Host of Contenders Reportedly Showing Interest in Reggie Wayne

It won’t look right seeing Indianapolis Colts stalwart Reggie Wayne in anything but blue and white next year, but Colts fans need to come to grips with that reality pretty soon. What isn’t helping matters is the reported list of potential Super Bowl contenders lining up for a peek at what the veteran receiver still has to offer.

Indianapolis sports reporter Dave Furst listed the New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers and Houston Texans as “among the teams showing interest in…Wayne,” while adding that the Denver Broncos “have backed off”, seemingly ruling out any hope of a reunion between Wayne and the quarterback he once said he’d follow anywhere, Peyton Manning.

Frankly, it’s hard to see any of those curious teams emerging as favourites to sign Wayne in these early stages. Any intentions of winning a final ring in the twilight of his career could lead Wayne to New England or Green Bay, where he would presumably play a supporting role under two of the game’s greatest ever signal callers.

Baltimore can’t be ruled out either, with the Ravens having developed a reputation for enticing a proverbial “Dad’s Army” of receivers in recent years. Names like Anquan Boldin and Steve Smith Sr. enjoyed rejuvenated careers playing under Flacco’s deep ball scheme, and Wayne seems like a perfect fit as the Ravens look to get back to their efficient best on offense.

Maybe the Texans aren’t quite the championship heavyweights as those other franchises, but history has shown that one-team veterans are not averse to jumping ship to a division rival with plans of torching their former team twice a year.

Not including his seven-game season due to injury in 2013, last season was Wayne’s least productive since 2002. Even so, 64 receptions for just under 800 yards is the kind of production many teams would consider a luxury out of a skill player set to turn 37 in November. Watch this space.