Michael Pittman Jr., who’s currently in the last season of his contract with the Indianapolis Colts, recently spoke about his pending free agency.
By Jaleel Grandberry
Michael Pittman Jr. is now in his fourth year in the NFL, and his third year as the No. 1 receiver for the Indianapolis Colts. After a promising rookie season, Pittman has been taking things up a notch for Indy each year, establishing himself as the go-to pass catcher for the Colts. With that being the case, you’d think Indy would want to keep him around long term, especially with a young quarterback.
However, with Pittman now in the final year of his contract, he hasn’t been signed to an extension yet. The reason being is that general manager Chris Ballard made it clear that he wasn’t interested in giving out any extensions following the team’s four-win season last year. This no-extension mentality has affected players like Pittman, Jonathan Taylor, Kenny Moore II, and Grover Stewart. Many key Colts players are in a contract year.
Pittman, in a recent appearance on the ‘Up & Adams’ show, was asked about why he would want to remain in Indianapolis. Pittman expressed that he believes he and Anthony Richardson could do special things together, and that he wants to be apart of the resurgence of the Colts. However, Pittman understands the business of football, and that’s why he ultimately sees this year as an audition for 32 teams.
Michael Pittman Jr. would love to stay with Colts but he’s auditioning for every team
So far, Pittman’s audition is off to a great start. Through four games this season, Michael Pittman Jr. has been targeted 39 times, catching 26 passes for 245 yards and one touchdown. He’s currently leading the Colts in every receiving category. Through his career, Pittman now has 253 receptions for 2,755 yards and 12 touchdowns.
It makes sense for Indianapolis to re-sign Pitman and keep him around for a while. In fact, it would be wise for the Colts to start negotiating an extension now. If Indy lets Pittman enter free agency, there’s no guarantee that he’ll return to Indy. Sure, that’s where the memories are, and where Pittman says he wants to be, but professional sports has shown us that things change once contracts are on the table.
Originally posted on horseshoeheroes.com