Training camp is getting close, and the Colts’ tight end room already has a pretty clear shape to it.
Tyler Warren is the headliner, Mo Alie-Cox remains the steady TE2, and Drew Ogletree looks like the safest bet to round out the top three. Beyond that, the battle gets a lot murkier.
Warren is set to lead the group, while Alie-Cox should keep his role as the blocking-focused second tight end. He also finished sixth on the team in special teams snaps last season, which only adds to his value.
Ogletree, meanwhile, gives Indianapolis some flexibility because the Colts can get out of his deal during roster cutdowns if they need to, though that feels unlikely. He has been a rotational piece on offense and finished fourth on the team in special teams snaps in 2025.
The real question is what happens with the fourth spot. Will Mallory is the favorite there after holding that role last season, but he is not locked in.
His edge is that he brings more of a pass-catching profile, while Sean McKeon is more of a blocker. The problem for McKeon is that the Colts already have two tight ends in Alie-Cox and Ogletree who fit that same mold.
There are six tight ends on the roster right now: Tyler Warren, Mo Alie-Cox, Drew Ogletree, Will Mallory, Sean McKeon and Carson Towt.
As for the final number, most teams carry four tight ends, and that’s been the Colts’ usual approach under Shane Steichen. Still, there’s a real case for going lighter this time and keeping only three. The depth here isn’t especially strong, and trimming one spot would open the door to keeping an extra player somewhere else, maybe on the defensive line or in the secondary.
That’s the direction I’d lean right now. Mallory played just 16 offensive snaps last year and only one on special teams, and he was frequently inactive on game days. With that in mind, the Colts could choose to use that roster spot elsewhere and simply elevate someone from the practice squad when they need help on Sundays.
In Other News...
Colts Just Set The Stage For A Nostalgic 2026 At Lucas Oil
The Colts are already giving fans a reason to circle Lucas Oil Stadium for 2026, unveiling a home slate built around familiar touchpoints, special causes and a few nods to the franchises past. The lineup includes the home opener against the Ravens, a Rivalry Uniform Game against the Texans, White Out, Salute to Service, Kicking The Stigma, My Cause My Cleats, Indiana Nights and the regular-season finale against the Jaguars.
For a team that has leaned into presentation as much as tradition, the schedule feels designed to keep the building tied to both its history and its identity. One of the biggest moments on that calendar will come with a Ring of Honor celebration for Adam Vinatieri at Lucas Oil Stadium, while other dates should give the Colts a chance to turn game days into something closer to an event, even before the football takes center stage. [Read more 🡒]
Another Colts Quarterback Twist Could Put This Backup In Play
The Colts quarterback room is still taking shape for 2026, and the expectation around the league is that Indianapolis will carry three passers. Daniel Jones and Riley Leonard appear positioned to be part of that mix, which would leave the final spot as the one most worth watching as the roster comes together.
Easton Stick is one name that fits the profile, especially with his prior link to Shane Steichen from their time together in Los Angeles. If the Colts do end up with the room they have in mind, Stick would be looking at a depth role behind Jones and Leonard, but the path to even getting that chance may depend on how the rest of the quarterback situation settles in the coming weeks. [Read more 🡒]