Colts: 3 Potential Replacements for Ashton Dulin

The Indianapolis Colts could turn to any of these three options to replace wide receiver Ashton Dulin, who suffered a season-ending knee injury this week.

The Indianapolis Colts suffered a major loss on Thursday with the season-ending injury to wide receiver Ashton Dulin.

The fifth-year former All-Pro suffered a torn ACL during Wednesday's joint practice against the Chicago Bears and was placed on Injured Reserve on Thursday. Dulin was a steady fourth-fifth option as a receiver, but where his loss really will be felt is on special teams. It wasn’t long ago (2021) that Dulin was a Second-Team All-Pro and one of the best gunners in the entire NFL.

The Colts can choose to attack this loss in three different ways.

One is internally by looking at a receiver already on the roster that plays special teams. Next, they keep a receiver that does not play special teams at all and then give gunner duties to someone else, or they go outside the organization to bring the missing someone in.

3. Mike Strachan

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Strachan has barely played special teams, logging snaps only in the preseason. Entering his third season with the team, he has not logged one special team snap thus far during the regular season. The loss of Dulin does however open up another roster spot at wide receiver. In what is considered a make-or-break year for the perennial all-training camp team member, maybe this is the opportunity he needs and a new coaching staff will finally be able to pull out that potential that the last staff fell in love with.

2. Jake Kumerow

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This is probably not a name that most of you expected to see but if we’re looking for a replacement for special teams purposes only then Kumerow is an option. He last played for the Buffalo Bills last year when he went on IR with an ankle injury but he also had back surgery earlier this offseason. It was just in 2021 when Kumerow, who has played special teams for a bunch of different teams, finished 10th in special teams stops among wide receivers (Dulin was first). Kumerow was pretty decent as a receiver with the Green Bay Packers and Bills but the Colts don’t need him for that. However, he definitely can bring some veteran experience to a special teams group that needs it.

1. Amari Rodgers

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If you’re looking for a combination of someone that can contribute on special teams and as a receiver then Rodgers is the guy. The former college football national champion and Day-2 draft pick has the most upside out of all the guys available. At only 23 years old, Rodgers is already showing flashes at camp and had a great day at joint practice against the Bears. Rodgers spent time with the Houston Texans and Packers these past two seasons but didn’t stick due to a poor history with holding onto the football (or a lack thereof). Even with that being said, with the ball in his hands, Rodgers is a dynamic playmaker who is also willing to do work on special teams as a returner or gunner. If I had to choose someone, this would be my pick, but who knows what direction the Colts will go in because once teams cut the roster down to 53 players, more appealing options may become available.

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