The Indianapolis Coltsconcluded 2024 with a lackluster 8-9 record, which isn’t good enough to instill confidence in the franchise’s future. Once the dust settled after the Week 18 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Colts general manager Chris Ballard spoke at his end-of-season presser for the local media.
Over about an hour, Ballard touched on nearly everything in the headlines regarding the Colts’ up-and-down 2024 season. However, one interesting area was his evaluation of the tight end group, which struggled mightily to be a receiving threat.
“We didn’t get enough production from them… I’ve got to be able to give Shane [Steichen] and them a guy that can really control the middle of the field, that teams have to account for and defend.” pic.twitter.com/HljUDAgxMD
Ballard broke down the tight end group: “We didn’t get enough production from them. I will say this, they did a very good job blocking in the run game.” Ballard continued, “They’re excellent blockers, but our inability to control the middle of the field, which we’ve got to be able to do, I’ve got to be able to give Shane (Steichen) and them a guy that can really control the middle of the field that teams have to account for and defend.”
The tight end room consisted of Mo Alie-Cox, Kylen Granson, Drew Ogletree, and Will Mallory, but none excelled in any way as a receiver. Below are the receiving marks from each, along with the games played:
Mo Alie-Cox | 17 games – 12 catches – 147 receiving yards – 12.3 average – 1 Touchdown
Kylen Granson | 17 games – 14 catches – 182 receiving yards – 13.0 average – 0 Touchdowns
Drew Ogletree | 17 games – Nine catches – 109 receiving yards – 12.1 average – 1 Touchdown
Advertisement
Will Mallory | 10 games – Four catches – 29 receiving yards – 7.3 average – 0 Touchdowns
Indy’s four tight ends massed 39 catches for 467 receiving yards (12.0 average) and two touchdowns. Ballard acknowledging that Indy needs to get a tight end that can control the middle of the field is a good sign, especially given the injury setbacks of the 2022 draft pick Jelani Woods.
What happens next for the Colts? Don’t miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Colts news delivered to your inbox daily!
Dynamic NFL offenses have solid pass-catching tight ends. Teams like the Buffalo Bills(Dalton Kincaid), Kansas City Chiefs(Travis Kelce), Baltimore Ravens (Mark Andrews), and Philadelphia Eagles(Dallas Goedert) use these weapons to elevate the entire offensive approach, helping set up the other pass-catchers and the running attack.
Oct 13, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Indianapolis Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox (81) makes a catch during pregame warmups against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Indianapolis has nearly no resemblance of this on the roster outside of (possibly) the heavily injured Woods, but nobody can be confident in the former third-round selection due to missing two straight seasons (2023-2024). This situation, paired with Ballard’s evaluation of the tight ends, points to the Colts trying to draft a tight end in a little over three months.
Advertisement
Bowling Green’s Harold Fannin Jr., Penn State’s Tyler Warren, and Michigan’s Colston Loveland are arguably the top three tight end candidates heading into the NFL draft, so fully expect Ballard, Shane Steichen, and the Colts’ front office to do whatever necessary to get Anthony Richardson the sure thing at the position for the future.
Discovering elite talent like Kelce, Andrews, and Goedert at tight end is difficult, as a player Brock Bowers (Las Vegas Raiders) doesn’t grow on trees. Indy can’t go another full season with four tight ends falling under 40 catches as a group; that isn’t helping the development of Richardson.
The Colts have plenty of time to look into the tight end options in the upcoming draft and free agency, so we’ll see what the organization wants to do for a spot on the roster that was invisible outside of blocking assignments. In the modern NFL, a tight end must be more to be a true offensive weapon.
Want more Colts content? Check out the latest episode of the Horseshoe Huddle Podcast!
Follow Horseshoe Huddle on Facebook and X, and subscribe on YouTube for multiple Colts live-stream podcasts per week.
Karl E. Muszar, Jr., 94, Indianapolis, was called to his heavenly home June 22, 2026. He was born July 13, 1931, in Indianapolis to Karl E. Muszar, Sr. and Golda Lucille (Martin) Jones.
Karl was a 1949 graduate of Howe High School. He then enlisted in the U.S. Air Force where he served until 1955. Following his military service, he attended Purdue University and in 1958 earned a B.S. in Metallurgical Engineering. Karl worked for Allison Aircraft until 1975 at which time he started his own consulting business, Metallurgical Engineering of Indiana, Inc. Karl enjoyed photography and hiking in the mountains of Colorado. He served as a board member of Heritage Christian School from1971 to 2001.
In addition to his parents, Karl was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Barbara J. (Foulk) Muszar; sister, Boni Kennelly, and stepbrother, Wesley Jones.
Survivors include his daughter, Michelle (Mark) Anderson; son, Jeffrey Muszar; granddaughter, Brittany (Alex) Winfield; great-grandchildren, Krystiyan Hall, Czarina Green, Mikhail, and Odessa Winfield; and many nieces and nephews.
Advertisement
Family and friends will gather at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 27, 2026, at Colonial Hills Baptist Church, of which he was an active member, and where the funeral service will begin at noon.
Burial will follow in Union Chapel Cemetery. In memory of Karl, contributions may be directed to Colonial Hills Baptist Church-Missions, 8140 Union Chapel Road, Indianapolis, IN 46240. Envelopes will be available at the church.
Bussell Family Funerals is privileged to assist the family in arrangements. Condolences: bussellfamilyfunerals.com.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Rain & storm chances are returning later in the week and it’ll really heat up next week.
TUESDAY EVENING/NIGHT:
Mostly sunny during the evening with fair skies and comfortable conditions overnight. Lows will be in the 50s for the 2nd night in a row.
WEDNESDAY:
Partly cloudy skies overall with highs in the upper 70s to lower 80s for most of Central Indiana. While most of the day should remain dry, there is a chance of a few showers & storms during the evening.
Advertisement
WEDNESDAY NIGHT:
Partly to mostly cloudy. Chance of a few showers & storms. Lows in the low to mid 60s.
THURSDAY:
Variably cloudy. Chance of a few showers & storms. Highs in the lower 80s.
THURSDAY NIGHT – FRIDAY:
Scattered rain & storms are looking more likely. Some heavy rain is possible and early projections suggest another 1-3” could fall across parts of Central and Southern Indiana. We’ll continue to monitor for some severe weather potential, but as of Tuesday afternoon no part of Indiana is in an official outlook from the Storm Prediction Center. Temperatures may only be in the upper 70s on Friday if we end up with more clouds and rain/storms.
WEEKEND:
Warm temperatures in the 80s are on track along with a chance for a few showers & storms both days. Humidity levels will be rising and the heat index by Sunday afternoon could be well into the 90s.
NEXT WEEK:
Advertisement
A hot and humid weather pattern is likely going to establish itself again over the Great Lakes region. While there could be a few stray storms from time to time and perhaps even a storm complex or two rolling in from the west, the main storyline will involve hot & muggy air. Highs are expected to push into the lower 90s with heat indices in the 100 to 105 range.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — We’re in for a much better Tuesday, after all of the recent wet weather. High pressure is bringing us sunshine and comfortable temperatures today, but don’t get too used to it—rain and storms are heading back our way by Wednesday night, and we’re tracking a flooding threat heading into the weekend.
Today:
Finally, a day to enjoy! High pressure is firmly in control, giving us plenty of sunshine and comfortable conditions.
Highs today will be pleasant, ranging from the mid-70s across northern Indiana to around 80 degrees in the south.
Tonight:
Clear skies continue with lows dropping into the mid-50s to lower 60s.
Advertisement
Wednesday:
Another nice day as high pressure continues to dominate. We’ll see plenty of sunshine with highs climbing into the low to mid-80s. Humidity will remain low, making it feel comfortable despite the warmer temperatures.
Wednesday Night into Thursday: Heavy Rain Threat
Scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop Wednesday night as moisture increases significantly. There will be much more moisture in the atmosphere by the evening hours, which opens the door for heavy downpours overnight.
Thursday should be mostly dry during the day as weak ridging builds in behind the overnight activity. However, another round of storms could develop late Thursday ahead of a warm front moving in.
Thursday Night through the Weekend: More Heavy Rain
A storm system will move through Thursday night, bringing moderate to heavy rainfall and thunderstorms. Rainfall totals could exceed 2 inches in many locations, raising flash flooding concerns.
The big concern is training storms. When storms repeatedly move over the same areas, rainfall totals can quickly add up, leading to localized ponding and minor flooding. Low-lying areas, poor drainage spots, and areas near creeks and streams will be most vulnerable.
Sunday and Beyond: Heat and Humidity Return
Rain and storms will finally push northeast of the area by Sunday, giving us a break. But the break from rain comes with a price—heat and humidity.
By Sunday, high humidity and southerly breezes will boost afternoon temperatures near 90 degrees. Heat indices could approach mid- to upper 90sby early next week.