After missing last week’s game against Buffalo, Indianapolis Colts’ wide receiver Michael Pittman will be back on the field versus the Jets after a full week of practice.
To state the obvious, that’s great news for the Colts’ passing game that is in need of a boost. However, even with Pittman back in the mix, Shane Steichen can’t forget about AD Mitchell either.
Without Pittman available last week, Mitchell played 60 of the team’s offensive snaps. He then made the most of that opportunity, posting a career day with six receptions for 71 yards. Mitchell also drew a holding penalty in the red zone that extended the drive and eventually resulted in seven points.
Even before this performance, you could tell that Mitchell was trending in the right direction. After catching just two of his first 13 NFL targets to start the season, from Weeks 5-9, Mitchell caught 10-of-15 passes for 108, including three receptions of at least 15 yards.
But up until last week, the playing time wasn’t available for Mitchell. From Week 3 through the Minnesota game in Week 9, he was averaging just over 12 snaps per game, often being out-snapped by Ashton Dulin.
With Pittman returning, no one is expecting Mitchell to out-snap him, Josh Downs or Alec Pierce. However, he needs more opportunities than just 12 snaps.
For one, from a development standpoint, like any young player, Mitchell needs reps, something receivers coach Reggie Wayne pointed out last week. Yes, there may be ups and downs as is the case for many rookies, but the lack of playing time is only elongating Mitchell’s learning curve.
In addition to that, for an offense that needs more juice, Mitchell can provide that. His combination of athleticism and route running ability allows him to create separation from the defenders and make plays at all levels of the field.
With Mitchell on the field, that means one of Pittman, Pierce, or Downs will likely have to come off with how often the Colts use three receiver sets. But having options, regardless of the position is a good thing, now it’s up to Steichen to figure out how to get each player the appropriate amount of playing time.