The Indianapolis Colts didn’t get a player “for” Michael Pittman Jr. so much as they got cap relief and a small pick upgrade in a late‑round swap with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Quick Scoop: What the Colts Got for Pittman

The Actual Trade Terms

Most reports describe the deal this way:

  • The Steelers acquire WR Michael Pittman Jr. from the Colts.
  • The teams swap late‑round draft picks , with the Colts moving up slightly (for example, a sixth‑rounder to Indy and a seventh‑rounder to Pittsburgh in some detailed breakdowns).
  • No established player is coming back to Indianapolis in the trade.

In simple terms: Indy sent Pittman and a lower late‑round pick to Pittsburgh and got a slightly higher late‑round pick back.

What the Colts Really Wanted: Cap Space

The trade is widely framed as a salary‑cap move , not a “haul” for a star receiver.

  • Pittman’s 2024 extension was set to carry about a $29 million cap hit in 2026 , one of the bigger numbers for a wide receiver.
  • By moving him, the Colts are projected to clear roughly $24 million in 2026 cap space.
  • That flexibility became important after they gave Alec Pierce a massive four‑year, $116 million deal to keep him in Indy.

So if you’re asking “what did the Colts get for Pittman?” the real answer is:

  1. A modest bump in a late‑round draft pick.
  2. A huge chunk of future cap space to build around Pierce and their quarterback.

Why Fans Are Talking About It

On forums and social media, the reactions tend to split into a few camps (paraphrased takes):

  • “Colts basically gave him away just to get off the contract.”
  • “Cap space + Pierce locked up is worth more than overpaying Pittman at this stage.”
  • “Late‑round pick swap feels light for a proven WR, but that’s what happens when the contract is the main issue.”

From a front‑office lens, the Colts chose cap flexibility and Pierce’s big deal over paying two high‑priced wideouts at once.

Bottom line: It’s not a flashy return on paper, but the move is all about resetting the books and reallocating money elsewhere on the roster.

TL;DR:
The Colts traded Michael Pittman Jr. to the Steelers in a late‑round pick swap and, more importantly, freed up about $24 million in 2026 cap space after committing big money to Alec Pierce.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.