Stampede Blue
Colts’ WR AD Mitchell could have a breakout Year 2, as the initial offseason returns have been very promising.
According to Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, 2nd-year wideout AD Mitchell’s spring has been “really, really good,” including being impressed with his attitude, but consistency remains key (via 1075 The Fan’s Kevin Bowen):
There’s no question that after selecting Mitchell in the 2nd round of last year’s NFL Draft, that the young wideout has all the talent in the world—including the elite ability to separate at the top of his routes, but slid a bit because of alleged ‘maturity concerns.’
Still only 22-years-old, Colts fans saw some receiving flashes last year, but there were some growing pains that limited Mitchell’s production as a rookie—including shying away from physical contact at the catch point, a few drops, and not always his finishing routes.
To be fair, there were also times when Mitchell was wide open, but the Colts inconsistent starting quarterback play couldn’t accurately and timely deliver the football to him.
With Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, and Josh Downs as the projected starters, Mitchell finds himself on the outside looking in with the first-team offense. That being said, he should still get ample opportunities as a rotational wideout and in certain wide receiver packages—including in four-wideout sets.
A little competition never hurt anybody and could bring out his best too—just like we saw with a motivated Alec Pierce last year.
Speaking of Pierce, the former 2022 2nd round pick is a free agent at year-end—meaning that if Mitchell truly breaks out, the Colts could have a tougher decision to make.
So far, the spring returns for Mitchell have been promising—as he’s showing flashes again, but it’s just a matter of maintaining that focus and execution within the regular season.
