The Indianapolis Colts’ offense continues to be a work in progress as Anthony Richardson develops his game.
While the Colts have a solid quartet of wide receivers to make plays in the passing game, the tight end position has been lacking in production.
With that in mind, Bleacher Report’s weekly list encouraging teams to trade for, sign or draft assets within the next year has been filled with defensive talent. Tight end is listed as one of the Colts’ top-five largest needs, but the other four spots are all on the defensive side of the ball.
In the 2025 offseason, Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report wants to see the Colts bring in a tight end. Not since Jack Doyle retired after the 2021 season has Indianapolis had a reliable tight end, and upcoming free agent New York Jets tight end Tyler Conklin could step into that role.
"The Colts might just want to target a reliable veteran in next year's free-agent cycle. Tyler Conklin is one of the few receiving tight ends with good experience. He's not going to be the focal point of any passing attack, but he's capable of a good day if the offense needs it," Ballentine wrote.
While Conklin has never earned more than 621 yards in a season, he is on pace to notch his fourth-straight campaign with 550-plus receiving yards. He began his career as a backup tight end for the Minnesota Vikings in 2018, but Conklin has started 48 of 56 games played since the conclusion of the 2020 season.
Conklin will be 30 at the start of next year’s season, but that shouldn’t stop the Colts from offering him a brief, cheap deal to act as a veteran to help develop Indianapolis’ plethora of young, raw tight ends. In the final season of a three-year deal with the Jets, Conklin’s cap hit only comes in at $5.4 million
The Colts may be able to lure him in with a slightly less expensive deal due to the potential appeal of playing with young quarterback Anthony Richardson.
