Veteran wide receiver T.Y. Hilton was once one of the best receivers in all of football. But his numbers have been in decline recently, and he remains a free agent with only a month and a half before the start of the 2022-23 NFL season.
Hilton (seen at top in a Jan. 2 game) has spent his entire career with the Indianapolis Colts, but he saw his role with the team drastically cut with the emergence of second-year receiver Michael Pittman Jr. as a true top wide receiver last year. He finished the 2021 season with only 331 yards on 23 receptions in ten games for the Colts.
His future in the NFL appears to be in jeopardy, but there is reportedly a possibility that he could return to Indianapolis next season.
According to Colts beat writer Nate Atkins of The Indianapolis Star, Hilton is still “in the mix” to be brought back to the organization in a limited role next year.
T.Y. Hilton is still “in the mix” for the Colts, but they have had no conversations about signing Julio Jones.
“I just don’t see quite the desperation,” Chris Ballard said of his WR group.
— Nate Atkins (@NateAtkins_) July 26, 2022
The team notably drafted Cincinnati Bearcats wide receiver Alec Pierce in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, who should help provide some help alongside Pittman moving forward. It will be interesting to see if Hilton does wind up coming back as well, especially with GM Chris Ballard‘s comments there about not seeing desperation to improve the WR corps.
Hilton is clearly not the player that he once was. But he could provide some value as a locker room presence and mentor in a limited role to a potential team next season.
[Nate Atkins; photo from The Indianapolis Star, via USA Today Sports]
