proven to know well what he writes and speaks.
The question is why general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen would decide to let Burks walk and keep paying Treadwell? Their ages alone (Burks is only 23) should make the rookie a more viable candidate.
Perhaps Ballard truly loves what Treadwell can do on special teams, but that's a stretch. In the last two seasons, the veteran has appeared in only 12 games. He isn't that valuable to the team overall.
Maybe Burks isn't seen as especially helpful in the third phase. In college, at both Purdue and Ohio State, he had exceedingly few chances to return kicks and punts. He returned 14 kicks total, and those all came in 2022.
After trading Michael Pittman Jr. this past offseason to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Indianapolis Colts need to take a few more chances deep on their wide receiver depth chart. There is an open spot at WR3 after Alec Pierce and Josh Downs, and even while tight end Tyler Warren could be an even bigger threat in the passing game, a solid third option at wideout is necessary.
That obviously isn't Laquon Treadwell, as he's never been a good option as a receiver. Keeping Deion Burks on the roster makes more sense, as he isn't expensive, being a seventh-round choice, and he might show flashes of quickness that allow him to break off an explosive play or two. Loads of options exist on the roster to replace Treadwell on special teams.
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