Chris Ballard commits to Michael Pittman Jr. being with the team next season

Indianapolis Colts' general manager spoke to the media Wednesday afternoon at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. And while he didn't do so in the larger availability, he answered the biggest question of the offseason in a smaller group afterward. That question being if star WR Michael Pittman Jr. will be with the team next season. […]

Destin Adams — NFL News Writer

Feb 28, 2024 8:03 PM EST

Feb 28, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard talks to the media at the 2024 NFL Combine at Indiana Convention Center. — Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Indianapolis Colts' general manager spoke to the media Wednesday afternoon at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.

And while he didn't do so in the larger availability, he answered the biggest question of the offseason in a smaller group afterward. That question being if star WR Michael Pittman Jr. will be with the team next season.

#Colts GM Chris Ballard said that Michael Pittman Jr. will be on the roster come Week 1, either by an extension or the franchise tag if necessary.
— Nate Atkins (@NateAtkins_) February 28, 2024

Ballard made it clear that they won't let Pittman Jr. hit the open market. If the team and Pittman Jr. can't come to an agreement on an extension, the team will use the franchise tag for the first time since Pat McAfee in 2013. The WR franchise tag is currently set at just under $22 million, and if Pittman Jr. ends up receiving the tag, he would be the second WR this offseason joining Cincinnati Bengals' Tee Higgins.

Since leaving Ballard's presser, I have spoken to a team source on the matter who shared with me that while the team is prepared to use the franchise tag if they have to, they feel confident that an extension to keep Pittman Jr. in Indianapolis long term will get agreed to this offseason. They even shared that the team is optimistic that a deal will get done before they would have to use the franchise tag on him at all.

But as Ballard shared today, the team will use the franchise tag to retain Pittman Jr. and keep him from hitting free agency if a deal isn't agreed to before the March 5th deadline. If the tag is used, I'm told the team would be doing so to extend their negotiations with the hope of reaching an extension with Pittman Jr. prior to training camp.