The Colts may not be done shopping for help at wide receiver.
That was the clear takeaway Tuesday when general manager Chris Ballard spoke with the media and left open the possibility of adding a veteran free agent. Indianapolis has options, and the team still appears willing to explore them as training camp approaches in 2026.
The need is easy to see. The Colts spent 2025 leaning heavily on a historically efficient offense, while the defense was mostly average.
This year’s roster looks different. With better health, the defense could be much stronger and faster, especially after the team traded linebacker Zaire Franklin and did not re-sign safety Nick Cross or edge rusher Kwity Paye.
Two rookies may end up filling the spots left by Franklin and Cross, bringing athleticism but also the usual first-year growing pains.
The offense, though, took a hit. Indianapolis had to trade wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. this offseason to create cap room for new deals for Alec Pierce and quarterback Daniel Jones. Pittman is now with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Colts do not have an obvious in-house answer to replace him.
That is why the veteran market still makes sense. Keenan Allen is one name that fits.
He has already worked with head coach Shane Steichen from their time together with the Los Angeles Chargers, and at 34 he is no longer the kind of player who is going to pile up 1,500-yard seasons. But he does fit the offense, knows the system, and could slide into the kind of role Pittman held.
Allen and Pittman are both more possession receivers than big-play threats, which is part of the appeal. Pierce already gives Indianapolis the explosive element, and what the Colts could use is someone who keeps the chains moving. Allen can still do that.
Ballard also addressed Stefon Diggs, the former New England Patriots receiver. He pointed out that Diggs’s recent legal issues did not lead to a judgment of guilt in a legal proceeding, even if public opinion has already made up its mind. Ballard did not say the Colts were negotiating with Diggs, and no general manager would say that outright, but the possibility of contact is there.
Deebo Samuel is another possible fit. The former San Francisco 49ers and Washington Commanders player is 30 and brings a different kind of versatility, including the ability to line up at running back. He is a unique weapon, though not necessarily a clean one-for-one replacement for Pittman.
For now, Ballard and Steichen may still be hoping Ashton Dulin can claim the WR3 job. Even so, Ballard said the team will take a look at the group early in camp. The door remains open, and another receiver is still very much in play.
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