The Colts did not wait long to add help at receiver after the latest setback with Alec Pierce.
Veteran wide receiver Darius Slayton is signing with Indianapolis, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The move comes shortly
after news that Pierce is expected to miss several weeks while rehabbing the heel injury he aggravated, with a midseason return currently viewed as possible.
Slayton gives the Colts an experienced outside receiver at a time when the group suddenly needed one. He spent the past seven seasons with the New York Giants and, more importantly for Indianapolis, played alongside Daniel Jones from 2019 through 2024. There should be far less of an adjustment period than there would be with most receivers signed this late in the season.
He is not going to replace everything Pierce brings. Pierce has become one of the NFL’s better vertical threats and is coming off a 1,000-yard season, while Slayton is more of a complementary outside receiver than a featured target. Still, the Colts needed someone who could step in immediately and handle legitimate offensive snaps, and Slayton fits that description much better than simply promoting someone from the bottom of the depth chart.
His speed also gives Indianapolis another receiver who can stretch the field while Pierce is out. With Josh Downs and Keenan Allen handling much of the underneath and intermediate work, Slayton should have a chance to fill some of the vertical role that would otherwise be missing.
The Colts will still need to adjust without Pierce, especially if his absence extends into the middle of the season. Slayton at least gives them an experienced option who already has years of chemistry with their quarterback.
Given the timing and the connection to Jones, it is a pretty logical move.
