Colts Could Be Destination for Versatile Offensive Weapon

Getty Head coach Frank Reich and the Indianapolis Colts should be interested in upgrading their tight end position writes one Bleacher Report writer.

The NFL rumor mill this past offseason and in September has been primarily focused on the Indianapolis Colts acquiring a veteran wide receiver. But the Colts could also use help at tight end.

With that in mind, NFL writer Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report proposed the Colts acquire tight end Foster Moreau from the Las Vegas Raiders.

“The Indianapolis Colts might also want to add to their tight end room,” Knox wrote. “They got their first win of the season Sunday but still lack reliable targets for quarterback Matt Ryan aside from standout wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr.

“Kylen Granson leads the Colts tight ends with a mere seven receptions for 43 yards.”

Rookie tight end Jelani Woods starred, catching 2 touchdowns in the 20-17 victory against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3. But those are Woods’ only 2 receptions this season.

Veteran Mo Alie-Cox has 4 catches and leads Indianapolis tight ends with 44 receiving yards.

Moreau on the Trading Block?

Knox identified the Colts and Cincinnati Bengals as possible landing spots for Moreau. The fourth-year tight end could be on the move before the trade deadline on November 1 because the Raiders are off to a very slow start. Las Vegas is the NFL’s only 0-3 team after Week 3.

Moreau is also set to be a free agent at the end of the season.

The Raiders drafted Moreau in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He has 64 catches for 761 yards and 10 touchdowns in 49 career games.

Moreau plays second-fiddle to tight end Darren Waller in the Las Vegas passing offense, but Moreau is a valuable contributor in many facets of the offense. If the Raiders fall out of the playoff race, they could move Moreau before the trade deadline for a late-round draft pick.

What Moreau Would Bring to the Colts

Indianapolis could use a legitimate pass-catching tight end for its offense. Through 3 games, opposing pass rushes have had quarterback Matt Ryan under siege at times. It would greatly help the Colts offense to develop a security blanket-type tight end who can consistently move the chains.

Moreau isn’t likely to be that guy. But he can be a red zone target and pass blocker against opposing teams’ pass rush.

The 25-year-old tight end came into the league heralded as a “feisty” run blocker according to NFL analyst Lance Zierlein of NFL.com. Pro Football Focus has graded Moreau as a below average run blocker in his career, but he’s regularly been a very good pass blocker.

In 2020, the PFF player grades ranked Moreau the 14th-best pass-blocking tight end (among tight ends with at least 20% of his team’s offensive snaps). Moreau struggled in pass blocking last year, but through 3 weeks in 2022, he’s 13th among the same group of tight ends in pass blocking.

Based on the PFF grades, Alie-Cox is also a good pass blocker. But the Colts would also likely prefer to involve Alie-Cox more in the passing game. He’s played 119 snaps on offense in the first 3 games but received only 8 targets.

With Moreau on the roster, Alie-Cox could potentially run more routes.

Moreau could also be another target near the goal line. Nine of his 10 touchdowns in the NFL have come in the red zone. Furthermore, 6 of them have come inside the 11-yard line.

Woods scored twice inside the 15-yard line against the Chiefs. With Michael Pittman Jr. as the only proven wide receiver on the roster, Ryan will likely look for open tight ends a lot in red zone situations this season.

Having Moreau would give the veteran quarterback another reliable short-yardage target.