Darrius Heyward-Bey to get more looks with Colts than with Raiders

Darrius Heyward-Bey could be in for a big 2013 season now that he's with a wide-open Colts offense.

By Louis Bien@louisbien Jun 16, 2013, 11:17am EDT

Darrius Heyward-Bey, now with the Indianapolis Colts, may be getting ready for his best season yet. According to Dan Pompei of the National Football Post, Colts coaches want to use the speedy wide receiver much more than he was used with the Oakland Raiders. Here's Pompei:

What's more, they believe they have the resources to be one of the better teams in the league at stretching the field. Part of their enthusiasm has to do with the acquisition of Darrius Heyward-Bey. Indy coaches see him as a potentially explosive playmaker who can get behind coverage. The Colts will be trying to get Heyward-Bey more opportunities than he ever had in Oakland.

Heyward-Bey was a maligned draft pick when he was selected by Al Davis and Co. with the No. 7 overall pick in 2009. He hasn't quite matched the expectations of a top-10 pick, but he was a solid deep threat in Oakland when the passing game was functioning. Heyward-Bey's best season came in 2011, when he caught 64 passes for 975 yards and four touchdowns, and averaged a career-high 15.2 yards per catch. Last year, his numbers dipped to 41 receptions for 606 yards and five touchdowns.

Heyward-Bey could be on track for a huge 2013 season with Andrew Luck helming the offense and a dearth of other speedy receiving options on the depth chart.