Getty Head coach Frank Reich and the Indianapolis Colts will open a season without key offensive weapons for the first time in years.
The Indianapolis Colts will be without 4-time All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard in Week 1 for the first time in 5 years, but he’s hardly the only veteran who will not be on the Indianapolis sideline on September 11 for the first occasion in quite some time.
After an offseason of wondering whether the Colts would bring back veteran receiver T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis will officially enter this season without Hilton on its roster. The last occasion that were the case, Peyton Manning was still on Indianapolis’ roster.
Furthermore, the Colts are without tight end Jack Doyle, who retired on March 7, for the first occasion in nearly the same amount of time. Doyle made his debut for the Colts in Week 2 of 2013.
But while Indianapolis doesn’t have those key offensive veterans, the Colts will feature the youngest player in the NFL on their defense to begin the 2022 season.
Colts Enter Week 1 Without Hilton, Doyle
It shouldn’t come as a surprise, as Doyle willingly retired, and the Colts never appeared to enter serious contract negotiations with Hilton this offseason. But the Week 1 matchup against the Houston Texans on September 11 will still be a landmark game for Indianapolis without both of those veterans on the roster.
The last time that was the case was Jim Caldwell’s final season in 2011.
Hilton was inactive for his first game as a rookie in Week 1 of 2012, but after that, he quickly became Andrew Luck’s favorite receiver during both of their rookie years. Hilton posted 50 catches for 861 yards, averaging 17.2 yards per reception, with 7 touchdowns in his first NFL season during 2012.
In 2013, he began a stretch of posting at least 1,000 receiving yards in 5 of the next 6 years. He reached a career-high and league-leading 1,448 receiving yards during 2016.
Last season, Hilton missed Week 1, as he began the season on injured reserve after neck surgery. He made his 2021 debut with 4 catches and 80 yards in Week 6.
The Colts opened the 2021 season without Hilton, but September 11 will mark the first time Doyle is not playing in Week 1 since his rookie season in 2013.
Doyle posted 295 catches, 2,729 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns in 131 career games. He made the Pro Bowl in 2017 and 2019.
Indianapolis drafted wide receiver Alec Pierce and tight end Jelani Woods in the 2022 NFL Draft to help replace both Hilton and Doyle.
Nick Cross Celebrates 21st Birthday
While the Colts are transitioning to younger players in pass catching roles on offense, Indianapolis will also feature a very young rookie at safety. In fact, Nick Cross, who celebrated his 21st birthday on September 10, is the youngest player in the NFL entering this season according to Colts beat writer Nate Atkins of The Indianapolis Star.
Cross will not only make his NFL debut, he is projected to start.
Despite turning only 21 on September 10, the Colts coaching staff doesn’t expect Cross to show his youth during his debut.
“I mean, this guy is incredibly mature in a lot of ways, and I don’t get that from just talking to him because he’s kind of a quiet guy, but you watch his habits,” Reich said. “His habits – like if you walk around this building for a week and just monitored every person, you would say he’s different.
“He’s very disciplined. He’s a very disciplined person. So, I think he’s positioned himself well to play early.”
Cross is projected to start at strong safety alongside Julian Blackmon, who is making his return at free safety. Blackmon missed the final 11 games last season after tearing his Achilles in Week 6.