How Colts rookie Will Mallory is making a late push in crowded TE battle

[JAFF]

How Colts rookie Will Mallory is making a late push in crowded TE battle

PHILADELPHIA -- Will Mallory zoomed across the formation into open grass on Lincoln Financial Field to find a pass from Gardner Minshew and room to run for 22 yards to convert a third down.

The very next play, another Minshew pass came soaring his way, this time seemingly out of his reach. But the fifth-round rookie tight end twisted his body, extended his fingertips and reeled in the pass for a 21-yard gain and another first down.

On two plays Thursday night, Mallory became the Colts' leading receiver in their 27-13 preseason victory over the Eagles. They were his third and fourth catches of a preseason that started as slow as possible with foot and hamstring injuries but suddenly has him hurdling toward a possible spot on the team's 53-man roster.


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“I was getting open with the crossers and shallow game and showing them why they picked me," the Miami product said. "They think I’m fast and I can make plays down the field.”

It's been a delayed impression, through no fault of his own. Mallory has fought the same health battle as much of the Colts' young tight end room, as he, Jelani Woods, Drew Ogletree and Mo Alie-Cox all missed significant time with lower-body injuries this camp.

Indianapolis Colts rookie tight end Will Mallory has produced four catches in the past two preseason games against the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles.
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That's left Kylen Granson and Pharaoh Brown to command the attention at a position that's in transition under new coach Shane Steichen, new offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter and new tight ends coach Tom Manning and with rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson. The newness of everyone, the changing of schemes and the fluctuating availability has left much of the position's present and future a mystery.


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Mallory is at the center of that intrigue. The Colts made him a fifth-round pick this spring after he broke out with 42 catches for 538 yards and three touchdowns at Miami last season. He brings plenty of those with 6-foot-4 and 239-pound size with a 4.54-second 40-yard dash and a 36.5-inch vertical jump that rank in the top 10% of all tight end prospects since 1987.

He also brings the bloodlines of Indiana football royalty as the grandson of former Indiana University coach Bill Mallory and the nephew of Curt Mallory, the current coach at Indiana State. He is also the son of Mike Mallory, who coached Jeremy Shockey and Jimmy Graham on the Saints.


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That upbringing has accelerated his learning in football, but the transition at tight end in the NFL is still one of the steepest for rookies. It's especially challenging when missing practice time with injuries as Mallory has.

Mallory missed time in the spring and into the start of camp with a foot injury. Then he suffered a hamstring issue that held him out until last Tuesday. He's had less than two weeks to acclimate to the NFL, and that time has come with preseason games and three total joint practices against the Bears and Eagles.

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"I know his head is spinning when he was first getting out there. You're a young guy and stuff is moving fast," Granson said. "I can tell it's already starting to slow down for him a little bit. He's starting to calm down a little bit out there. He's doing great."

Becoming the Colts' leading receiver Thursday was a good statement to try to make the roster. Indianapolis returned Ogletree and Alie-Cox this week but is still without Woods, who has a hamstring injury. Woods, Granson and Ogletree are likely roster locks, and Mallory could be the fourth option, if he's able to beat out Alie-Cox and Brown. The battle could come down to a preference in skill sets and experience vs. youth, as Mallory is closer to the "F" move variety than a designated blocker like Alie-Cox and Brown, who are both five years older.

Mallory hasn't had as long of a runway as the others, but he's hoping this can be the start of an ascension with an offense in transition.

"I hope in the last two games and joint practices I’ve shown how I can help the team," Mallory said.

[IndyNorm]

Mallory has seemingly shown enough to make the roster. What will be interesting to see is if we keep 5 TEs or let MAC go.

[Chromeburn]

That’s got to be an interesting cut down meeting when the TEs come up.