At the age of 32 Frank Gore is a rarity: an over-30 starting NFL running back.
Running backs are typically considered over the hill after 30, which brings their value down dramatically. The Colts seemed as if they were content bringing in old vets last season, however they played like old vets. Andre Johnson is a smart, veteran player, but time has made his body anything but productive.
Compared to Johnson, Gore looks as if he is a newborn. When you factor in this crummy offensive line you get a recipe for disaster, but Gore managed to record 967 yards and six touchdowns last season. Gore's 3.7 yards per carry mark is the lowest of his career and can be a clear sign of decline. Then of course there is Gore's cap hit, which is $4 million.
The Colts could definitely use some of that cap space to help solidify this line. There is not really a backup to Gore, as Dan Herron and Ahmad Bradshaw are free agents and the Colts could be looking for some new blood to help revitalize this running attack.
The Colts have 23 million in cap space along with the 18th overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft so they are in great shape to replace Gore and build up this offensive line. The Colts should either use their 18th pick in the draft to pick up Ezekiel Elliott if he is still on the board or use some of their salary cap space to pick up a top free agent running back. If the Colts hope to keep this offense from stagnating they need a quality young workhorse running back instead of a veteran past his prime.
