As Indianapolis Colts' wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne said on Thursday, there is plenty of opportunity out there for his position group.
The Colts traded away their two most productive wide receivers this week, sending Keenan Allen to the 49ers and Josh Downs to the Chiefs, in return for draft picks. Without Allen and Downs, there is now a lot more snaps and targets up for grabs.
"The guys gotta be hungry dogs," Wayne said, via Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan. "Opportunity -- that's the word of the day. Everybody's got an opportunity to display their talents. Obviously you don't want to see any of your teammates gone, but the fact of the matter is, they are and that's an opportunity for these guys to step in."
Shane Steichen said on Wednesday that
Anthony Gould will start for Downs in the slot. Deion Burks and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine will have more opportunities as well.
Laquon Treadwell and Ashton Dulin will continue to get their reps as well
"Think about Anthony Gould, he's been waiting for this opportunity since he got here," Wayne added. "Now it's his time to shine. Tread, he'll get more targets. Deion Burks, let's roll. So my group shouldn't need any motivation. They should be self-motivated; they should be excited about the chance to go out there and make plays."
Reggie Wayne on his depleted wide receiver group: https://t.co/Rn8PvcWqQy pic.twitter.com/SsRALjT8K8
— Kevin Bowen (@KBowen1070) November 12, 2026
As was pointed out by Mike Chappell, this group has combined for 27 receptions for 375 yards and one touchdown. 16 of those receptions and 215 of those yards belong to Treadwell.
Overall this season, the lack of speed and playmaking potential without Alec Pierce has significantly impacted the Colts' passing game. After the trade deadline, moving the ball through the air certainly hasn't gotten any easier.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: 'Opportunity:' Reggie Wayne on current state of Colts' wide receiver room
