The running back position is losing its luster at an incredible pace in 2023. For the Indianapolis Colts (among other teams), their best player happens to be in the backfield. This superstar is Jonathan Taylor.
Without going into what has already been covered hundreds of times, Taylor and his showman agent Malki Kawa have pushed back on contract negotiations with Colts owner Jim Irsay, which has led to an unprecedented amount of unneeded drama.
However, while Taylor is recovering from injury and working out his contract, it was backup Zack Moss that was to take the next leap for the time being. Unfortunately for him, he ended up breaking his arm in training camp and could miss four to six weeks of action.
This is likely why we saw that the Colts are trying out a trio of veterans who have had some impact in the NFL, per ESPN’s Field Yates.
Yates said, “The Colts tried out running backs Kenyan Drake, Benny Snell and Devine Ozigbo.” While some could see this as replacing Taylor, it’s likely for Moss.
While players on the Colts like Evan Hull, Deon Jackson, and undrafted free agent Zavier Scott are intriguing, they’re also highly inexperienced, as Hull and Scott are rookies and Jackson is entering only year three with limited action under his belt.
These veterans each have their own strengths and levels of experience in the NFL. Drake leads the charge of a short list of players who are looking to fit into the Indianapolis roster.
To give the numbers, below are the aforementioned running backs, along with career marks.
● Kenyan Drake – 101 games; 3,866 rush yards; 216 catches for 1,624 receiving yards; 41 total TDs.
● Benny Snell – 63 games; 982 rush yards; 17 catches for 114 receiving yards; 7 total TDs.
● Devine Ozigbo – 25 games; 29 rush yards; 14 catches for 75 receiving yards; 0 total TDs.
With Drake being the most recognizable name, it’s understandable why Indianapolis is looking for a potential veteran to help out this running back room that is minus their superstar (Taylor) and experienced leader (Moss) temporarily out.
The Colts will need to continue to push through training camp knowing that there’s a chance Taylor could not play and Moss will likely miss the remainder of practices. One of these three players that are trying out for a roster spot could prove more valuable that the contract they may sign.
Originally posted on msn.com
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