Tyler Warren spent the 2025-26 NFL season solidifying his place as the No. 1 starting tight end for the Indianapolis Colts. Which leaves the rest of the tight end depth chart looking very uncertain, given that two of the Colts' tight ends from last season are both free agents.
While Drew Ogletree is a restricted free agent, who the Colts will likely bring back, that could leave 32-year-old veteran Mo Alie-Cox on the outside looking in. Alie-Cox has spent his entire eight-year NFL career in Indianapolis, but he's never risen to the No. 2 tight end spot, nevermind the No. 1 starter.
After spending that much time with one team as a backup, in most cases, eventually, with age, a team will decide to move on, and this could be the year that the Colts move on from Alie-Cox. The question for him is: Can the Colts do without him? Or, will they decide he's worth the low salary in exchange for reliability?
Mo Alie-Cox's stability and reliability could convince the Colts unless they find some youth in the draft
The lack of yards, touchdowns, and receptions aside, in eight seasons with the Colts, Alie-Cox has a handful of other respectable traits that many NFL teams would love in a depth tight end. Alie-Cox has played 17 games in five of eight seasons, and 16 and 15 in two others. Only once — his rookie year — did he play fewer than 10.
Going off of those numbers, Alie-Cox is a clear-cut, reliable, dependable player. On top of that, he fills an excellent blocking need every second or third tight end must excel in because in most cases, if you're that far down the depth chart, when your number gets called, it's normally not for big yardage plays. That said, Alie-Cox does have 16 career touchdowns as a backup.
Given Warren's status with the Colts as their No. 1 tight end, and Olgetree (if resigned) as the No. 2, the Colts do have other tight ends on their roster that A) would include low salaries, and B) could step in to replace Alie-Cox, providing Indy with a full depth chart.
Losing Alie-Cox wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if you're Chris Ballard, as he and Shane Steichen will have options without Alie-Cox in the building. That said, according to Spotrac, he is projected to get between $1-2 million on the market this summer, which the Colts could definitely afford.
Again, it depends on how much they value his other contributions that don't include catching many balls or picking up big yards. Alie-Cox will be on any team for his 6-foot-5 and 267-pound frame. He was also the second-best pass-blocking tight end in the NFL.
These attribtutes cojld be enough for the Colts to sign him to another one-year deal like last offseason. Or, Alie-Cox could finally be on the move after eight years in Indianapolis.