INDIANAPOLIS -- Receiver was on the list of needs for the Indianapolis Colts whether Reggie Wayne returned to the team or not.

The need for a veteran receiver increases even more now that Wayne officially will not be returning to the franchise he spent 14 seasons with.

T.Y. Hilton is a talented receiver, but he needs help at that position. We saw that both times the New England Patriots shut him down last season.

Hilton, Donte Moncrief, and Duron Carter, who has never played an NFL game, are the only three receivers on the Colts' roster.

Receivers should be lining up to catch passes from quarterback Andrew Luck

Brandon Marshall is no longer available after he was traded from Chicago the New York Jets on Friday afternoon. That actually didn’t matter, because I was told by a source that the Colts had no interest in him because of character issues.

None. Nada. Zilch.

Jacoby Jones?

Nope. He agreed to a deal with the San Diego Chargers on Friday.

The player who continues to be linked to the Colts is veteran Andre Johnson, who requested to be released from the Houston Texans this week. Johnson, 33, who has spent his entire 12-year career with the Texans, had 85 receptions for 936 yards and three touchdowns last season.

Colts punter Pat McAfee and linebacker Robert Mathis have both used Twitter this week to talk about their desire to have Johnson play for Indianapolis.

ESPN NFL Insider Bill Polian has Randall Cobb and Jeremy Maclin as the two best free-agent receivers available.

Cobb is coming off his first 1,000-yard season in Green Bay. He’s only 24 years old, but he just completed his fifth season in the NFL.

Maclin also is coming off his first 1,000-yard season -- he had 85 receptions for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns last season with the Philadelphia Eagles.

You can see how Polian ranks the rest of the free-agent receivers by clicking here.

The Colts will likely select a receiver at some point in next month's NFL draft. They have the 29th pick in the first round.