The Indianapolis Colts have moved on from several franchise staples this offseason. They released defensive back Kenny Moore II after nine seasons with the franchise. They traded linebacker Zaire Franklin to the Green Bay Packers after eight seasons with the team. And they also traded wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers after his first six seasons in Indy. While the favorites to replace Moore and Franklin appear to be players, general manager Chris Ballard has drafted like Justin Walley and CJ Allen, they haven’t found a bona fide replacement for Pittman.
GettyMichael Pittman Jr. recorded 80 catches for 784 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025 for the Indianapolis Colts.
Josh Downs now becomes the secondary wide receiver option to Alec Pierce, but his role is primarily from the slot position. The Colts still need another dynamic presence out wide to balance out their offense.
ESPN’s Matt Bowen believes that Indy’s answer could be a current free agent pass-catcher on the market.
Deebo Samuel Offers The Indianapolis Colts A Unique Skillset
GettyWide receiver Deebo Samuel was named as a first-team All-Pro by the Associated Press in 2021 after he became the first player in NFL history to record at least 1,405 receiving yards and 365 rushing yards in the same year.
Bowen lists the Colts as the best team fit for former Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
“The Colts added veteran receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine this offseason, but Samuel would bring a unique skill set to coach Shane Steichen’s offense as a complement to Alec Pierce and slot man Josh Downs”, Bowen wrote. “Steichen can create a long runway for Samuel to get up to speed on crossers, while building in manufactured touches on screens and fly sweeps. Signing Samuel, who caught 72 passes last season in Washington, would also give quarterback Daniel Jones another catch-and-run target alongside tight end Tyler Warren. Both Samuel and Warren ranked in the top 15 of yards after the catch last season.”
Samuel spent his first six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers before spending last season with the Commanders. Samuel is known for his dual-threat ability as a receiver and rusher, as well as his yards-after-catch prowess, which Bowen alluded to. As a receiver, Samuel has recorded 406 catches for 5,519 yards, while as a rusher he has carried the ball 219 times for 1,218 yards. Samuel has scored 48 total touchdowns across his 97 games played.
Teams began referring to Samuel less as a pure wideout and more as a “wideback” due to his success at both positions.
While perhaps he won’t be quite as effective at 30 years old compared to his prime, he was still highly productive for Washington last season.
Samuel racked up 727 receiving yards, 75 rushing yards, and six total scores for the Commanders last season.
The flexibility Samuel offers makes him another dynamic element for the offense and a perfect complement to Alec Pierce’s vertical ability on the outside.
The Colts Have Put An Emphasis On Getting Younger
Part of the reason for the Colts overhaul of veterans appears to be a need to get younger. The Colts boasted the 14th-oldest roster last season, with 14 players over the age of 29. The Colts are searching for new cornerstones at key positions.
This comes as a result of them finally having a stable option at quarterback with Daniel Jones. Now it is just about finding the balance between stable and explosive players at each position on the team. The youth movement will help Indy from falling behind, as the AFC South division is littered with young talent, including three quarterbacks that were all selected within the first two picks of their respective drafts.
Colts Listed As Top Fit For Former All-Pro 48-TD WR Free Agent