Indianapolis Colts’ HC Shane Steichen weighed in on WR AD Mitchell and what he’s seeing from him in Year 2.
After an inconsistent rookie season, a Year 2 leap for Indianapolis Colts’ wide receiver AD Mitchell will be crucial in his development.
Mitchell would see sporadic playing time as a rookie, and when on the field, dropped passes, mistimed routes, and not being on the same page with the quarterback were all part of the equation.
This up-and-down play resulted in him catching just 45% of his passes and, at times, being the fifth wide receiver on the depth chart in terms of playing time.
But in his second NFL offseason, Mitchell is off to a strong start in OTAs, and now it will be about carrying that momentum into training camp and beyond.
“I think he’s done a really nice job in OTAs,” Shane Steichen said before Tuesday’s practice. “He’s stepped up. He’s made a lot of nice plays for us. But to really make that second-year jump is going to be big for him. I really like the mindset he’s at, the maturity level he’s brought, the competitiveness he’s brought this offseason has been good. So just carry that into training camp and the season.”
Oftentimes, it is in Year 2 where we see NFL players make the biggest developmental leaps. There is the comfort that comes from having a year of NFL experience under their belts, not to mention having a full offseason to hone in on their game, rather than focusing primarily on the pre-draft process.
While Mitchell battled inconsistencies as a rookie, we also saw his impressive ability to create separation, particularly against man coverage. His combination of route-running prowess and athleticism makes him someone who can impact the passing game at multiple levels and do so in a variety of ways.
But in order to earn more of those opportunities, and not only be a deep threat, more steady play, both on the practice field and in games, is needed.
A potential hurdle that Mitchell faces is that he’s in a crowded position group, currently sitting as the fourth receiver on the depth chart, and potentially the fifth receiving option with Tyler Warren factored in.
However, if he can take that next step and show consistency, his presence provides Steichen with added flexibility as he puts game plans together with a different skill set to utilize regularly and force defenses to contend with.
“That next step is like, alright, let me learn my role, let me focus on the things I can control and move from there,” said Reggie Wayne. “He’s backing up Alec right now. I mean, you can’t throw Alec away. Alec just had a great year. Just coming in understanding, and understanding your place, but when your number is called, let’s make sure we hit a home run and not just a base hit.”
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