Colts TE Jelani Woods participating in OTAs after missing 2023 season
It is not only Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson who is back on the practice field for OTAs, but tight end Jelani Woods is as well, according to The Athletic’s James Boyd.
And not only was Woods back on the practice field, but Boyd added that he had “an impressive day.”
Woods was a third-round pick by the Colts during the 2022 draft, but unfortunately, lingering hamstring injuries would keep him off the field during his 2023 sophomore season.
As a rookie in 2022, Woods would catch 25 of his 36 targets at 12.5 yards per catch with three scores.
Woods’ combination of size at 6-7 – 253 pounds and speed, running a 4.61-second 40 during the pre-draft process in 2022, make him a matchup problem for opposing defenses. He’s too big for many cornerbacks and too fast for many linebackers.
The Colts tried to exploit this by moving Woods around the formation, helping to create matchup problems. According to PFF, along with playing in-line as a traditional tight end, Woods had 39 percent of his snaps in 2022 come from the slot and another 20 percent lined up out wide.
Having Woods healthy and available during the regular season can provide a big boost to the Colts’ passing game and gives the offense a big play threat that can stretch the field at the tight end position and provide Richardson with another big red zone target.
Along with Woods, the Colts have a diverse group of skill sets within their tight end room. In addition to Woods’ ability to impact the passing game, Kylen Granson and Will Mallory fill the do-it-all move tight end roles, while Mo Alie-Cox and Drew Ogletree have made their impact as blockers.
