The Indianapolis Colts are looking to be more explosive on offense in 2024 and one way to make that happen is with an addition to the receiving corps.
The first matter of business, of course, is the Michael Pittman Jr. contract extension. Chris Ballard will have to either come to an agreement with him by March 5 or use the franchise tag on him.
Odds say that MPJ will be a Colt next season but regardless of whether he walks or stays in Indianapolis, we’re taking a look at 10 receivers who should be on the front office’s radar in free agency.
We should note that we understand a handful of these players won’t even hit the market, but we’re working under the hypothetical scenario that they hit they become available, regardless of how slim the chances are.
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Previous Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
If the Colts let MPJ test free agency, then Chris Ballard better give a call to one of the most consistent receivers in NFL history. Mike Evans is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. His 79 receptions for 1,255 yards were the most he had in a year since 2018. Evans can offer the offense a downfield threat while having a large presence as a red zone target for his quarterback.
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Previous Team: Cincinnati Bengals
As I alluded to with Evans, if Chris Ballard lets Pittman Jr. test free agency, he has to be in the market to replace his No. 1 receiver. Evans makes sense if you want a proven option as a short-term solution but if the Cincinnati Bengals allow Tee Higgins to hit the market then a potential long-term answer to pair with Anthony Richardson would be available.
Higgins is coming off his statistically worst year since entering the NFL in 2020 but that was due to him missing time with injuries. In the previous two seasons, he crossed the 1,000 receiving-yard mark with Ja’Marr Chase dominating the targets in the Cinci offense. He also can provide the offense as a deep threat and a sizable target in the red zone.
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Previous Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
In his first season playing since 2021, Calvin Ridley put together the second-best season of his career with 76 catches for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns. He did lack consistency but with a year under his belt and getting his legs underneath him, the former first-round pick still offers the potential leading a receiving…
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