Bolstering the depth at the running back position needs to be on the Indianapolis Colts’ radar for a few reasons this offseason, one of which includes the need for a pass-catching presence out of the backfield.
This was an element that the Colts didn’t really have during the 2024 season.
That just isn’t a strong suit of Jonathan Taylor’s, in fact, during the Colts’ Week 2 loss to Green Bay, Taylor wasn’t even on the field in the fourth quarter because the team was trailing and in a pass-heavy mode.
Trey Sermon and Tyler Goodson are better equipped to help in that area, but the playing time for either of them was so small in 2024 that there was no opportunity for them to leave a real impact in that aspect of the game.
Jonathan Taylor would lead the Colts’ running backs in receiving yards with 136 on the season. For some context, that ranked 50th out of 58 qualified running backs. In terms of opportunities, or targets, Taylor ranked 37th. This, again, goes to show that passing game component isn’t a big part of the offense.
Without Shane Steichen having that ability out of the backfield, it does limit what he can dial up offensively, to a degree, and it’s something that opposing defenses don’t really have to be mindful of when playing the Colts, which allows them to put their attention elsewhere.
There were instances here and there this season where Steichen tried to get his backs involved in the passing game, but it came without regular success.
A reliable pass-catching option out of the backfield provides the quarterback with a checkdown option when the pressure is closing in or when the initial reads aren’t available. That element can also stretch a defense horizontally, forcing them to defend sideline-to-sideline, which can result in more spacing, particularly over the middle, for the offense to attack.
As the Colts search for more consistency and stability on the offense as a whole, a pass-catching threat out of the backfield certainly won’t solve all of the issues that this unit experienced in 2024, but having that ability can provide some help and a different dimension for defenses to contend with in 2025.