This offseason has marked a stark distinction to years previous, as a result of there are a variety of beginning positions up for grabs concerning the Indianapolis Colts–whereas sometimes, there’s normally solely been one or two beneath normal supervisor Chris Ballard, who’s admittedly wished extra open competitors all through his total roster.
The Colts didn’t make a ton of exterior noise this offseason, as their largest strikes have been re-signing each beginning quarterback Daniel Jones and lead large receiver Alec Pierce to profitable multi-year offers, in addition to buying and selling a pair of longtime veteran pillars to different NFL groups: Michael Pittman Jr. (Pittsburgh Steelers) and Zaire Franklin (Inexperienced Bay Packers).
Nevertheless, there was one under-the-radar veteran pickup at large receiver, which it’s price highlighting right here, the Colts beginning exterior WR2 place reverse Pierce is at the moment up for grabs.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MAY 27: Indianapolis Colts large receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (12)runs via a drill throughout the Indianapolis Colts OTA on Could 27, 2026 on the Indiana Farm Bureau Soccer Middle in Indianapolis, IN. (Picture by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photographs) Icon Sportswire through Getty Photographs
The Favourite: Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
The 29-year-old former Indiana College standout was signed to a modest 1-year, $1.402M deal, as he appears to rebound from a quiet sole season with the Miami Dolphins in 2025.
Particularly, Westbrook-Ikhine caught simply 11 receptions for 89 complete receiving begins throughout 15 video games (3 begins) this previous season for the Dolphins earlier than being launched in mid-February of this 12 months.
Nevertheless, the 6,2”, 211 pound wideout is only a 12 months faraway from a breakout 2024 season for the Colts’ rival Tennessee Titans, through which he recorded 32 receptions for 497 complete receiving yards and 9 landing receptions in 17 video games (9 begins). That earned him a short-lived 2-year, $6.5 million contract from Miami again in mid-March of 2024 earlier than his latest offseason launch.
Like the person, he’ll be serving to to interchange, Pittman Jr., Westbrook-Ikhine is a fairly large bodied wideout himself, with dependable arms, who’s a constant pink zone menace and keen run blocker alongside the skin.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JUNE 11: Indianapolis Colts Ashton Dulin (16) runs via a drill throughout the Indianapolis Colts Minicamp on June 11, 2026 on the Indiana Farm Bureau Soccer Middle in Indianapolis, IN. (Picture by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photographs) Icon Sportswire through Getty Photographs
The Challenger: Ashton Dulin
Equally to Westbrook-Ikhine, Dulin is one other former undrafted free agent, solely he was initially signed by the Colts again within the 2019 offseason popping out of Division II Malone College.
Since then, Dulin has labored his approach on the Colts’ lively 53-man roster as a core particular groups participant, the place he continues so as to add a whole lot of versatility and worth to the membership as a gunner, pace demon, and kick returner.
Nevertheless, he’s solely continued to enhance and get higher, as he’s even labored his approach on the sphere with the Colts first-team offense as a rotational wideout in newer years–even making 2 begins every of the previous two seasons for the Horseshoe. This previous season he had 5 receptions for 106 complete receiving yards (21.2 ypr. avg) in 12 video games.
It’ll be attention-grabbing to see if one in all Westbrook-Ikhine or Dulin can win the beginning exterior WR2 outright by separating from the opposite, or whether or not it will finally find yourself being extra of a ‘wide receiver-by-committee approach’ all through 2026 with rookie seventh spherical diminutive speedster Deion Burks even getting some deep appears or large receiver display screen/gadget alternatives situationally.
Make no mistake about it, Pittman Jr. leaves some large footwear to fill for the Colts large receiver room subsequent season. Though Pittman Jr.‘s receiving production no longer matched his increasingly large salary cap hit (which is why he was traded to Pittsburgh), he still did a lot of the little things that helped the Colts offense out there.
As the initial frontrunner headed into Colts camp, Westbrook-Ikhine from a playing style perspective, can help do some of the little things that Pittman Jr. did so well that didn’t present up on the field score–albeit at a reduced and sure lesser charge.
In the meantime, Dulin’s been right here lengthy sufficient to not precisely wager in opposition to him–only persevering with to stay and enhance.
The Colts will seemingly even be seeking to each slot wideout Josh Downs and 2nd-year tight finish Tyler Warren to interchange the misplaced receiving manufacturing from Pittman Jr. with larger roles from every this upcoming marketing campaign.
