Stampede Blue
After recently selecting rookie DJ Giddens, the Colts appeared ready to move on from Trey Sermon, who reportedly has signed a one-year deal with the Steelers.
According to Fox Sports NFL Insider Jordan Schultz, Indianapolis Colts free agent running back Trey Sermon is signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year deal:
The 6’0,” 215 pound running back played the last two seasons in Indianapolis and is coming off a 2024 campaign for the Colts in which he recorded 159 total rushing yards on 56 carries (2.8 ypc. avg.) and 2 rushing touchdowns during 17 games (3 starts).
He also had 16 receptions for 99 total receiving yards this past season.
With the Colts selecting DJ Giddens in the 5th round of the recent NFL Draft, it has seemed like a foregone conclusion that Sermon wouldn’t be retained as the primary backup ‘between-the-tackles’ running back behind star workhorse Jonathan Taylor.
While Sermon was productive in 2023 as a change-of-pace back—averaging 4.6 yards per carry with 35 carries for the Colts, that number dipped to just 2.8 respectively last year on his 56 total carries. Simply put, while he was still solid as a pass blocker, he didn’t show a lot of ‘juice’ rushing the football, and the Colts have attempted to upgrade with a younger back.
The Steelers may remember Sermon from Week 15 of the 2023 season against the Colts, when in relief of Taylor, he rushed 17 times for 88 total rushing yards (5.2 ypc. avg.).
Time will tell whether Giddens ultimately proves to be a long-term solution in the Colts backfield, but at the very least, after rushing for over 1,200+ yards in back-to-back seasons for the Kansas State Wildcats, he projects to have a lot of upside and potential going forward.
