The Indianapolis Colts had already gone through the season with a weak wide receiver group. Moves made at the trade deadline only made things worse. Indy icon and current wide receiver coach Reggie Wayne certainly made light of the situation on social media.
While the team has gone most of the season without explosive wideout Alec Pierce, Indianapolis has traded the two most productive receivers in 2026: Josh Downs (to the Kansas City Chiefs) and Keenan Allen (to the San Francisco 49ers). Both were on expiring contracts, and the Colts were better off trading them, but the wide receiver cupboard is now extremely bare.
Could Reggie Wayne play? Of course not, but he snarkily suggested as much on X on Tuesday.
Reggie Wayne speaks for Indianapolis Colts fans everywhere after the trade deadline
Wayne posted a photo of the cleats he once wore while catching 1,070 passes for Indy, and captioned it with "Welp... Might be time to dust off the old Reeboks. Has the player-Coach thing ever happened before?"
He was joking, obviously, but it's too bad he can't play. He likely wouldn't do worse than many of the receivers left on the roster after the trade deadline. Player-coaches have existed in the NFL, but not for decades. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) prohibits that situation from happening.
Wayne's coaching task is a lot more difficult now, though. Who does he have to work with after the team dealt Michael Pittman Jr. this past offseason, Allen and Downs at the deadline, and Pierce still on injured reserve? The top option could be Laquon Treadwell. Seriously.
Welp... Might be time to dust off the old Reeboks.... 🤷🏾♂️ Has the player-Coach thing ever happened before? pic.twitter.com/i0CWCrPLAI
— Reggie Wayne (@ReggieWayne_17) November 10, 2026
If any fan was doubting that Indianapolis had given up on the season after it previously traded left guard Quenton Nelson and defensive lineman DeForest Buckner, that doubt should be erased by the current state of the receiver room. The Colts cannot succeed long-term with the group.
Moving forward, the rest of the season, the Indianapolis Colts will hopefully run the ball a lot more (Jonathan Taylor wasn't traded, after all) and target tight end Tyler Warren quite a bit. The second-year player was third in targets ahead of Week 10, but he has missed two games. Allen had the most targets with 58, and Downs was second with 57.
After the trade deadline, the receiver with the most targets is Treadwell with 29. That is the most targets he has had in a full season since 2021, when he had 51. As long as he stays healthy, he could eclipse his career high of 53.
Ultimately, the Colts' offense is going to suffer for much of the rest of the season. Even with an awful wideout group, Indy should be able to beat the horrid Miami Dolphins at Lucas Oil Stadium in Week 10, but after that, Indianapolis might struggle to win another game.
It's too bad Reggie Wayne can't play, though. If he were able to take the field, he would be Indianapolis's best receiver even at 47 years old. That's how bad the current group of wideouts for the Colts is.
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