By Dianna Russini, James Boyd and Larry Holder
The Indianapolis Colts have agreed to a long-term deal with wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., according to league sources, after Pittman received the franchise tag last week. It will be a three-year contract worth $70 million deal and maxing out at $71.5 million with incentives, including $46 million guaranteed.
Pittman, 26, became a primary target among multiple Colts quarterbacks during his four seasons in Indianapolis. The 2020 NFL Draft second-round pick hauled in a career-high 109 receptions on 156 targets for 1,152 yards and four touchdowns last season.
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His heavy volume began in 2021 and has never tailed off. For his four seasons, Pittman has tallied 336 receptions on 487 targets for 3,662 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Colts coach Shane Steichen praised Pittman recently for his production on the field and the leadership he’s displayed throughout the franchise. Pittman was nicknamed “The Enforcer” by Steichen during Steichen’s first season, and Pittman lived up to that reputation with his physical style of play and blunt critiques of himself and his team. The Colts finished 9-8 in 2023, one win short of their first playoff berth since 2020 and first AFC South title since 2014, and Pittman remains unsatisfied.
“The ultimate competitor,” Steichen said of Pittman. “The one thing I do respect about Pitt is that he’s going to show up, and you know what you’re getting every Sunday. You’re going to get a guy that is going to go make plays, and you’re going to get the same guy on the practice field that you’re going to get in the meeting rooms, that you’re going to get on game day on Sunday. To have that type of guy on our football team is huge going forward.”
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How Pittman stacks up
Pittman probably flies under the radar a bit when you might think of the most targeted wideouts in the NFL, but he ranked seventh in receptions (296) and targets (426) in the last three seasons. Those ranked ahead of Pittman in both categories: Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs, Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Part of that comes because his receptions and yardage don’t necessarily add up to scoring as much as many of his contemporaries.
Here’s a look at where Pittman stacked up last season in four categories: Expected Points Added per reception (via TruMedia), receptions, EPA per target and targets. The players are listed in order of most targets. Rankings are in parentheses (69 qualified pass catchers for this study, minimum 80 targets):
| player | EPA/rec | Rec | EPA/Tar | Tar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1.1 (26) | 135 (1) | 0.54 (4) | 181 (1) | |
0.9 (39) | 103 (10) | 0.09 (51) | 175 (2) | |
1.2 (15) | 119 (2) | 0.52 (5) | 171 (3) | |
0.7 (55) | 95 (14) | -0.06 (64) | 168 (4) | |
1.0 (30) | 119 (2) | 0.40 (14) | 164 (5) | |
0.8 (49) | 107 (7) | 0.19 (44) | 160 (6) | |
1.2 (16) | 105 (9) | 0.43 (11) | 160 (6) | |
1.1 (25) | 106 (8) | 0.38 (16) | 158 (8) | |
0.8 (51) | 109 (5) | 0.16 (49) | 156 (9) | |
1.0 (35) | 108 (6) | 0.42 (12) | 150 (10) | |
1.0 (36) | 100 (12) | 0.37 (18) | 145 (11) | |
0.4 (66) | 114 (4) | 0.05 (58) | 143 (12) | |
1.1 (19) | 87 (17) | 0.30 (24) | 138 (13) | |
1.1 (21) | 75 (31) | 0.17 (45) | 137 (14) | |
0.9 (40) | 103 (10) | 0.48 (7) | 137 (14) | |
1.5 (1) | 79 (24) | 0.40 (15) | 136 (16) | |
1.2 (11) | 76 (29) | 0.22 (42) | 136 (16) | |
1.2 (17) | 96 (13) | 0.50 (6) | 136 (16) | |
1.0 (29) | 79 (24) | 0.09 (53) | 132 (19) | |
1.1 (24) | 83 (19) | 0.30 (26) | 130 (20) |
You wonder if those EPA rates can improve with stability at quarterback as we wait and see if Anthony Richardson is the answer there. — Larry Holder, NFL senior writer
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(Photo: Justin Casterline / Getty Images