Chris Ballard on Michael Pittman Jr.: 'We're going to work to get him back'

INDIANAPOLIS - Colts general manager Chris Ballard is entering an offseason where, for once, he has no quarterback to find and no head coach or coordinator to hire. Instead, he has more than $70 million available in cap space and a primary objective to support a quarterback in Anthony Richardson coming off of his rookie season.

He does happen to have one major decision to make directly tied to that objective.

His name is Michael Pittman Jr.

The Colts' leading receiver for the past three seasons is set to hit free agency, fresh off a career year in which he finished fifth in the NFL with 109 receptions to go along with 1,152 yards and four touchdowns. With three straight seasons of at least 900 yards despite playing with six different starting quarterbacks, Pittman is set to become the next wide receiver to cash in on an exploding market.

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In seven years running the Colts, Ballard has yet to invest either a top-level contract or a first-round draft pick in a wide receiver. But he knows he has a decision to make given what Pittman will mean to his rookie quarterback and offensive-centric first-year coach in Shane Steichen.

"I care deeply about him," Ballard said. "We have a really good relationship. It’s an honest one – almost too honest I think sometimes. But that’s what I love about him. The guy is competitive. He’s tough. He cares. He wants to win.

"We’re going to work to get him back. ... Pitt is a good football player for us and hopefully he still remains a Colt.”

It won't come cheap. That's the reality of a passing league where receiver contracts have ballooned in recent seasons, with Tyreek Hill topping the market at $30 million in annual value and 13 receivers reaching at least $20 million per season.

“The market is what the market is," Ballard said. "You have to have gas in your car and if it’s $4 a gallon, it’s $4 a gallon. It is what it is. There are ways to build your team and if that’s one of the ways you need to do it, then you need to do it. ... You’ve got to have wideouts.”

As the son of an 11-year running back, Pittman has known this market was coming. Though he and Ballard talk regularly, he has intentionally held off on any extension conversations so he could put forth his best season and get to see the rewards of a competitive bidding market.

"I've loved my four years here, but I wouldn't be doing my due diligence if I didn't explore every option and find the best fit," Pittman said. "I think we want to get a sense of what's out there."

An extension isn't the only decision Ballard has to make this spring. He could also use the franchise tag, which would cost $21.7 million for a wide receiver and would lock Pittman into a one-year deal with the team.

"I don’t want to use it, but it’s a tool," Ballard said. "If we have to use it, we will.”

GO DEEPER:The multiple personalities of Michael Pittman Jr.

Ballard said he isn't worried about any backlash with using the tag, but the past calendar year has brought him some headaches on that front. He was unwilling to promise to not use it on running back Jonathan Taylor, who was in a contract year and did not want to risk injury without a new contract. Taylor requested a trade and did not participate with the Colts while on the injured reserve for the first four games, at which point Ballard relented and gave him a three-year, $42 million contract in October.

"Going forward, every player can take a page out of his book," Pittman said of Taylor's deal. "He stood strong on what he felt that he deserved, and both sides ended up happy.

"Going forward, I think players should model that because it ended up working out."

Pittman did acknowledge that the franchise tag can be an avenue to create more time to get an extension done. It's just clear that he's looking to achieve a market rate, and he knows the Colts are in a position to pay it with more than $70 million available in cap space.

Steichen is pushing continuity this offseason for a team that had zero when he arrived but is now fresh off a 9-8 season. Ballard will take that philosophy to the test with his negotiation with Pittman, who could become that go-to receiver for his young quarterback.

"He’s a physical receiver. He can catch, he can block, he can do it all," Richardson said. "He’s smart. I appreciate him. He’s also a leader. He pushed me to be better every single day even when I wasn’t out there playing, being in the rehab on time and just making sure I was working.

"He’s a dog for sure. Just getting the ball in his hands, it definitely takes a load off of me."

Contact Nate Atkins at natkins@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @NateAtkins_.