Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Parris Campbell has been put through the wringer and more when it comes to the number of injuries he’s sustained throughout his young career.
The former second-round pick hasn’t even finished his rookie contract yet and he’s already undergone multiple major surgeries. Entering the final year of that rookie deal, general manager Chris Ballard isn’t giving up hope just yet.
“I’m not quitting on Parris Campbell,” Ballard said Tuesday at the NFL combine.
The long list of Campbell’s injury history puts a dark cloud over the outlook of his career. It’s easy to get excited about his potential because of his skill set, but the injuries continue to hinder his ability to be available.
The Ohio State product was limited to just six games during the 2021 season. He was active five of the first six games before suffering a broken foot on a 51-yard touchdown reception against the Houston Texans in Week 6.
He later returned for the final week of the regular season but played just eight snaps in what turned out to be one of the most embarrassing losses in Colts history.
That lingering list of injuries may seem a bit flukey, but it makes it difficult for Ballard to truly rely on Campbell going into the offseason.
“Does it mean we’re going to sit here and count on him to be our two or three right away? No, we will add competition to the position. But Parris Campbell is still a very talented guy,” Ballard said. “Unfortunate for the injury part of it, but the flashes have been really good with Parris. So hopefully we’ll see it come to fruition. I mean the guy has worked and done everything he can do. He’s just had some bad luck.”
Despite his love for the current talent in the wide receiver room, the Colts need to add massive upgrades. Michael Pittman Jr. has proven himself to be worthy of the WR1 moniker, but there is little hope after that.
The status of T.Y. Hilton is still up in the air while Zach Pascal is set to be a free agent when March 16 rolls around. This means Campbell is the current leader for the WR2 role behind Pittman Jr. followed by Dezmon Patmon and Mike Strachan.
It’s been an unfortunate start to Campbell’s career but it’s gotten to the point where his contributions should be viewed more as a pleasant surprise than an aspect to be relied upon entering 2022.
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