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Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis Colts Urged to Trade For $4.5 Million Tight End to Help Anthony Richardson

The Indianapolis Colts added a big piece to the offense, and burgeoning quarterback Anthony Richardson’s arsenal, after drafting former University of Texas wide receiver Adone Mitchell, but may not be finished upgrading.

Indianapolis Colts
Colts’ QB Anthony Richardson hopes to benefit from mentorship of Joe Flacco.
Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

It’s easy to see why the Colts are so optimistic about Richardson and expended resources the past couple of offseasons taking care of star players like running back Jonathan Taylor and wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., while upgrading the offensive skill positions during the NFL Draft.

After all, Richardson burst onto the scene as one of the more athletically gifted quarterback prospects to emerge from the draft in recent yards and passed for 577 yards with three touchdowns to one interception while adding rushing for 136 yards and four more scores before suffering a season-ending injury in Week 5.

One area the Colts seem to have overlooked is tight end, but that could be about to change.

Could the Indianapolis Colts Trade for Daniel Bellinger?

New York Giants Daniel Bellinger
Dec 31, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger (82) at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

If the season started today, Jelani Woods would be the Colts’ starting tight end, after catching 25 passes for 312 yards and three touchdowns last season.

But, the Bleacher Report Scouting Report suggests the Colts could trade for New York Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger:

“Offensively, it feels like the Colts should have added a potential starter at tight end somewhere along the way. The free-agent market is picked over at this point, but targeting someone like Daniel Bellinger who is now in a tight end room that includes Darren Waller and rookie Theo Johnson is a reasonable idea.”

Bellinger would provide some upside as a pass-catcher, after pulling down 55 passes for 523 yards and a pair of touchdowns through his first two seasons.

NFL franchises have had success pairing young quarterbacks with reliable tight ends, and Bellinger could be the kind of player who proves key to Richardson’s development.
New York Giants Daniel Bellinger
East Rutherford, NJ — December 31, 2023 — Daniel Bellinger of the Giants signals first down after a reception in the second half. The Los Angeles Rams edged the New York Giants 26-25 on December 31, 2023 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.

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Avatar of Matt Lombardo, Staff Writer

About Matt Lombardo, Staff Writer

Matt Lombardo is a seasoned NFL reporter, with over 12 years of experience covering the league. In addition to his work at Gridiron Heroics, Lombardo covers the NFL for Heavy.com, is an on air sports contributor for FOX29 Philadelphia, and writes an NFL Substack "Between The Hashmarks." Lombardo is the former Senior NFL Insider of FanBuzz, and prior to taking that role was a national NFL reporter at FanSided where he hosted a weekly podcast "The Matt Lombardo Show." A former beat reporter for NJ Advance Media (Parent company of NJ.com and the Newark Star Ledger), Lombardo covered the Philadelphia Eagles from 2011 through the 2017 season before moving to cover the New York Giants for the Star Ledger for two seasons from 2018 through 2020. During his career to date, Lombardo has covered five Super Bowls, four NFL Drafts, multiple NFL Combines, and has had his work frequently featured in publications such as Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports, and more. In addition to his journalism work, Lombardo is a strong on air presence and is a former sports talk radio host on 97.5 FM The Fanatic, Philadelphia's first FM Sports Station and the radio home of the Philadelphia 76ers and Philadelphia Flyers.

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