Colts receiver Michael Pittman did not agree to a contract extension before his fourth season.
But as his rookie contract comes to a close, he’s put himself in a position to make plenty of money in the spring.
A pending free agent, Pittman is having his best year. With four games to go, he’s caught 95 passes for 984 yards with four touchdowns. His 7.3 receptions per game and 75.7 yards per game are career highs.
While the Colts have the franchise tag at their disposal, Pittman realizes that his 2023 has put him in line for a significant second contract — whether that’s with Indianapolis or elsewhere.
“We haven’t really talked about [an extension], but that’s not a bad thing,” Pittman said, via Stephen Holder of ESPN. “I feel like it’s worked out in my favor. If I would’ve did a deal at the beginning of the year, it probably would’ve been less than what I could potentially get in the future.”
Pittman is part of a strong class of pending free agents at receiver, including Tee Higgins, Mike Evans, Marquise Brown, and Calvin Ridley. Pittman may not be the biggest household name, but he’s now in line for his second 1,000-yard season despite having inconsistent quarterback play.
“I’d say a great receiver is a guy who performs consistently at a high level no matter what the situation is,” Pittman said. “So, he’s going to show up, rain, shine, snow, whether it’s the starting quarterback, the backup quarterback... he’s going to show up in every system that he’s been in and be able to have success without a long-term quarterback.”
Pittman added, “It’s easier to come out the gate with a guy you’ve had for the past three years because then they know you. … But you don’t always have that luxury. And we’re hoping with [Anthony Richardson], he’s going to end that cycle. But I’m here for now. I don’t know what the future holds.”
In 59 career games, Pittman has 322 receptions for 3,494 yards with 15 touchdowns.
