Colts awarded wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson off waivers from Patriots

Former New England Patriots wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson has reached his next team without reaching free agency.

The Indianapolis Colts claimed the 26-year-old off waivers on Thursday, as ESPN’s Field Yates reported.

Undrafted in 2020 out of Southeast Missouri State, where program records were set with 219 receptions for 3,540 yards and 33 touchdowns, Wilkerson spent his rookie training camp with the Tennessee Titans before signing to New England’s practice squad at its formation. He remained with the organization to appear in four games as an elevation through two regular seasons. Those games, which included work as a gunner on special teams and his first NFL start on offense, brought four catches for 42 yards with two touchdowns.

Wilkerson had been placed on injured reserve at the league’s 53-man deadline last August, ending his 2022 after he sustained a concussion during joint practices. The 6-foot-1, 214-pound target now joins an Indianapolis roster that previously added linebacker Cameron McGrone off New England’s practice squad in December.

Among three players waived by the Patriots on Wednesday, cornerback Tae Hayes and kicker Quinn Nordin both went unclaimed, according to the transaction wire.