Stampede Blue
Let me know if you’ve heard this one before; an uber talented player who possesses all the traits, skills, and athletic ability to shine at the next level shows a slew of issues, including a lack of maturity, that stunts their growth and sees them on the bench. The Indianapolis Colts faced an embarrassing situation last year in which their starting quarterback “tapped out” in a game that had a lot riding on it. The trust of coaches and the locker room was lost, and Anthony Richardson never won it back. It was the cliff over which he fell. A.D. Mitchell is looking out over that same edge. One more step and he may find himself in the discard bin at the bottom with his former quarterback.
All of this is to say two things: Mitchell messed up against the Rams, royally. Dropping the ball like he did is inexcusable and having a holding call on a touchdown, unfortunate. He deserves blame for his actions, and Shane Steichen is currently non-committal on whether he will be in uniform against the Raiders. That may seem like a severe punishment for one foolish act, but just like with Richardson, these actions are not in a vacuum. The coaching staff watches these players every single day. Everyone saw how skittish he was last year; avoiding contact and having alligator arms. This year, things have been better having compiled seven catches for 137-yards through four games, but he still doesn’t have a touchdown. While that isn’t everything, watching him showboat and fumble his first one can’t sit well with the team.
Now, let’s talk about the other part. Should the Colts give up on him? No, not yet. As stated, Mitchell has shown signs of growth in year two. He was the disappearing man last year and as a rookie, he gets a slight pass. We are seeing him make strides towards being a positive contributor on the field. Cut? No. Benched? Sure, at least for a game. There is nothing wrong with Steichen sending a message to his young player and the entire team. That mental mistake cost the Colts the game and who knows what else come season end. Using this as an example to show that this type of foolishness won’t be tolerated is within bounds.
A.D. Mitchell might suit up against the Raiders, or he might be a healthy scratch. Just like Jonathan Taylor, the message was received regardless. This could mark a death spiral for his career or prove as a launching off point. Who knows? All that can be known is that Mitchell needs to get it together. He witnessed the Colts have zero loyalty to the quarterback they drafted fourth overall three years ago. There is no built in safety net. The only net is created through playing well and playing intelligently. Don’t make the unforced error, continue to show the elite traits on the field, and things can turn around in a hurry.
