National Football League

Jonathan Taylor got paid. Is WR Michael Pittman Jr. next for Colts?

Published Oct. 24, 2023 6:43 p.m. ET

Michael Pittman Jr. had just five targets in the Colts' heartbreaking 39-38 loss to the Browns on Sunday, the first of which didn't come until the 4:27 mark of the second quarter. That led to his attention-grabbing remarks postgame.

"Maybe I'm not a big part of the offense," he said, in part, to the Indianapolis Star.

But just how good he is, how important he is to the Colts, was evident in the fourth quarter. On a second-and-10 in Colts territory, he ran a slant route out of the slot, broke one tackle, another defender bounced off him, and he raced to the house. The 75-yard catch-and-run touchdown gave Indianapolis a 38-33 lead with 5:38 left.

The past few years, Pittman has been the Colts' best offensive playmaker not named Jonathan Taylor. With his fellow 2020 draftee recently getting a payday before the expiration of his rookie deal — three years for $42 million, including $19.3 fully guaranteed, after a contract standoff — one has to wonder when the fourth-year receiver will get his too.

Pittman has been healthier than Taylor (Pittman has missed just one game since 2021), plays a premium position and has been a consistent No. 1 wide receiver for a Colts team that has had seven starting quarterbacks since he entered the league (Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, Sam Ehlinger, Nick Foles, Anthony Richardson, Gardner Minshew). He could be that dependable wideout who helps the development of Richardson, who's out for the season with a shoulder injury.

Since 2021, when Pittman became a full-time starter, he has 2,496 receiving yards and 966 yards after the catch, ranking 17th and 13th in the NFL in that span, respectively, according to Next Gen Stats. He's one of just 15 receivers with at least 200 receptions since the start of 2021. This season, Pittman has 42 receptions for 489 yards and two touchdowns. He's 16th among wide receivers in receiving yards, including sixth with 251 yards after the catch, speaking to his playmaking ability.

In the last year of his rookie deal, the 26-year-old Pittman will earn $2.9 million in base salary, according to OverTheCap.

"Do I expect [an extension]? I don't really expect nothing, really," Pittman said in August. "If it happens, it happens. And if it doesn't happen, then, yeah, I would play my [rookie contract] out without an extension.

"I think every player wants to get paid," he added, smiling. "I wouldn't mind it."

How concerning is Anthony Richardson's season-ending injury?

The Colts paid Taylor, coming off an ankle injury that forced him to miss six games last year and four games this year on the PUP list, top dollar in a deflated running back market. It was the latest testament to Indianapolis' commitment to paying homegrown talent, even those at non-premium positions. The Colts made Quenton Nelson the highest-paid guard in NFL history last year. They made Shaquille Leonard the highest-paid inside linebacker in league history in 2021. Indianapolis has also signed the likes of slot cornerback Kenny Moore, nose tackle Grover Stewart and right tackle Braden Smith to big deals over the past few years.

Paying Pittman seems to be a no-brainer. But when could the Colts do so? As a top-level receiver, he'd only be more expensive to retain if he hits the open market in March. And Indianapolis hasn't shied away from extensions in-season, like other franchises. We saw it with Taylor earlier this month. The team also extended Stewart in November 2020.

What could complicate negotiations between Pittman's camp and the Colts is how the fourth-year pro is perceived. He's been Indianapolis' No. 1 receiver for the past three seasons — he has 17 more targets than any other Colts pass-catcher in 2023 — but is he truly a No. 1 receiver? It's a question general manager Chris Ballard was asked last offseason, and he responded by saying, "There are very few of those."

With only one 1,000-yard season, Pittman hasn't produced like the elite players at the position (Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, A.J. Brown), but he's arguably in the tier right behind them. The contracts of the Bears' DJ Moore and the Commanders' Terry McLaurin are realistic benchmarks. The average annual value of Moore's contract is $20.6 million, while McLaurin is at $22.7 million.

"Is he a really good freaking player? Damn right he is," Ballard said in January. "And he's passionate and he's tough and he competes his a-- off and he wears it and I love that about him. I love that he wears his emotions on his sleeve. I love that he cares deeply about winning. Pittman's a really good football player and we're lucky to have him on our team."

[Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.]

Pittman acknowledged how there are lessons to be drawn from Taylor's negotiation process — and maybe he's taken that to heart in his own situation.

"Every player can take a page out of his book," the receiver said about Taylor, via IndyStar. "He stood strong on what he felt that he deserved, and both sides ended up happy.

"Going forward, I think players should model that because it ended up working out."

Ben Arthur is the AFC South reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.