The Indianapolis Colts have been a popular destination for former Cincinnati Bearcats.
The Indianapolis Colts are home to one of the NFL's true bell cow running backs in Jonathan Taylor.
Last year, he led the NFL in carries (323), which was 86.6% of the Colts' running backs' carries, and he was on the field for 82.4% of the Colts' offensive snaps.
While the Colts understand the value of having a playmaker like Taylor on the field as much as possible, they'll attempt to be cognizant of not overworking him in 2026.
“That's a fair assessment," Colts head coach Shane Steichen recently responded when asked about balancing Taylor's workload. "I think he led the league last year in carries, but talking to him after the season, he said he felt good.
"But yeah, obviously he's a (heck) of a player. It's hard to take him off the field when he's running so good, but getting Seth (McGowan) in the fold and DJ (Giddens) and see how those guys come along in training camp, and we'll go from there.”
Rather than hoping that at least one of the two young, unproven players, DJ Giddens and Seth McGowan, steps up to relieve Taylor, the Colts could turn to the trade market.
Recently, Moe Moton of Bleacher Report suggested that the Colts send a late 2027 draft pick to the Washington Commanders for running back Jerome Ford.
"Daniel Jones is recovering from a torn Achilles and has an extensive injury history," Moton wrote. "The Colts signed him to a two-year, $88 million extension. To get the most out of that investment, Indianapolis should take some pressure off the quarterback with a strong complementary ground attack.
"Running back Jonathan Taylor logged a league-leading 323 carries last season. The last time he finished with 320-plus rush attempts (2021), the workhorse ball-carrier missed several games in the following season. The Colts need a solid No. 2 rusher who can also be an outlet in the short passing game. Ford can fill that role. He's currently the No. 3 tailback on the Commanders' depth chart behind Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Rachaad White."
Ford, who was a fifth-round pick out of Cincinnati by the Cleveland Browns in 2022, would be the latest former Bearcat (2020-21) to join the Colts, along with cornerback Sauce Gardner (2019-21) and wide receiver Alec Pierce (2018-21).
Colts special teams coach Brian Mason was the special teams coordinator at Cincinnati from 2018-21, coaching Gardner and Pierce throughout their college careers. The Colts also had receiver Tyler Scott for a stretch in 2025, who was also a college teammate of Ford, Gardner, and Pierce and was coached by Mason from 2020-21.
Ford (5'10", 210, 26 years old) played four seasons with the Browns (2022-25) before signing a one-year, $1.4 million deal with the Commanders this offseason.
In 57 career games (18 starts), he has 340 carries for 1,463 yards (4.3 avg.) and seven touchdowns as well as 107 catches (138 targets) for 647 yards (6.0 avg.) and another five scores. Cleveland also used Ford as a kickoff returner, notching 58 returns for a 24.2-yard average.
Aiding the Colts in any potential trades are the two compensatory picks they're projected to receive for next year as a result of this year's free-agent losses: a fourth-rounder for defensive end Kwity Paye and a sixth for safety Nick Cross.
The Colts have no first-round pick in 2027 as a result of trading for Gardner last season, but they are projected to have one each in the second and third rounds, two in the fourth, one in the fifth, two in the sixth, and one in the seventh round.
