24-05-2025
Indianapolis Colts' OTAs: The big question at wide receiver
The Indianapolis Colts will begin Phase III of the offseason programs on May 28th, which means the start of voluntary Organized Team Activities (OTAs).
Rather than only doing individual drills as the Colts have been doing, they will now be permitted to do 7-on-7 or 11-on-11 team drills, although no live contact is allowed.
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So with this important part of the offseason schedule about to begin, I wanted to highlight one big question facing each position group. Up next are the wide receivers.
Below you can find our previous position previews.
Indianapolis Colts big question at wide receiver: Can AD Mitchell make a big jump in Year 2?
After the Indianapolis Colts' 2024 season ended, GM Chris Ballard noted that AD Mitchell had some "really strong moments" during his rookie season, but ultimately, more consistency was needed moving forward.
Mitchell would finish his rookie season catching just 23-of-51 targets (45.1%) at 13.6 yards per catch with no touchdowns. At times, he and the quarterback weren't on the same page. There were also dropped passes and the timing of routes were off.
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However, we also saw flashes of the big-play potential that he brings, along with Mitchell's ability to create separation, specifically against man coverage. With his combination of speed and nuanced route-running abilities, Mitchell has the potential to win at all levels of the field and make an impact in a variety of ways.
But the majority of his targets last season came on downfield throws. In order to get more of those opportunities in other parts of the field, refinement and consistency are needed.
The challenge for Mitchell is that the Colts aren't lacking options in the passing game. He's currently the fourth option on the receiver depth chart and likely the fifth option overall with Tyler Warren now in the mix.
Earning more of those pass-catching opportunities this season and having the chance to impact the game in different ways starts with the consistency he shows as a route runner and pass-catcher during OTAs, training camp, and the preseason.
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"That he's exactly who we drafted," said Reggie Wayne about Mitchell's ability to create separation. "A guy that can constantly get open. A guy that's a threat and is special when it's man-to-man. The next step is finishing catches. Making sure you're on the same page as the quarterback. I think we spread it pretty evenly. Everybody contributes a certain way, but different from everyone else."
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Colts' OTAs: More consistency needed from WR AD Mitchell
