ESPN’s Walder: Colts’ Adonai Mitchell could be trade deadline target for Cardinals

Wide receiver is the biggest position group in need of an upgrade for the Arizona Cardinals if they continue pursuing wins over initiating a trade deadline sell-off, according to ESPN’s Seth Walder.

Walder listed Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell as a trade deadline target for the Cardinals.

The 23-year-old out of Texas is in just his second season after the Colts took him in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Mitchell started four of the first seven games during the 2024 season but has seen a decreased role since. During his rookie campaign, he struggled with drops and caught just 41.8% of his targets, making 23 catches for 312 yards.

In seven games this season, he’s made eight catches for 145 yards.

In Indiana’s only loss of the season, the wide receiver made two critical errors. The first came when he fumbled the ball just before reaching the goal line on what would have been a 75-yard touchdown reception, resulting in a touchback. It was a week before Cardinals running back Emari Demercado made a similar mistake.

AD Mitchell.
Touchback. pic.twitter.com/Q1zVSiQUoH

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 28, 2025

The second mental lapse came when he was called for a holding penalty that negated a 53-yard touchdown run by running back Jonathan Taylor.

After those two errors, Mitchell has played sparingly for the Colts.

He has tallied only one reception for eight yards in his last three appearances.

Mitchell was a healthy scratch in Indianapolis’ Week 6 win over the Cardinals. But Walder believes there is reason to believe in his stock rising.

He has either been inactive or played less than 10% of Indianapolis’ snaps since he dropped a ball at the goal line against the Rams in Week 4. But Mitchell is a player I have confidence in. He recorded an 82 open score as a rookie last season, tied for eighth best among the likes of Tyreek Hill and Zay Flowers, per ESPN receiver scores. That’s a hard trait to find and means he still has plenty of unrealized potential. He could be helpful to Arizona now but also brings the potential to increase his role in future seasons.

Mitchell is signed through the 2027 season after signing a four-year rookie contract with the Colts worth $7.4 million with $4.8 million guaranteed. There is a cap hit of $1.7 million for this season.

And the Cardinals need to find some juice if they want to get out of an offensive slog.

After tight end Trey McBride and receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., there has been a steep drop-off for Arizona in the receiving department.

McBride and Harrison Jr. together make up 43.8% of all receptions and 45.9% of all targets for the Cardinals this season.

Michael Wilson has just 15 receptions on 27 targets, and Zay Jones has added 12 receptions on 17 targets.

Related

Cardinals' Monti Ossenfort needs another diamond in the rough this NFL trade deadlineCardinals try out quarterbacks Kyle Trask, Jeff DriskelCardinals training camp takeaways: Jacoby Brissett struggles, and where is Trey Benson?Cardinals’ Walter Nolen III is ‘good’ after he was seen limping on the sideline FridayJeremiyah Love listed as RB2 on Cardinals’ 1st depth chart of preseasonCardinals place P.J. Mustipher on IR, sign Brodric Martin