Mandatory minicamp will take place for the Indianapolis Colts from June 9-11. This is often the last big milestone in the NFL offseason calendar before training camp arrives in late July.
Through the first two weeks of OTA practices, we’ve gained some valuable insights into where things stand on the depth chart, along with who may be standing out early on, but questions at each position group remain, and that’s normal at this time of the year. It won’t be until training camp and the preseason take place that playing time and final roster decisions are made.
So as part of our Colts’ minicamp preview, let’s highlight the one big question facing each position group. Next up are the running backs.
Who will the Colts’ backup running back be?
While Jonathan Taylor will continue to shoulder the workload here, the depth chart behind him does still need to shake out. Presumably competing for this role will be DJ Giddens and rookie Seth McGowan.
Giddens will be entering his second NFL season after filling a small role as a rookie. He played just 70 offensive snaps and was often inactive during the second half of the season.
Although Giddens was a very productive ball carrier at Kansas State, he needed to improve in the passing game, particularly in pass protection at the NFL level.
“We think Giddens will take another step,” Ballard said during his pre-draft press conference.
During McGowan’s college career, he proved to be difficult to bring down and will add some more physicality to the Colts’ backfield. McGowan averaged 3.22 yards after contact over his career, highlighting his ability to stay on his feet and pick up extra yards.
In 2025, he ranked 42nd among running backs, generating 35 missed tackles, per PFF. McGowan did that on 166 carries as well. A number of the players in front of him had over 200 carries.
While there is a certain prerequisite that each player must meet as a ball carrier when it comes to earning the backup role, the ability to contribute on special teams and impact the passing game, including as a blocker, will be key factors and potential differentiators.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Big question facing Colts running back position heading into minicamp
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Colts Wire / Colts Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Paul Bretl, Colts Wire | USA TODAY Network
