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Does Re-Signing Mo Alie-Cox Impact Colts’ Draft Strategy?

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Does Re-Signing Mo Alie-Cox Impact Colts’ Draft Strategy?


The 2025 NFL Draft may be less than two weeks away, but the Indianapolis Colts are still adding to the team through free agency by bringing back a familiar face.

The Colts announced Thursday they had re-signed tight end Mo Alie-Cox after the veteran tested free agency for the first time in his career. Alie-Cox returns to the Colts on a one-year, $2.2 million deal, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston.

Alie-Cox has been a staple of the Colts since he signed as an undrafted free agent after the 2017 NFL Draft. After not playing football since high school, the former college basketball player continued to work on his game and has been the Colts TE1 since Jack Doyle retired after the 2021 season. Alie-Cox has tallied 114 catches for 1,433 yards and 15 touchdowns in eight seasons with Indy.

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With Alie-Cox back in the fold for a ninth year, should that change the Colts’ plans to take a tight end in the first couple of rounds of the draft? Absolutely not.

Colts’ head coach Shane Steichen detailed what the Colts are looking for at the tight end position last week at the NFL Annual Owners Meeting.

“You gotta be multiple in the pass game,” Steichen said. “Obviously you would love the guy that can block. I think those guys, it’s hard to find the true blocking tight ends anymore, but a guy that can battle in the run game is good. Great hands, can come in and out of the breaks, big and strong after the catch as well. There’s a lot of good ones in this draft. It’ll be interesting.”

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Alie-Cox brings back stellar blocking ability to help open up holes in the run game for Jonathan Taylor. He can also be a red zone threat at 6-5 and 267 pounds. But he is not a difference-maker, only pulling in 12 catches for 147 yards and a touchdown last season.

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Indianapolis Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox makes a catch against Tennessee Titans safety Quandre Diggs.

Tennessee Titans safety Quandre Diggs (28) tackles Indianapolis Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox (81) during the first half at Nissan Stadium. / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

And a difference-maker at the tight end position is what the Colts’ offense desperately needs. Statistically, Indy’s tight ends were the second-least-productive unit in the NFL in 2024. 25 tight ends across the league had more receiving yards by themselves than the 467 yards that the entirety of the Colts’ tight ends produced.

The other tight ends on the Colts’ roster cannot be counted on to increase their production, either. Drew Ogletree falls in the mold of Alie-Cox, a solid blocker but offers little as a receiver. Will Mallory is strictly a receiving threat but only caught four passes a season ago. Jelani Woods was thought to have tremendous upside, but he has not played in a game in over two years due to injury.

Despite bringing back Alie-Cox, the Colts are expected to take a tight end early in this year’s draft. With Penn State’s Tyler Warren and Michigan’s Colston Loveland considered top 10 prospects in the class, a tight end may come as early as Indy’s first-round pick at No.14. LSU’s Mason Taylor could be an option in a trade back in Round 1 or early in Round 2.

Alie-Cox provides flexibility for the Colts at the position, meaning Indy is not pigeonholed into taking a certain style of player at tight end if the value does not fit. However, you can expect the Colts to take a tight end sooner rather than later on draft weekend as they look for a difference-maker who can take their offense to the next level.

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Indianapolis, IN

Good and bad from Colts’ 2026 NFLPA report card grades

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Good and bad from Colts’ 2026 NFLPA report card grades



What grades did the Indianapolis Colts earn on the 2026 NFLPA report cards?

The NFLPA is no longer able to make their annual report cards public. However, ESPN’s Kayln Kahler was able to obtain a copy of the reports following the 2025 NFL season, and the Indianapolis Colts were again around the middle of the pack.

In these report cards, players rate numerous aspects of the organizations they play for, from ownership to the training facilities and everything in between. According to Kahler, 1,759 players contributed to these grades.

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So, where did the Colts end up this year relative to the rest of the NFL this year?

Overall, the Colts ranked 17th. Below is a breakdown of each individual grade they received.

  • Treatment of Families: B
  • Home Game Field: D
  • Food/Dining Area: B
  • Nutritionist/Dietician: A-
  • Locker Room: C+
  • Training Room: B
  • Training Staff: B+
  • Weight Room: B
  • Strength Coaches: A
  • Position Coaches: B
  • Offensive Coordinator: B
  • Defensive Coordinator: B+
  • Special Teams Coordinator: B+
  • Team Travel: B-
  • Head Coach: A-
  • General Manager: A
  • Team Ownership: A

Of note, although the Colts haven’t been to the postseason in five years, Shane Steichen and Chris Ballard both received high marks.

Carlie Irsay Gordon, Kalen Jackson, and Casey Foyt earned an A in their first year as the primary owners.

The field at Lucas Oil Stadium received a very low mark, earning a D, while the locker room was given a C+. Those were the two lowest grades the Colts received.

Compared to the 2025 rankings, the Colts moved up two spots this year, after coming in at 19th last year.

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The biggest jumps the Colts experienced came in the Food/Dining grade, which went from a C to a B. The Team travel grade also jumped from a D+ to a B-.



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Indianapolis police search for 3 people after shooting, stolen vehicle crash

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Indianapolis police search for 3 people after shooting, stolen vehicle crash


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — After a shooting, Indianapolis police were searching for three people who fled on foot following the pursuit of a stolen vehicle and its crash on Thursday afternoon.

No information was provided in the notification about the three people being sought. News 8 reached out to IMPD by email to find out details about the three people. Anyone with information regarding the incident or the people who fled the crash was asked to contact the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

The stolen vehicle was linked to a Thursday shooting, prompting the lockdown of a nearby child care center, IMPD said in a media notification. No information was provided about where the shooting happened, what may have led to it, or whether anyone was hurt.

IMPD, however, said the stolen vehicle and crash were not related to a shooting reported at 12:35 p.m. Thursday at a gas station and restaurant at West 38th and Meridian streets.

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IMPD officers found the stolen vehicle around 12:45 p.m. Thursday near East 38th Street and Post Road. When a detective attempted a traffic stop, the vehicle fled westbound before crashing a short time later near Whenner Drive, the notification said. It did not say what type of vehicle was abandoned in the crash.

Three people from the crashed vehicle fled southwest on foot. IMPD established a perimeter with assistance from the Indiana State Police, the Lawrence Police Department and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office — using specialized resources, including a state police helicopter, a special weapons and tactics team, and the IMPD’s police dogs — but did not find the three people.

IMPD said a firearm was found in the crashed vehicle, and a man detained at the crash scene was later released once investigators determined he was not directly involved in the incident.

Police have since lifted the lockdown on the child care center.

IMPD’s public information office can be reached at 317-327-3424.

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Oakland tops IU Indianapolis; Maguire Mitchell scores 25

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Oakland tops IU Indianapolis; Maguire Mitchell scores 25


INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Brody Robinson had 19 points in Oakland’s 86-74 win against IU Indianapolis on Wednesday.

Robinson added 13 assists for the Golden Grizzlies (16-14, 12-7 Horizon League). Tuburu Niavalurua scored 16 points, going 6 of 10 and 3 of 5 from the free-throw line. Ziare Wells had 14 points and finished 7 of 15 from the field.

Maguire Mitchell led the Jaguars (7-23, 3-16) in scoring, finishing with 25 points and four assists. Kyler D’Augustino added 14 points for IU Indianapolis. Micah Davis also had 12 points.

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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