Michael Pittman Jr. has been one of the most consistent offensive pieces for the Indianapolis Colts since being drafted in 2020, but his contract situation now puts his future with the franchise in doubt.
The Indianapolis Colts have a very high-quality roster, but they also have a couple of major NFL Free Agents: quarterback Daniel Jones & wide receivers Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce.
He is under contract through the 2026 season and carries a massive $29 million cap hit next year, making him a prime salary-cap casualty candidate. If the Colts release or trade him this offseason, they would save $24 million in cap space while taking on just $5 million in dead money, a significant financial advantage.
That cap flexibility could be crucial as Indianapolis looks to extend quarterback Daniel Jones and breakout receiver Alec Pierce. Let’s break down why the Las Vegas Raiders are a perfect landing spot for Pittman Jr.
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Did the Colts Screw Themselves?
Pittman Jr discussed his future after Week 18 with the Colts, and was very candid:
“Obviously, when you have a year like this, you know changes come. I’m not here thinking that anything is safe,” Pittman added.
“So, just got to work on the things I can do better. I know I’ve got a lot of good ball left, so hopefully they bring me back, but whatever happens, is meant to be, and I’ll always be a Colt…I definitely think we could run it back and make something happen, but the NFL is tough, and you never know what can happen.”
The ability to be self-aware not only to yourself, but to the media is admirable, but also sheds light on his likely future being somewhere outside of Indianapolis.
Looking at the 2025-26 season, obviously he didn’t end up cracking 1,000 receiving yards, but one thing to note is how poor his performance was with Philip Rivers versus his quality performance with Daniel Jones.
If you take his four games with Rivers, his 17-game extrapulation would have been 47 receptions and 361 receiving yards.
Pittman Jr. is a two-time 1,000-yard receiver, including a standout 2023 season with 109 receptions for 1,152 yards, proving he can operate as a true WR1 in the right system.
However, his production dipped to 808 and 784 receiving yards over the last two seasons, coinciding with instability at quarterback and offensive inconsistency.
At 28 years old, he still has value on the trade market, but contenders may hesitate to absorb a $29 million cap hit.
With emerging weapons like Josh Downs and having to likely decide on bringing Alec Pierce back, there doesn’t seem like a logical way that Pittman Jr is on the roster and Alec Pierce is as well.
Indianapolis Colts Receive: 2026 LV 3rd Rounder
Las Vegas Raiders receive: WR Michael Pittman Jr
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