Why Colts’ Jelani Woods Could Be Odd Man Out in TE Room

The Indianapolis Colts may have a tough decision to make on Jelani Woods ahead of the regular season.

Jan 1, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Indianapolis Colts tight end Jelani Woods (80) catches the ball during warm ups before the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The Indianapolis Colts tight end position has become a topic of conversation ahead of the 2024 regular season. While talents like Kylen Granson, Mo Alie-Cox, Drew Ogletree, and Will Mallory gain plenty of attention, nobody attracts it like third-year pro Jelani Woods. However, it's not due to any off-field issues or locker room drama, but rather his inability to leap forward and take off as the dominant tight end.

Woods kicked off his career as a third-round selection in 2022 and finished his rookie campaign with 25 catches for 312 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Woods was poised for a huge 2023 with Shane Steichen and Anthony Richardson as his play-caller and QB but never had a chance to see the field with hamstring issues.

Fast-forward to 2024 and, again, the hype was real around Woods and the rest of the tight ends behind him. However, through training camp and one preseason game, Woods is still underwhelming and is arguably the fifth out of five likely tight ends Indy will hold onto. If the Colts decide to trim down to four, Woods is the cut candidate. It's worth noting there were flashes of good blocks and hands from Woods against the Denver Broncos, but he must continue with consistency or even better play to push the next tight end ahead of him.

That's the backside C block that gonna earn Jelani Woods the playing time he wants.

I thought he had a really solid outing that he can build upon on heading into joint practices. pic.twitter.com/76NWGsbqnJ

— Colts Film Room (@ColtsFilmRoom) August 12, 2024

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While Granson may not be the most amazing option, he's been reliable and led Indy's tight ends last year in targets (50), catches (30), and receiving yards (368). Alie-Cox won't overwhelm anyone with volume catches, but Indy trusts the veteran and he still snagged three touchdowns on just 13 catches in 2023.

Ogletree is similar to Alie-Cox in that he won't blow up a receiving stat sheet, but is formidable in the red zone. He might also be the best blocking tight end for Indy. Lastly, Mallory has improved in run-blocking since last year and is the most explosive tight end in the Colts's possession. These four teammates of Woods have outperformed him over the last season and beyond.

At the end of the day, a roster has to be fit and whittled down to 53 players. With no clear-cut TE1 on the roster for the Colts, there's a chance that Woods is a default to make the team despite an underwhelming off-season performance. He also has insane athleticism, size, and speed, so Steichen can likely figure out how to utilize him the best. However, if Indianapolis only desires four tight ends, Woods is likely the name to be released. There's still time for Woods to step up his game and climb the depth chart during the preseason, but the clock is ticking, and roster cuts are approaching. We'll see how Woods performs in Saturday's preseason contest against the Arizona Cardinals.

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