The Indianapolis Colts spent the majority of their offseason adding weapons to the offensive side of the ball hoping the new supporting cast will help veteran quarterback Philip Rivers return to form in 2020.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell ranked the offensive weapons—running backs, wide receivers and tight ends—for all 32 teams. After a disappointing 2019 campaign that included injuries and a lack of production, Indy’s group of weapons was ranked 26th in the league.
2019 rank: 12 | 2018 rank: 27
After a one-year rise up the charts, disappointing seasons from virtually every skill-position player drops the Colts back into the bottom quarter of the weapons rankings. Devin Funchess, T.Y. Hilton, Parris Campbell and Eric Ebron all got hurt and failed to live up to expectations. Hilton and Campbell return and are joined by Zach Pascal and rookie second-rounder Michael Pittman Jr. Indy can improve by subtracting replacement-level wideouts like Marcus Johnson and Chester Rogers from the rotation, although they could really use free-agent pickup Trey Burton to look more like the guy who was promising with the Eagles as part of their two-tight end sets alongside Jack Doyle.
The Colts got virtually nothing out of Funchess, who played just three quarters the entire season before suffering a broken collarbone. Campbell dealt with four separate injuries and three surgeries while Hilton played 10 games—the first time he has played fewer than 14 games in his career.
Barnwell understands that context matters and if the rookie additions of Pittman Jr. and Taylor have the type of impact expected of them, he admits this ranking could come back to bite him.
The Colts’ running back rotation also took a slight step backward, as Marlon Mack looks more like a Jordan Howard-type back than the guy who looked like he might become a rushing title contender after 2018. They drafted power back Jonathan Taylor in the second round, and he could replace Mack after 2020. It’ll be the young guys — Taylor, Pittman and Campbell — who can help this team rise back up the list. If Taylor emerges quickly and the wideouts return to form with Philip Rivers at quarterback, this ranking could look pretty foolish.
The Colts first need to make sure their skill players can stay healthy, especially in the wide receiver room. But if they do, the group they have currently filling out the depth chart has plenty of promise to get the offense back to where it has been before.