Why Breshad Perriman's pure speed could give him a leg up in race for Colts WR spot

INDIANAPOLIS — Breshad Perriman exploded down the sideline, running under a gorgeous deep ball from Anthony Richardson, snatching it beyond the hands of a cornerback and a safety coming over to help.

A celebrating Perriman turned to head back to the huddle, and a Colts safety let out his first impression of the veteran receiver in exclamation.

“Man, he’s fast.”

Colts OTA observations: Anthony Richardson finds a connection with Breshad Perriman

If Perriman makes the Indianapolis roster and has an impact this season, it will most likely be on plays like that, taking the top off the secondary in Shane Steichen’s vertical passing game.

“That’s what I like to do,” Perriman said. “I feel like when you push it vertical, to me personally, it makes everything else easier, every other route. For me, personally, I’m kind of looking forward to that.”

Perriman’s speed once made him a first-round pick, a player seemingly destined for stardom. The Central Florida product was timed as fast as 4.25 seconds in the 40-yard dash in the days leading up to the 2015 NFL draft, a time that convinced the Baltimore Ravens to take him with the 26th pick of the draft.

He never lived up to the expectations that come with being a first-round pick.

There were flashes. Perriman had 33 catches and 499 yards with Baltimore in 2016; 36 catches, 17.9 yards per catch and six touchdowns with Tampa in 2019; 16.8 yards per catch with the Jets in 2020.

But the play-in, play-out consistency never developed.

The Colts aren’t going to ask Perriman to live up to those expectations. No matter what else has happened in his career, Perriman has always been able to get deep, an ability that could earn him a role behind the team’s likely starting trio of Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce and either rookie Josh Downs or veteran Isaiah McKenzie in the slot.

Perriman has averaged 16.2 yards per reception in his eight-year career.

The catches might come few and far between — he had just 20 over 17 games with Tampa the last two seasons — but they’re often explosive plays.

“A speed guy,” Steichen said.

Perriman has also gotten used to a nomadic life in the NFL, a career that has now seen him play for eight different franchises.

After making the big catch in Wednesday’s organized team activity, Perriman was asked if he felt like he’d made his mark in Indianapolis, felt like he’d announced his presence.

“I don’t even think about it like that, to be honest with you,” Perriman said. “I’m just out there, just trying, whatever play comes my way, whether it’s a 40-yard bomb or a 5-yard catch, I’m just trying to make whatever play comes to me.”

Perriman can read the room.

Indianapolis has a clear No. 1 receiver, Pittman Jr., who has 187 catches over the last two seasons. Pierce has the deep speed and leaping ability of a downfield target like Perriman, but he’s a better all-around target who had more catches (41) as a rookie in the NFL’s worst passing offense than Perriman has had in a season. Downs is a separator tailor-made for the slot. Veteran Ashton Dulin has a dual role as a complementary receiver and a key special teamer.

The Colts have spent the offseason assembling a group of veteran wide receivers to compete for the other spots available. Third-year receiver Michael Strachan was already on the roster, and Indianapolis has signed veterans Malik Turner, Juwann Winfree and Vyncint Smith.

None have been as successful in their careers as Perriman, but they all have experience.

Perriman knows he has to make an impression like the one he made on Wednesday.

“If you’re not in the starting two or three, that’s kind of the role you’ve got to take on,” Perriman said. “You’ve got to stay ready. You never know when that opportunity is going to come. When it comes, you’ve just got to take full advantage of it.”

When it comes time for the Colts to decide who’s making the roster, the decision will likely come down to how each player complements the rest.

“If you can have multiple different types of bodies, guys who do certain things well, not have the same guy at every position. … I like a variation,” Steichen said.

Perriman’s clear advantage is his blinding speed.

He has to show the Colts they can count on it.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts: Why Breshad Perriman's speed could give him a leg up in WR race