Under-the-radar Colts RB could make Jonathan Taylor expendable
Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season was not kind to the Indianapolis Colts backfield. In a game where quarterback Anthony Richardson led the team with 40 rushing yards, Colts running backs rushed for a grand total of 25 yards on the afternoon. Starter Deon Jackson averaged 1.0 YPC and fumbled the football twice, while rookie Evan Hull suffered a knee injury that led to the Colts placing him on injured reserve on Tuesday.
The good news for Indianapolis is there may be light at the end of the tunnel — and no, it's not Jonathan Taylor. While Taylor must remain on the PUP list for at least the next three weeks, veteran Zack Moss was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and is trending toward making his season debut against the Texans.
Moss, 25, is a former third-round pick out of Utah who impressed over the final four games of last season. Replacing an injured Taylor, Moss averaged 84.5 yards from scrimmage over the four-game stretch, totaling the seventh-most rushing yards in the NFL (334). Drawing the start from Week 16-18, Moss averaged 5.56 YPC, second only to D'Onta Foreman (5.8 YPC) among running backs with at least 40 carries.
Will Moss' reinsertion into Indianapolis' backfield make Taylor expendable?
First and foremost, Moss is not Taylor. In fact, he's far from it. Over three seasons, Moss owns a career rushing total of just 1,282 yards. Taylor eclipsed that total by 529 yards in 2021 alone when he led the NFL with 1,811 rushing yards. Yet, it's clear the Colts value Moss, who they acquired in a mid-season trade with the Buffalo Bills last season.
While a limited sample size, Moss flashed serviceable RB1 upside down the stretch of 2022. On the final year of a $4.6M contract, his next deal would come in far below the type of money Taylor is likely seeking. According to Spotrac, the top-five highest-paid running backs in the NFL this season are averaging a total cash earning of $11.86M.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported prior to the Colts season opener that trade talks surrounding Taylor are expected to resume. Rapoport added that the 2021 rushing champ is healthy and "likely would be able to pass a physical today if one was required."
If Moss impresses against Houston, it could lead to the Colts being a bit more open-minded during trade talks surrounding Taylor, especially since the need for running backs has increased across the NFL.
In Week 1 alone, the Baltimore Ravens lost starter J.K. Dobbins to a season-ending Achilles tear, while Los Angeles Chargers star Austin Ekeler suffered an ankle injury. With David Montgomery now in Detroit, no Chicago Bears running back eclipsed 27 rushing yards in their opener. The Miami Dolphins put on a show this past Sunday, torching the Chargers for 536 total yards. Still, they're relying on a 31-year-old Raheem Mostert who rushed for 37 yards in the win as their lead back.
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