Reuniting This Veteran With Colts HC Shane Steichen Could Be Worth the Gamble

This former Pro Bowler in Steichen's offense might have some juice left in the tank.

Sep 4, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Miles Sanders (24) in action against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Indianapolis Colts have been searching for a worthy counterpart to star running back Jonathan Taylor for a few offseasons now.

After Zack Moss left for Cincinnati following his 2023 season that featured 794 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns in 8 games of relief for Taylor, the Colts have been trying to replace his efforts via an aggregate of players.

From players like Trey Sermon, Tyler Goodson, DJ Giddens, and even veteran journeyman Ameer Abdullah, the Colts have been throwing players into the mix and hoping that one sticks. There have been moments here and there, but for the most part, head coach Shane Steichen has been left to ride Jonathan Taylor until the wheels fall off.

The Colts' latest attempt to address this lack of help was to draft Kentucky's Seth McGowan in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft. An older prospect at 24, and an even older rookie at 25, McGowan is a potential day-one contributor whose bigger build should be a nice complement to Taylor, though his readiness and effectiveness remain to be seen.

If Indianapolis wants to add more competition to the mix throughout the offseason to ensure the right man has earned the role heading into the regular season, perhaps they should call up a former career-best performer under Shane Steichen: running back Miles Sanders.

History with HC Shane Steichen

Dec 21, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen in a game against the Washington Football Team at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

First and foremost, Sanders' aforementioned career-best year under Steichen came four seasons ago, which is more or less than a lifetime for NFL running backs. However, if anyone can get the best out of an aging veteran, it's Steichen.

Sanders totaled 1,269 rushing yards and 11 TDs on 259 carries (4.9 ypc) in 2022 when he and Steichen were both with the Philadelphia Eagles. This season was Steichen's first full season as an NFL playcaller after he took over such duties from Nick Sirianni midway through the 2021 season. Sanders immediately benefited from this change, earning Pro Bowl honors along the way.

Sanders also no doubt benefited from Jalen Hurts' rushing prowess, but while Daniel Jones is not quite at the same level as Hurts, he's still underrated on the ground.

As for his ability as a receiver, Sanders has taken a step back in production in each year following his rookie campaign, an introduction to the league that included 509 receiving yards and 3 TDs on 50 receptions. He's unlikely to provide a similar output alongside Jonathan Taylor, though he presents enough of a passcatching profile to be intrigued by.

Miles Sanders' Outlook

Sep 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) hands the ball off to running back Miles Sanders (24) during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Sanders may not be what he once was, though he should have enough left in the tank to allow his familiarity in Shane Steichen's system to shine through. The biggest concern with Sanders is his health.

He started in 12+ games in each of his four seasons throughout his rookie contract, but has since missed time in each season that has followed. In particular, Sanders is coming off two consecutive major injuries.

Sanders had a season-ending surgery with the Dallas Cowboys last season after suffering a pedal ankle sprain/pull. He played in four games before undergoing a chondral tissue graft surgery that kept him out for the rest of the season.

The year prior, with the Carolina Panthers in 2024, Sanders suffered the same pedal ankle injury for the first time in Week 10 against the New York Giants, which caused him to miss 8 games.

In the four games he appeared in last season, Sanders had 20 carries for 117 rushing yards (5.8 avg) and 1 TD, 8 receptions for 30 yards, and a fumble lost. It's certainly not much to write home about, but the Colts are in no position to disregard worthy competition to its running back room.

Likely, he isn't their savior on offense, but reuniting Sanders with Steichen for the vet minimum makes a ton of sense given the state of the Colts' running back room. Sanders is freshly 29-years-old, and though his recent injury history is concerning, a team-friendly price point to see if he can get through the summer seems like a worthwhile experiment.

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