The Colts signed veteran wide receiver Deion Branch on Monday, a move that caught plenty of attention with a game against the Patriots on the horizon.
There was more to the decision than just getting good dinner recommendations around Gillette Stadium from a former Super Bowl MVP who had his best days with your next opponent. Coach Chuck Pagano said Monday, via Mike Wells of ESPN.com, that wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey is expected to miss a week or so because of a hamstring injury suffered against the Chiefs.
Heyward-Bey has seen his playing time on offense sharply reduced in recent weeks as the Colts have looked to Da’Rick Rogers, Griff Whalen and LaVon Brazill alongside T.Y. Hilton. He’s become a regular member of their special teams unit as a result and his absence was obviously concerning enough to the Colts that they added both Branch and Josh Lenz to the roster.
Pagano confirmed as much when he said the team felt a need for legs at receiver with Heyward-Bey out and added that he thinks Branch will have an “easy transition” to the Colts offense.