Colts predicted to cut ties with long-tenured veteran this offseason

The Indianapolis Colts should be feeling pretty confident about how well-rounded this 2024 roster is turning out to be. For the most part, each position has some talent to be excited about.

One spot that's still lacking, though, is at tight end.

Recently, Bleacher Report's David Kenyon took a look at all 32 teams, listing the best player who could be cut by each organization. For the Colts, Kenyon went with veteran tight end Mo Alie-Cox.

Kenyon briefly explained his thinking:

"Mo Alie-Cox is guaranteed zero dollars of his $5.92 million salary. Right now, he'll likely be the Colts' fourth-string tight end in 2024. Tough to see Indianapolis keeping him at that price."

Would the Colts be right to cut Mo Alie-Cox? Or have they not given him the proper opportunity?

If the Colts cut Alie-Cox, they'd be keeping 2022 third-round pick Jelani Woods, 2021 fourth-round pick Kylen Granson and 2023 fifth-round pick Will Mallory as their top three guys there. Is Alie-Cox really the fourth-best player at the position?

He might be better than some believe him to be.

To put things in perspective a bit, Colts legend Dallas Clark averaged 11.2 yards per reception during his career. Alie-Cox's career average of 12.6 even ranks higher than a name Colts fans hold in high regard, Marcus Pollard, who finished his career averaging 12.3 yards per catch.

Now, yards per reception isn't everything, of course. But, Alie-Cox has shown an ability to make plays and move chains. His size has always made him a red zone threat. But, the Colts have yet to give him more than 26 percent of offensive snaps in an entire season.

For a team that's been searching for an answer at the tight end position for a very long time, now, it seems as though Alie-Cox should have been given a larger opportunity and longer leash, so to speak.

Instead, Indy has been riding a myriad of tight ends for a few years now, not really committing to one over another on a long-term basis.

Something tells me if Alie-Cox were to be allowed to leave, and he signed with a team like the Cincinnati Bengals or even the Kansas City Chiefs as their no. 2 tight end, he'd make some noise. But, that's all hypothetical. He still needs to be cut by the Colts for something like that to unfold.

Alie-Cox has been with the Colts since 2018.