A worthwhile tight end room was finally born this past season after years of subpar play following the retirement of longtime starter Jack Doyle, but it’s already time to look ahead to the future – even if general manager Chris Ballard and Co. are being more shortsighted this draft cycle.
The Colts are set to return their gameday tight end room from a season ago. Headlined by second-year player Tyler Warren, the group is rounded out by veterans Mo Alie-Cox, Drew Ogletree, and Will Mallory.
Before Warren was drafted 14th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, transforming the Colts’ tight end room and subsequently its passing game overnight, Indy’s tight end room was truly desperate for a difference-maker.
Colts’ 2024-25 tight end stats (ranking leaguewide)
75 targets (29th)
39 receptions (32nd)
52% Catch Rate (32nd)
467 receiving yards (31st)
2 receiving touchdowns (t-31st)
22 1st down gains (31st)
The tight end by committee approach had grown stale by all accounts, resulting in a rookie needing to right the ship entirely — and that he did.
As a rookie, Warren outplayed Indy’s entire room from the season before he arrived, totaling 76 receptions on 112 targets (67.9% catch rate) for 812 receiving yards, 42 first down gains, and 4 receiving touchdowns.
The tight end room goes as far as Warren takes them. Setting the tone, Warren opens up opportunities for the rest of his position mates, as defenses are less likely to sniff out play-action routes or deem them as true threats in the passing game. The depth under him is mainly meant to prop him up while providing reliable blocking, but it’s a room that complements one another quite well.
In order to establish some continuity within this room, the Colts re-signed both Mo Alie-Cox and Drew Olgetree to one-year deals earlier this offseason. Tight ends coach Tom Manning must be happy getting the gang back together, though the uncertainty of how long said group will last creeps in when you realize that everyone in that room outside of Tyler Warren only has one year on their current deal left, including Will Mallory, who enters the last year of his rookie contract this season.
With that, due diligence in the NFL Draft is required. Even if you’re drafting and stashing, by way of Day 3 (rounds 4-7) of the draft or via a priority undrafted free agent signing, a succession plan must take shape sooner rather than later. As alluded to, this regime is most concerned with staying alive, therefore moves that see day-one impact will naturally be valued over future plans. The future will be taken into consideration, but it won’t be prioritized.
With that being said, let’s say Chris Ballard and Co. do grab a tight end on Day 3 to alleviate some of that pressure that’s ever so slightly mounting behind the scenes. Who could the Colts target in rounds 4-7 that could make some sense?
So long as they’re able to add additional draft capital, legitimizing a tight end dart throw, here are some names that will likely be considered for the Colts on Day 3.
Rounds 4-5
Justin Joly (NC State)
Eli Raridon (Notre Dame)
Nate Boerkircher (Texas A&M)
Rounds 6-7
Joe Royer (Cincinnati)
Riley Nowakowski (Indiana)
Seydou Traore (Mississippi State)
Tight end is arguably near the bottom of the priority totem pole going into the draft, thanks to the aforementioned financial investments in veteran mainstays Mo Alie-Cox and Drew Ogletree, but due diligence should be taken when considering the future of that position room.
Sign Up For the Colts Daily Digest – OnSI’s Indianapolis Colts Newsletter
Add us as a preferred source on Google
