The Indianapolis Colts have entered into a rebuilding phase and are rolling with No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson as their starting quarterback for 2023.
They have gotten off to a 1-1 start this season, most recently defeating the Houston Texans by a score of 31-20 this past Sunday.
Because the Colts are playing in the incredibly weak AFC South, anything is possible for them this season, but the Jacksonville Jaguars do appear to be the best team in the division and handed Indianapolis a 31-20 loss in Week 1.
Regardless, the fact that Indy plays in a poor division should not cloud its judgment: the club clearly is not a contender, and if it is going to make any moves between now and the Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline, the future needs to be at the forefront of its decision-making process.
We know that star running back Jonathan Taylor may have played his last down as a member of the Colts, as he is currently on the PUP list and is entangled in a contract dispute with the team. Taylor has asked for a trade, and Indianapolis has given him permission to seek one.
As a result, the Colts may have to start looking elsewhere for a halfback. After all, their current in-house alternative to Taylor is Zack Moss, and they probably don’t want to put all of their eggs in that basket.
So, how about Los Angeles Rams running back Cam Akers?
Akers seems to be on the outs in Los Angeles. The 24-year-old was a healthy scratch in the Rams’ Week 2 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, and in Week 1, he carried the ball 22 times for just 29 yards in a win over the Seattle Seahawks.
The Florida State product has been a disappointment since LA took him in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and a change of scenery may do him some good.
Perhaps the Colts and Rams could work out a deal where Taylor goes to Los Angeles and Indianapolis receives Akers and draft compensation in return?
Obviously, Akers is no Taylor, but he would at the very least provide Indy’s thin backfield with some depth. And while Akers may not be living up to expectations in LA, he did rush for 786 yards and seven touchdowns last season, so it’s not like his production has been entirely absent.
If the Colts do, in fact, trade Taylor before the deadline, they aren’t going to have many other options aside from Akers. Teams typically don’t move productive halfbacks in the middle of the season (Taylor’s situation notwithstanding), so Akers may be as good as Indy is going to get.
Again, Akers is still only 24 years old, so there is plenty of time for him to turn things around and carve out a successful NFL career. Maybe changing to a Colts jersey can bring that out of him?
Things won’t get any easier for Indianapolis in Week 3, as it will head on the road to battle the Baltimore Ravens this coming Sunday. Ironically enough, the Colts will then host the Rams in Week 4.
