Indianapolis, IN
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.
We have re-signed TE Mo Alie-Cox. pic.twitter.com/rWIiGVX6Uh
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) April 11, 2025
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.
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.”
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!
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.
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.
Recommended Articles
Indianapolis, IN
That trail you walk downtown? It’s generated $3 billion for Indianapolis, study finds
See the 10th Street Cultural Trail Expansion ribbon cutting ceremon
Highlights: Indiana Ave. and 10th Street Cultural Trail Expansion ribbon cutting on Indiana Ave. on Thursday, June 20, 2024, in Indianapolis.
Since its creation, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail in the heart of Circle City has drawn millions of residents and visitors to its distinctive paved path. But according to a new report, the trail isn’t just beneficial for those looking to get out on an urban stroll or bike ride — it’s a driver for the city’s economy and quality of life.
The report, “Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene and Marilyn Glick at 20: Connecting People, Places, and Possibility,” was based on analysis by James Lima Planning + Development, a group of real estate, planning and economic development advisors. Here’s what to know about the report.
How has the Cultural Trail affected the city’s growth, development?
According to the report from 2026, the 10-mile trail has generated $3 billion in assessed property value around its path — money that supports the city and its governmental services.
The population along the trail has grown five times the city average and retail space near the trail has increased 39%, the report shows. Nearby food and beverage sales are almost twice the average per square foot in Indianapolis.
Additionally, the report shows, undeveloped land along the trail has the potential to add $1.4 billion of value in the near future. Since an initial study in 2015, the trail’s economic impact has grown from $1 billion to $3 billion.
“For nearly 20 years, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail has helped transform Downtown Indianapolis into a more vibrant, connected and economically competitive city,” Mayor Joe Hogsett said in a June 3 news release. “It is more than a trail. It is a nationally recognized public asset that drives investment, supports local businesses, connects neighborhoods and improves quality of life for the people who live, work, play and stay in our city.”
According to the report, over 1 million people use the trail each year, and almost half of downtown Indianapolis residents live within a three-minute walk of the path.
What other features does the Cultural Trail offer?
Users of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail aren’t limited to walking — the Pacers Bikeshare program, operated by the trail, has 57 bike stations throughout the city that are accessible 24/7.
The trail also features nearly six acres of plants and greenspace, offering locals and visitors an urban getaway. City planners from across the world have visited the trail to study its design, according to the report.
What is the future of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail?
Focus on the Indianapolis Cultural Trail has shifted from construction and maintenance to long-term operations and expanded resources for the public.
Kären Haley, executive director of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Inc. — the trail’s nonprofit — said it has grown into the “crown jewel” of the city with the growth and development it has created over two decades.
“The Cultural Trail is driving billions in investment and making surrounding neighborhoods thriving destinations,” she said in a June 3 news release. “As we enter the next phase for the Trail, we look forward to building upon our initial 20 years of impact.”
Mia Thurow is the breaking news and criminal justice reporting intern for the Indianapolis Star. She can be reached at mthurow@gannett.com.
ICYMI: Top 5 IndyStar business stories in May 2026
A busy month at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway reignited debates about hotels and the downtown heliport. Plus, Eli Lilly celebrated 150 years.
May came and went, and with it, we saw the closest Indianapolis 500 finish in history, the 150th anniversary of Eli Lilly and a contested primary election day.
There’s also been some movement in retail news ahead of the summer shopping season. On the north side, a new women’s clothing store opened while a piercing studio set up shop in Speedway. Meanwhile, an indoor children’s play place opened on the near north side.
Read on for four spots that recently opened and one in Broad Ripple that said farewell.
Openings
Monkee’s
8659 River Crossing Blvd., monkeesofindianapolis.com, opened in March
Monkee’s of Indianapolis, a high-end women’s clothing store, opened recently on the north side in the Shops at River Crossing near the Fashion Mall. The brand Monkee’s started in the South three decades ago and has since grown to nearly 70 locations. In Indianapolis, Missy Llewellyn and Whitney Schmitt started the franchise to bring the clothing brand to the Circle City.
The Nest Play Cafe
515 E 22nd St Suite 101, indynestplaycafe.com, opened early May
The Nest Play Cafe opened at the corner of Central Avenue and 22nd Street, offering an indoor space for parents and caregivers to bring their children to play. Caregivers can book 90-minute play sessions for $15 per child over the age of one. Tickets for additional siblings run $10. The cafe sells coffee and snacks, too.
Open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to noon. Closed Tuesdays.
Forget Me Not Piercing Studio
5324 W. 16th St., jessflowerspiercings.square.site, opened May 27
A new piercing studio opened in Speedway at the end of May just days after the Indianapolis 500. Forget Me Not Piercing offers traditional lobe, helix and conch piercings along with nostril and septum piercings. Artist Jess Flowers opened the one-woman shop on 16th Street.
Open Sunday and Thursday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Black Orchid Barbers Fountain Square
1201 Prospect St. Suite 100, blackorchidbarbers.com, opened in May
Black Orchid, a local barbershop known for its sharp haircuts with a side of humor, opened its Fountain Square spot, marking the company’s seventh brick-and-mortar location. Walk-ins are welcome but Black Orchid recommends grabbing a time slot online for your preferred service.
Open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closures
Vitality IV Bar
6302 Guilford Ave., vitalityivbar.com
An IV-wellness spot in Broad Ripple shut its doors last month. Vitality IV Bar was located next to the Thieves cocktail lounge, formerly the Broad Ripple Starbucks location, before it went out of business.
Vitality IV still operates an Indianapolis-area location on Mass Ave downtown at 749 Massachusetts Ave where customers can book a variety of infusions with vitamins.
See a store opening or closing near you? Contact IndyStar reporter Alysa Guffey at alysa.guffey@indystar.com.
Forty-one names comprised the 11th layer of Springer’s “The Forgiving Sea VI,” an interactive painting that invites people to wr
-
World3 minutes agoTrump Says Iran Has Agreed to Not Have a Nuclear Weapon
-
News13 minutes agoHow Each House Member Voted on the Iran War Powers Resolution
-
Lifestyle50 minutes agoFirings at CBS’ ’60 Minutes’ reflect the fight for media control in the age of Trump
-
Technology58 minutes agoMicrosoft Is Pulling the Plug on Publisher This Fall. These 8 Alternatives Prove You Don't Need It
-
World1 hour agoTrump expands Cuba sanctions beyond US companies in major crackdown on foreign enablers
-
Politics1 hour agoBessent flips script on Dem senator with reminder about his son’s past ties to Epstein
-
Health1 hour agoNew ways to prevent flu revealed in ‘accidental’ lab breakthrough, study finds
-
Sports1 hour agoRussell Wilson announces retirement from NFL after 14 seasons
