The Indianapolis Colts have dealt with injuries in their wide receiver room. Alec Pierce, who recently signed a contract extension, suffered an injury in September, prompting the team to place him on Injured Reserve (IR). The leading pass-catcher on the team is Josh Downs, but he only has 202 receiving yards through four weeks.
It might be helpful for the Colts to pursue someone on the trade market, but it could take some time for a deal to materialize. The deadline isn’t until the second week of November. It will be some time before other organizations decide if they want to be buyers or sellers.
Regardless, the Colts are 2-2 entering Week 5. If the wins keep coming, and a playoff appearance is within reach, general manager Chris Ballard could choose to be aggressive.
Colts Already Leaking Interest In A Specific Wide Receiver
ESPN beat writer Stephen Holder reported late on Thursday that Indianapolis is eyeing someone in particular. In a joint piece with Arizona Cardinals writer Josh Weinfuss, the report highlighted Ballard’s potential interest in wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. as a situation worth monitoring.
“Sources told ESPN that the Cardinals are not shopping Harrison but other teams are still doing their due diligence on the third-year receiver,” Holder and Weinfuss wrote. “Those include the Colts, with a source telling ESPN that they would entertain the idea of trading for Harrison, the son of Marvin Harrison Sr., the Hall of Famer who owns multiple Indianapolis receiving records.”
This is a very interesting development. The former first-round pick has not panned out like anyone expected him to. Harrison could truly benefit from a change of scenery. There might not be a better place for him to go than Indianapolis, as he is very familiar with the Colts organization because of his dad’s time spent there.
Harrison Not Focused On All Of The Trade Talk
The trade rumors will only get louder. That isn’t affecting Harrison, though. He told the media on Thursday that he is not paying attention to any of it.
“Truthfully, I pay it no mind,” Harrison said of the speculation, per Weinfuss. “I’m only focused on Detroit, helping the Cardinals win football games at the moment. So whatever rumors you’re talking about, I don’t pay it no mind.”
Harrison only has five receptions for 85 yards and a touchdown in 2026. He has not been nearly as productive as he was as a rookie back in 2024.
The emergence of Michael Wilson has not helped his case. This is why getting a different opportunity — like with the Colts — could be beneficial.
If the Cardinals get a good enough offer, it might make sense to part ways. In that hypothetical scenario, the Colts have to be viewed as an ideal landing spot. Ballard will certainly keep an eye on the situation.
The Colts may not be expecting Pierce back for some time. This report could suggest that the talented wideout might be out longer than some expect. Harrison would have an opportunity to rebuild his reputation in Indianapolis, and step in for Pierce in the process.
Report: Colts Interested In Trading For Former First-Round WR