Which Indianapolis Colts tight end on a rookie contract is poised for a breakout in 2024?
Kylen Granson is entering a pivotal contract year, as he will become an unrestricted free agent in 2025. Drafted by the Colts in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Granson has averaged over two catches per game in each of the past two seasons. In 2023, he caught 30 passes in 15 games and scored his first career touchdown in a Week 2 win against the AFC South rival Houston Texans.
The Colts selected two tight ends in the 2022 NFL Draft: Jelani Woods in the third round and Drew Ogletree in the sixth round. Woods, who aims to secure his starting spot back during training camp, scored three touchdowns in his rookie season but was hampered by hamstring injuries and missed the entire 2023 season. Standing at 6-foot-7, Woods has the potential to be a crucial downfield threat and red zone target for quarterback Anthony Richardson.
Ogletree suffered a torn ACL during his first training camp and missed his rookie season. It will be essential for Ogletree to climb back up the depth chart over the next six weeks. Will Mallory, drafted in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, caught 18 passes for 207 yards in 12 games and is currently fourth on the Colts’ 2024 depth chart.
Richardson’s development in his second season could lift the Colts out of a three-year playoff drought and back into contention in the AFC. The Kansas City Chiefs, the current Super Bowl champions, have had 11 consecutive winning seasons, six straight conference title game appearances, and three Super Bowl wins in the last five years. Kansas City hosted the AFC championship game for a record five consecutive seasons from 2018-2022.
Sustaining success in the NFL is challenging, with only eight teams having an active streak of three consecutive winning seasons. The Colts have only one playoff victory in the last nine seasons, a 21-7 road win over the Texans in the 2018 wild card round.
To remain competitive in the AFC, the Colts must have an explosive offense. They averaged 23.3 points per game in 2023, tied for tenth-best in the league. Head coach Shane Steichen devised brilliant game plans despite not having his top playmakers in the backfield. If any of the tight ends between 25 and 26 years old emerge as a scoring threat, the Colts could solidify one of the most dynamic offensive units in football.
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