The Colts are hunting for a running game, and it seems they've found the right running back for the job. The problem is, contract talks haven't gone as well as they'd like.
According to USA TODAY Sports, negotiations between Bradshaw and the Colts are ongoing, but the sides aren't close to a deal, and Bradshaw may leave Indianapolis without a contract. That doesn't mean the sides won't come together eventually, it just means there's room for another interested team to jump in the mix.
Bradshaw will be entering his seventh year in the league if he lands with a team, and he could be the missing piece of the Colts offense that could propel them to the next level. The Colts have a laundry list of no-name running backs on their current roster, and unless one of them emerges as a hidden talent, they need someone from the outside that can come in and make an impact.
Bradshaw averaged a solid 4.6 yards per carry last season, and he ran for 1,015 yards, just the second time in his career he surpassed the 1,000 yard mark. He's struggled with ball security throughout his career, but in the past two seasons, he's fumbled just three times, all of which came in 2012.
In 2012, the Colts ranked just 22nd in rushing offense, averaging barely over 100 yards per game. That has to improve if the Colts hope for Andrew Luck to develop further. Peyton Manning flourished in a system without a solid running attack, but Manning did have the services of decent backs. Andrew Luck needs to be provided with the threat of a running game. Otherwise, teams will load up solely on the pass, and that's no environment for a young quarterback to develop in. Peyton Manning did well without the pass, but assuming that Andrew Luck is the next Peyton Manning is premature at best and ludicrous at worst. Get the man a running back.
