The Indianapolis Colts are deep at wide receiver after last week's NFL Draft saw the team select Miami's Phillip Dorsett in the first-round.
This move came as a bit of a shock as the team already had T.Y. Hilton, 2014 third-rounder Donte Moncrief and free agent addition Andre Johnson. But some believe Dorsett's selection spells the end of Hilton's time in Indy when his contract is up after this season.
"There's nothing I can do about that," Hilton said Wednesday of Dorsett's selection. "That's who they picked. That's cool with me."
Hilton is coming off the best season of his career in which he caught 82 passes for 1,345 yards and seven touchdowns. If he approaches those numbers again in 2015 he'll be in line for a big contract in free agency. A contract the Colts may not want to pay.
Dorsett is a similar player to Hilton. He has slightly better size (5-foot-10 to 5-foot-9, 185 pounds to 178) and a practically identical 40-yard dash time (4.33 to 4.34). Even Dorsett's father was surprised by the selection though Hilton doesn't believe anyone should be.
"Nothing in this league should surprise anybody," Hilton said. "(It was) a pick that they thought we needed, so I guess that's what we needed to help this team."
Dorsett may eventually replace Hilton, but the fourth-year pro isn't worried about it.
"I haven't really watched him, (but) I know he's fast," Hilton said. "I think we're deep (at the receiver position). All of the guys can go out there and play. It's going to be fun; it's going to be a battle."
Hilton, who has amassed 3,289 yards and 19 touchdowns in three seasons, will earn a base salary of $1.5 million this season. His market value, however, is significantly higher.
Quarterback Andrew Luck obviously isn't complaining about the abundance of talent at the wide receiver position.
"I know Phillip's going to be a stud," Luck said. "Runs like the wind. Tracks the ball in the air. Makes big plays. Quality, quality guy.
"I'm super stoked. There are a bunch of playmakers in this locker room, there really are."
