Reserve RB competition already starting to take shape for Colts

The battle for the Colts’ backup running back role behind Jonathan Taylor was expected to be one of the most intriguing training camp games to take place. However, after just five practices, there is already a clear frontrunner for those snaps in Trey Sermon.

“The guys are getting a lot of different opportunities to do a lot of different things,” offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said after Wednesday’s practice. “Super excited to get the pads on now because we’re kind of finding that out.

“Those guys have to run through contact, really attack a gap, or attack and read, where they read the linebacker, they read the defensive lineman, and they make that cut with some pads on and we kind of see who can make that cut, who can find those creases, and who can’t. So we learn a lot.”

According to James Boyd of The Athleic, he recently wrote that Sermon seems to have “solidified” himself as the backup running back. Boyd added that Sermon has taken the majority of the running back snaps with the secondary and has also seen some opportunities with the starters when Taylor needs rest.

This news comes as no surprise, as Stephen Holder, who covers the Colts for ESPN, named Sermon after minicamp as one of the surprise players he had perform during practice.

While Sermon doesn’t have many carries in his career, he is the more experienced player compared to Evan Hull and Tyler Goodson, with whom he competes. That experience is reflected in Sermon’s reliability in getting the ball to what Cooter called the “right spot” on a regular basis.

Sermon brings an extra physical running style to the position, averaging 4.6 yards per attempt on 35 attempts in 2023, along with an average of nearly 3.0 yards after contact.

Of course, there is a certain requirement that each of these players must have as a ball carrier if they are to be used on Sundays. However, two other important elements for these players are their ability to help in the passing game, whether that be as a pass catcher or a pass blocker.

“As we go through camp, they’re going to have a lot of opportunities to — you’re going to see one-on-one pass routes,” Cooter added. “You’re going to see one-on-one blitz pickup against the linebackers. That’s going to play a big role for us as well in evaluating those guys.”

Early signs certainly point to Sermon being the first option after Taylor, which gives him plenty of opportunities throughout the season as teams in today’s NFL need two capable running backs.

While things could certainly change, assuming Sermons can maintain that backup role, Hull and Goodson could still see some playing time this season, particularly in the passing game.

Earlier this offseason, Cooter complimented Goodson on his ability to open up as a pass catcher, while Hull was a major factor in Northwestern’s passing game while in college, having scored more than 100 goals in his final two seasons.

“So right now, hey, they’re a bunch of really hungry, enthusiastic guys that are fighting for every rep, man,” Cooter said. “They want every rep that Coach DeAndre Smith can throw at them, to get the most out of it, and we’re looking, we’re evaluating every rep to see who can help us.”

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Reserve RB competition already starting to take shape for Colts