The Indianapolis Colts have a lot of things to address this offseason but atop the list needs to be re-signing Michael Pittman Jr. After four years in Indy, three seasons as the team’s No. 1 wide receiver, Pittman is set to enter free agency for the first time in his career. After completing his rookie contract, Pittman said he wants to do his due diligence and see what the market looks like.
It would be wise if the Colts didn’t let that happen. Brad Spielberger, in a recent piece for PFF, named one free agent that each NFL team can’t afford to lose. While Indy has guys like Kenny Moore II, Julian Blackmon, and Grover Stewart entering free agency, the no-brainer answer was Michael Pittman Jr.
Colts can’t afford to lose Michael Pittman Jr. in free agency
As Spielberger detailed, “Pittman took his game to another level for the Colts this season, offering one of the higher floors as a big-bodied possession receiver who rarely drops the football and looks like the perfect safety net asAnthony Richardson develops at the NFL level.” In 2023, Pittman played in 16 games, catching 109 passes for 1,152 yards and four touchdowns.
While Pittman has stated that he’s interested in hitting the market, there isn’t much concern that he’ll actually leave Indianapolis. Something the Colts have working in their favor, in addition to the fact that Pittman has played his entire career in Indy, is that Indianapolis can negotiate with Pittman before other teams can. This means the Colts could get Pittman to sign a new deal without him ever speaking with another team.
That would be great for Indianapolis because competition would only make Pittman’s next contract even bigger. If other teams are offering Pittman contracts, driving up the price, the Colts would have to match whatever offers are out there. It would make sense for Indy to match offers, because it can’t afford to lose Pittman, but the best option would be re-signing him before other teams can officially offer him.