Three Colts entering 'prove it' years in 2023

Before offering a lucrative contract to a player, NFL front offices must look at past performance and judge him based on risk and reward. GM Chris Ballard of the Colts is charged with this task with several Colts for 2023. Here are three Indianapolis players who seek a contract extension but must first prove they are worth one. 

CB Kenny Moore

After the 2022 season, ESPN NFL Nation reporter Stephen Holder listed Moore as the player most likely to leave the Colts, citing a poor defensive scheme fit as an issue that would be best solved by letting him walk.

Moore has had one foot out the door since the spring of 2022, when he sat out OTAs to ignite contract talks, which the Colts shut down. The team fielded trade offers for Moore this offseason, per the Indianapolis Star, but he's expected to remain with the team.

In 2022, Moore failed to produce a turnover, struggled in coverage and was shut down for the final five games of the season with an injury. 

Moore will hit free agency next spring. If he generates turnovers and make big plays, as he did in previous years, he could earn a new deal. If not, he'll be with another team in 2024. 

WR Michael Pittman, Jr.

In 2022, Pittman had another great season, tallying 99 catches for 925 yards on an abysmal offense. Along with running back Jonathan Taylor, he was a focal point of the offense and a great locker room presence. 

It seems like a no-brainer for him to re-up with the Colts, especially with Ballard's penchant for getting extensions done with players before their contract year begins. However, the GM may look to break tradition with Pittman to gauge his fit in an offense that could start rookies Anthony Richardson at QB and Josh Downs at WR.

Per Holder, Downs was catching balls from Richardson in the the hotel parking lot on Day 1 of rookie camp. If Pittman doesn't gel with Richardson and is outperformed by the rest of a young receiving corps, he could be expendable as the Colts rebuild. 

RB Zack Moss

Moss doesn’t seem like a “prove it” candidate for the Colts as he just completed his first year with the team. In 2022, he split time with Deon Jackson in the backfield behind Taylor, rushing for 365 yards on 76 carries in eight games. Acquired from Buffalo at the trade deadline last season, he's a powerful runner who can wear down a defense.

However, Moss faces a tough challenge in a crowded backfield. He and Jackson fill similar roles, but the contract of each expires after the 2023 season. 

In the 2023 NFL Draft, the Colts drafted Northwestern RB Evan Hull, who will compete for carries and is a more reliable receiver than Moss, who only had 11 receptions last season. Hull, meanwhile, had 55 receptions for the Wildcats.

If Moss doesn't prove himself, he may find himself the odd man out.