The Indianapolis Colts don't have many expectations for this season. However, rookie tight end Tyler Warren has immense upside. The Colts drafted Warren 14th overall back in April, and many expected him to go higher. In his preseason debut against the Baltimore Ravens, he caught all three of his targets and racked up 40 yards.
Warren managed to have a solid outing despite shaky quarterback play. Anthony Richardson went down with an injury early in the game, while neither Daniel Jones nor Riley Leonard completed more than 50 percent of their passes. Warren's size (6-foot-6) and athleticism make him primed for NFL success as both a pass catcher and blocker.
Ideal NFL debut for Tyler Warren last night. Never came off the field, earned 3 targets, caught them all.
— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) August 8, 2025
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Tyler Warren has all the makings of a star tight end
Impressively, Warren recorded 1,839 yards and 19 touchdowns during his illustrious college career at Penn State. This includes a 1,223-yard, eight-touchdown campaign during his senior year. Furthermore, Warren's 104 receptions led the Big Ten. His rare blend of strength, size, and burst gives him star upside. Warren entered the draft as the best tight end in many people's eyes, but Michigan's Colston Loveland ended up going just four picks ahead of him.
Tight end play is increasingly important in the modern NFL, so don't be surprised if Warren plays a significant role in the Colts' offense as a rookie. Warren will be competing with Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs. However, there's a solid chance that Warren leads the team in targets. A stellar rookie season could set Warren on the path to superstardom.
Warren's quarterback situation will make things challenging
Warren's upside is undeniable, and he could very well become a star. Regardless, his quarterback situation certainly makes things challenging. The Colts have one of the worst quarterback situations in the league. It's currently unclear if Richardson or Jones will start. Frankly, neither are ideal options.
Richardson is a gifted athlete, but he has struggled mightily with accuracy in his young career, posting a completion percentage of 50.6 through 15 starts, including just 47.7 last season. Furthermore, Richardson threw for just nine touchdowns while committing 21 turnovers (12 interceptions, nine fumbles) last season.
Jones lost his starting job and was released by the New York Giants last season. He posted a 2-8 record as a starter and posted more turnovers (11) than touchdowns (eight) last season. On Thursday, Jones struggled against the Ravens' reserves, connecting on just 10 of his 21 passes.
Undoubtedly, this is a difficult situation for a young pass catcher to step into. With the instability at QB, Warren's career could get off to a slow start. Ideally, the Colts will still find a way to prioritize him in the offense, even if it's just on simple screen passes.
While this situation is challenging for Warren, the good news is that there's recent precedent for rookie tight ends to have success despite subpar QB play. Just last year, Brock Bowers broke the record for most receptions (112) and yards (1,194) for a rookie tight end despite poor quarterback play. This certainly gives hope for Warren.
It's worth noting that Richardson and Jones likely aren't the Colts' long-term plan at quarterback. Nevertheless, Warren's rookie season will be defined by whether or not he can overcome one of the league's worst quarterback situations.