Colts Pushed to Shop unbelievable WR. Before NFL Trade Deadline

Jonathan Taylor, a running back for the Indianapolis Colts, is now committed through the 2023 campaign.
However, the status of wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr.’s contract is still up for debate.

In addition, there are doubts about Indianapolis’ ability to contend for an AFC playoff spot this year.
Amazingly, the Colts are one of the conference’s 12 teams with a record of 3-3 or better.

Without starting quarterback Anthony Richardson—whom the Colts officially ruled out for the rest of the 2023 season—that’s a crowded and intimidating field to navigate.

Cory Woodroof of USA Today’s For the Win suggested that the Colts should carefully assess the trade market for Pittman in light of everything mentioned above.

The Colts need to carefully consider any trades at the trade deadline in order to raise money for the draft and add quality players to this offense, according to Woodroof, who wrote that quarterback Anthony Richardson is currently on injured reserve.

Pittman is a very dependable wide receiver, but in the spring, he will be a free agent. It makes sense for Indianapolis to think about trading him to a contending team in need of wideout support in exchange for a third-round draft pick.

The team would receive that amount as the maximum reward if Pittman left and signed a significant contract elsewhere, but they wouldn’t get their hands on that pick until 2025.
It’s also possible that they’ll make a significant free agent signing of their own to offset that.
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Woodroof called the Colts’ potential trade of Pittman, which would give them a “nice pick for next year’s draft,” “smart,” as he put an end to his case.
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Pittman’s circumstances can be viewed in a few different ways.
Early in the second round of the 2020 draft, the Colts selected Pittman.
He has grown into a wide receiver who will compete for 100 receptions and/or 1,000 yards each season.

It doesn’t seem wise to give that up for a second-round draft pick when he’s only 26 years old.

Beggars can’t be choosers, as the proverb goes, though.

Pittman shouldn’t be kept around to make a run if the Colts don’t intend to keep Gardner Minshew at the quarterback position.

Although the Colts do have other young receivers they are developing, Alec Pierce and Josh Downs have not rendered Pittman unnecessary.
With the draft pick they get in exchange for Pittman, they might have another.

Pittman’s tradeability is a very difficult decision to make.
The Colts, however, can’t really afford to let the 26-year-old walk away from free agency for nothing.