INDIANAPOLIS — The Colts have added another receiving option to the roster.
Indianapolis activated tight end Will Mallory off of injured reserve on Saturday afternoon, an expected move that also provides insurance for the Colts, considering tight end Tyler Warren’s presence on the injury report. Mallory missed the first five games due to a thumb injury suffered at the end of an excellent training camp.
Warren was unexpectedly listed as questionable on the team’s injury report with a groin injury on Friday, leaving the possibility that Daniel Jones will not have his leading receiver.
Warren has 30 catches for 213 yards and two touchdowns so far this season, along with a rushing touchdown early last week against Pittsburgh.
If Warren is compromised on Sunday against the Titans, then it is the perfect time for Mallory to come off injured reserve.
Warren was hit in the groin during the portion of practice open to the media on Friday.
“I’ll check with the trainers and see where that goes,” Colts head coach Shane Steichen said.
If there is good news on Warren’s status, it’s that he has not been downgraded on Saturday afternoon.
Mallory, a fifth-round pick by the Colts in 2023, has spent the past two seasons on the Indianapolis roster as insurance for Warren.
While Mallory is not a blocker, he is a capable receiving option with sure hands, making 23 catches for 252 yards in just 268 offensive snaps over three years of his career.
The rest of the Colts’ options at tight end are primarily blockers.
Mo Alie-Cox, the team’s in-line tight end, has three catches for 30 yards; Drew Ogletree has one catch for four yards while serving mostly as a blocker capable of lining up in different spots; and veteran Pharaoh Brown was brought up to the 53-man roster as another blocking option this week.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts activate TE Will Mallory with Tyler Warren questionable