Indianapolis Colts fans are waiting for it, but few likely want the inevitable to occur. Keeping Michael Pittman Jr. in Indy would be a good thing, but his contract is just ridiculously expensive. Even the player has said this offseason that he understands the NFL is a business, and a tough one.
The wide receiver isn't a bad player, but he isn't a transformative one either. He is sure-handed, but not as explosive as fellow wideout Alec Pierce. Pittman also stopped being Indy's WR1 in 2025. Pierce became that. That makes Pittman's $29 million cap hit in 2026 far too high.
But what to do with the receiver? Releasing him saves $24 million, but all that happens for the team is extra cap room. There is otherwise no value in return. Restructuring Pittman will save some cap room in 2026, but it creates problems in future seasons. Maybe the team could trade him?
ESPN NFL expert suggests the Indianapolis Colts trade Michael Pittman for the Panthers' Xavier Legette
That is what ESPN NFL expert Bill Barnwell suggests in a recent article. Barnwell says that the Colts could send Pittman to the Carolina Panthers, along with a 2026 seventh-round pick, for wide receiver Xavier Legette and a 2026 fifth-round choice. The move would save Indianapolis cash, but what does the team truly get in return?
Legette, a first-round pick for Carolina in 2024, has been terrible in his first two seasons. He's caught 56.8 percent of his targets, but hasn't eclipsed 497 receiving yards in a season. He's also dropped 6.1 percent of his targets. Compare that to Pittman's career average of 3.2, and it's difficult to see why Indy would want Legette.
The easy answer is money. Pittman is expensive, and Legette isn't. He is set to make $4.4 million over the next two years. Or $24.5 million less than Pittman's cap hit is this season alone.
Barnwell writes, "There's no comparing Pittman and Legette as players; Pittman has been far more productive and reliable during his career than Legette, who has struggled with drops and inconsistent play...(Chris) Ballard has loved drafting high-end athletes at receiver during his time in Indianapolis, andLegette certainly qualifies. Having just turned 25, Legette still might have some room for growth. And if he fails to get there, it at least wouldn't cost the Colts much."
Surely, even general manager Chris Ballard knows better than to trade Pittman for Legette, even if the latter has immense raw physical skills. So does quarterback Anthony Richardson, and that hasn't worked out for the Colts, either.
The Indianapolis Colts would simply be better off releasing Michael Pittman if the money is a concern, saving $24 million in cap space, applying that to trying to re-sign Alec Pierce, or maybe bringing Pierce back and looking for another inexpensive wide receiver in free agency. Anything would be better than giving money to the underperforming Xavier Legette.