The competition for the backup running back spot behind Jonathan Taylor will be one of the more intriguing training camp battles to take place for the Indianapolis Colts.
Although Taylor has shown that he can handle a heavy workload, the second running back role has become increasingly important in the NFL over the years, with teams being mindful of the number of touches their lead back has throughout a season.
ESPN’s Mike Clay recently put together stat projections for key players on each NFL team. At running back for the Colts, it was Trey Sermon who had the most rushing attempts and yards, making him the projected RB2 for Indianapolis this season.
Clay’s projections have Sermon totaling 76 carries, 328 yards, and two touchdowns. He also is projected to catch nine passes for 59 yards.
When called upon, Sermon filled in well last season. He would carry the ball 35 times at 4.6 yards per attempt. Sermon also caught three passes for 13 yards, per PFF.
Overall, this is a fairly inexperienced group behind Taylor. Between Sermon, Evan Hull, and Tyler Goodson, the trio have just 92 combined carries in their careers, with Sermon accounting for 78 of them. In the passing game, these three have only 20 total targets.
However, despite some unknowns, the Colts feel good about the depth that they have in the running back room, which is why they chose not to add to this position group in free agency or the draft.
“We got some young guys that came in, and Trey (Sermon) did a really good job when he came in and played for us last year,” added Ballard. “So we got some guys on the roster that we like. We get (Evan) Hull back. Hull’s healthy, we get him back, so we get to see what he can do and he showed us some good signs last year.”
Although, by Clay’s projections, Sermon may be the official backup running back, Hull will have a role as well. He is predicted to have 15 carries for 115 yards and a touchdown.
Hull also plays a bigger role in the passing game, with 11 receptions for 80 yards. Hull comes to the NFL with quite a bit of pass-catching experience from his time at Northwestern.
Last season, it was Zack Moss who was the Colts’ second running back option. Moss totaled almost 800 yards and scored seven touchdowns. He would sign with Cincinnati during free agency.
A strong run game can be a young quarterback’s best friend, helping to keep the offense out of predictable passing situations, along with setting up play-action and RPO opportunities.
With Taylor healthy and one of the game’s best offensive line units, the Colts are set up for success on the ground. Now, the final piece of that puzzle is finding a reliable secondary option.