The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

As the Indianapolis Colts look to make major transitions on the offensive side of the ball, Mike Strachan is expected to miss the start of training camp as he continues to recover from an offseason procedure on his knee.

The injury meant the second-year wide receiver was only a partial participant in the Colts’ spring schedule which included Mandatory Minicamp and several sessions of Offseason OTAs. No timetable has been set for his return.

The Colts placed Strachan on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list.

Colts general manager Chris Ballard updated Strachan’s progress.

“Mike Strachan, he had a knee procedure before he left. He’s going to be a little bit of time, we think before the end of camp he’ll be back but we’ll see,” he said, “He’s still rehabbing and making progress.”

The Colts will look to acclimate Matt Ryan, the team’s new 15-year-veteran quarterback, to the fold, along with a relatively inexperienced group of wide receivers.

This offseason, Strachan was projected to have a unique opportunity to stand out among the group led by third-year standout Michael Pittman Jr. and fifth-year veteran Keke Coutee the only two with over 400 career receiving yards.

“With Matt Ryan and the new additions I feel like this team is on the road to greatness and we can get to a championship,” Strachan said of the addition of the former league MVP to the locker room.

“He’s someone we all look up to, it’s like having another coach. It’s crazy because he’s a great leader, he knows the game inside and out and he teaches us. He’s been a certified veteran for years in the NFL so he’s somebody that I listen to and look up to.”

Strachan’s standout performance last training camp led the seventh-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, to a spot on the 53-man opening day roster.

Strachan totalled 10 receptions for 130 yards in three preseason games.

Overall, he had a Pro Football Focus grade of 73.0 this preseason; he was targeted 16 times, had six receiving first downs, no dropped passes, four contested catches, and was part of three explosive pass plays. In his preseason debut, Strachan finished with three receptions for 57 yards in the Colts’ 21-18 win over the Carolina Panthers.

In his second appearance, Strachan finished with two catches for 12 yards in the Colts’ 12-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings and five receptions for 61 yards in the Colts’ 27-17 win over the Detroit Lions.

He began the year with appearances in the first two games of the regular season but played sparingly for the remainder of the campaign.

In week one, he finished with two catches for 26 yards in the Colts’ 28-16 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Strachan was on the field for 18 snaps and was targeted three times, a higher rate than any other receiver in the lineup.

Despite the challenges of a rookie campaign, he still considered it a season of milestones with the opportunity to represent the country.

“Just being in the locker room everyday with a bunch of different guys from different backgrounds, different salaries, look at a guy like Matt Ryan - $150 million - that’s your friend now,” Strachan said, “So it’s things like that that motivates me, seeing those guys, looking up to them and being able to work with them is touching.”