The Indianapolis Colts are not a team to shy away from making a trade just before the regular season starts and with a crowded backfield, it’s not totally impossible for running back Jordan Wilkins to be on the block.
The odds would likely state that Wilkins won’t get traded as the Colts love what he brings to the backfield for depth purposes, and Chris Ballard even said in the early offseason he can envision a four-man backfield with Jonathan Taylor, Nyheim Hines, Marlon Mack and the aforementioned Wilkins.
But we’ve seen Ballard make moves before if it benefits the team. Wilkins is in the final year of his rookie deal, and there don’t seem to be any plans to re-sign him, especially with so many extensions coming up.
With Taylor leading the way in the backfield, Hines reprising his role as the change-of-pace back and Mack expected to be ready for training camp, it’s going to be hard for Wilkins to carve out a role in this offense.
The Colts also seem to be intrigued by undrafted rookie Deon Jackson, who received a large signing bonus from the team following 2021 draft. Jackson brings a more explosive skill set even though he may be a bit further behind in his development.
That said, if the Colts like what they see from Jackson in training camp enough to consider a move, it wouldn’t be an outlandish scenario.
No one would blame Ballard if he wanted to get something in return for Wilkins, especially with teams like the New York Jets and Atlanta Falcons needing some help in the backfield.
Wilkins has been a nice depth piece for the Colts since he was drafted in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL draft so it also wouldn’t be a surprise if Ballard wanted to keep the backfield as the deepest part of the roster.
During his first two seasons in the NFL, Wilkins averaged 5.6 and 6.0 yards per carry, respectively. That dropped to 3.7 in 2020, but he’s shown the ability to have productive games in a limited role.
The odds are that Wilkins stays put to provide depth in one of the best backfields in the NFL, but it would make sense for the Colts to see what they can get for the 26-year-old.
