The Indianapolis Colts didn’t waste much time.
On Sunday night, they lost playmaking wide receiver Alec Pierce to injury that will likely keep him out for a handful of weeks at least. On Monday night, it was reported that the Colts would be signing veteran wide receiver Darius Slayton to help bolster the WR depth chart.
Slayton was cut by the New York Giants at the end of the preseason, a pretty surprising roster move, and it took him a couple of weeks to find a new home.
Now, the Colts will have to figure out how to incorporate Slayton into a bit of a messy wide receiver room.
Colts WR Depth Chart
Pierce had been the Colts’ true No. 1 wide receiver, but they don’t really have one of those anymore after the injury, so they’ll have to make it work with what they’ve got.
The top target in the WR room should become Josh Downs, the shifty slot receiver who is highly trusted by QB Daniel Jones.
The Colts have also been giving a lot of snaps to the veteran Keenan Allen, although he has Dto create any separation so far and could also be facing a suspension at some point.
On Sunday night, Laquon Treadwell was the guy who took Pierce’s position in the offense once Pierce was out of the game. The former first-round pick Treadwell should be the guy who sees the largest increase in action while Pierce is out.
The Colts also have the currently injured Ashton Dulin, as well as the speedy seventh-round rookie Deion Burks who they’ve used on gadget run plays a couple of times so far.
The goal for Slayton would likely be to take some snaps from Allen or Treadwell, depending on the pending suspension news and which of those guys can be more effective.
How Good Is Darius Slayton?
Slayton, a 2019 fifth-round pick from Auburn, put together a quality career for the Giants.
He had 48 catches for 740 yards as a rookie, and he topped 700 yards in four of his first five NFL seasons.
In his seven-year NFL career, Slayton has 296 grabs for 4,435 yards and 22 touchdowns.
His 15.0 yards per catch in his career isn’t up to Pierce’s level, but it will be the closest thing the Colts have to a big-play threat with Pierce out.
Last season with New York, Slayton caught 37 passes for 538 yards in 14 games played.
He’s still just 29 years old and won’t turn 30 until January, so there’s plenty of reason to believe Slayton still has some production left in the tank.
The Colts sure are hoping that he does, because they’re 0-2 and in need of a spark after the opening losses combined with the injury to Pierce.
Colts WR Depth Chart Takes New Shape With Darius Slayton News