Source: Rookie Colts tight end Drew Ogletree suffered torn ACL

WESTFIELD — Promising Colts tight end Drew Ogletree suffered a torn ACL in Wednesday's joint practice against the Lions, a source told IndyStar, almost certainly ending his rookie season before it had a chance to begin.

Ogletree, a sixth-round pick out of Youngstown State, had been one of the biggest risers of the offseason, moving up the depth chart and into consistent snaps with the first-team Indianapolis offense.

An afternoon MRI confirmed Ogletree's diagnosis.

"Everything happens for a reason," Ogletree tweeted late Wednesday night. "I appreciate all the love and prayers sent my way. Just another chapter to the book!"

The big tight end went down without taking a hit during the first 7-on-7 period Wednesday, prompting wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. to immediately go check on him. When Colts trainers examined Ogletree, it quickly became clear that he was dealing with a significant knee injury.

"It didn't look good, obviously," Colts head coach Frank Reich said after practice on Wednesday. "Just going up to him, he was already wanting to get himself off to the sidelines so the team could play. That kind of stuff, that's a guy we want."

Indianapolis has long wanted Ogletree.

Colts area scout Chad Henry first discovered Ogletree as a wide receiver at the University of Findlay, a Division II school, and briefly took a visit to Indianapolis in 2019 before transferring to Youngstown State, sitting out two seasons — one as a transfer, one to the COVID-19 pandemic — before playing two seasons in 2021.

Henry never lost track of him. He told Ogletree at one point that the Colts wanted to see him move to tight end, and after playing as a tight end in a spread offense last season, finally got a chance to play a conventional "Y" tight end role at the Hula Bowl.

The Colts liked what they saw enough to use a sixth-round pick on Ogletree, making him the second tight end they picked in the class behind third-rounder Jelani Woods.

Ogletree hit the ground running in the offseason, passed Woods on the depth chart early in training camp and looked primed to play significant snaps for the Colts this season in a rotation with starter Mo Alie-Cox, receiving tight end Kylen Granson and fellow rookie Woods.

The rookie had caught 10 passes in 11-on-11 work in training camp, including an impressive one-handed touchdown from starting quarterback Matt Ryan.

"It just seemed like he knew what he was doing right away," Reich said two weeks into camp. "There was never any ramp-up time. It just seemed like he fit in right from the start."

Losing Ogletree likely accelerates the timetable for Woods' development.

Indianapolis has traditionally given three tight ends significant playing time, handing the bulk of the work to two "Y" tight ends, the conventional tight end who typically sets up on the line of scrimmage with one hand on the ground. A third tight end in Reich's offense has handled the "F" role, the receiving role ticketed for Granson this season.

Alie-Cox, a returning starter, is one of the "Y" tight ends. Ogletree and Woods were likely going to share the other role, a spot that played more than 50% of the offensive snaps last season. With Ogletree out, Woods will have to assume a larger role unless a player like developmental tight end Michael Jacobson, a former college basketball player at Nebraska and Iowa State, takes a big step forward or the Colts sign a veteran.

Woods got off to a slow start in training camp, but he made two catches in the preseason opener.

"The things that we think he's good at, I think he's still excelling at those things," offensive coordinator Marcus Brady said last week. "We're just trying to continue to grow other areas of his game. He's still a threat, his size and speed alone is going to be good for Matt to find him."

The Colts have been trying to accelerate the rookie's development.

"(Tight ends coach Klayton Adams) is trying to throw everything at him at the tight end position, but we know when we get to the regular season, we can narrow down: 'These are the things you're great at,'" Brady said. "Just have that set role."

With his roommate, Ogletree, out for the season, Woods will have to be able to do a lot more of the stuff Adams has been throwing at him.

The Colts need him to step up in a big way now.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts: Source: Rookie tight end Drew Ogletree suffered torn ACL