Indianapolis Colts: 6 Best Options to Replace Trent Richardson This Offseason

It's time for the Indianapolis Colts to admit that the Trent Richardson experiment was a failure.

After trading a first-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for Richardson, the Colts were never able to get much out of the former No. 3 overall pick. In 29 games with Indianapolis, he averaged just 3.1 yards per carry, picking up just 977 yards and six touchdowns.

The Colts appear ready to part ways with Richardson after keeping him sidelined during the team's postseason run. After a two-game suspension to end the season, there's now a chance that the Colts can void the rest of Richardson's contract, according to Stephen Holder from the Indianapolis Star.

Regardless of what the future holds for Richardson, the Colts are going to need help at the running back position. Ahmad Bradshaw is hitting the free-agent market, and while Daniel Herron provided a spark from time to time in 2014, the Colts need a true starting running back for next season.

Fortunately, the team has a number of options to choose from, either in the draft or free agency. Having said that, let's take a look at some of the best options to replace Richardson in 2015.

Frank Gore

He may be set to turn 32 years old before the start of next season, but San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore might be what the Colts are looking for.

Gore had another productive season in 2014, running for 1,106 yards and four touchdowns. Since coming into the league in 2005, he has averaged a solid 4.5 yards per carry, racking up over 11,000 yards with 64 touchdowns on the ground.

Although Gore might not be the best long-term solution to the Colts' running back problems, he would still likely be a productive player for the next one or two years. He's the type of running back the Colts were hoping Richardson could be, using his size to generate momentum and running through would-be tacklers at the line of scrimmage to pick up extra yards.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller believes that the Colts are the favorites to land Gore this offseason, according to the video above. Even if Gore does wind up in Indianapolis, don't be surprised if the Colts still draft a running back early in the 2015 NFL draft.

Tevin Coleman

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If the Colts are serious about finding a more long-term presence in the backfield behind Andrew Luck, they'd have a hard time finding a more ideal candidate than Indiana's Tevin Coleman.

Few running backs in college football were as productive as Coleman this past season. The 6'1'', 210-pound back picked up 2,036 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground in 2014, averaging an impressive 7.5 yards per carry. What's even more impressive is that the Hoosiers struggled in the passing game, which means that opposing defenses were planning around Coleman, yet he was still able to run all over them.

Coleman's most impressive performance came near the end of the season against Ohio State. Despite the Buckeyes preparing all week for Coleman, he rushed for 228 yards and three touchdowns, including an incredible 90-yard score as he burned past Ohio State defenders.

Unlike Richardson, Coleman is a decisive runner who doesn't hesitate at the line of scrimmage. He has the vision and explosiveness to reach top speed before defenders can get to him, and that helps him pick up yards in bunches.

There's a good chance Coleman goes early in the second round, but if he starts to slip a bit, don't be surprised if the Colts try to trade up and draft the talented running back.

Reggie Bush

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Reggie Bush's career hasn't taken off quite like he was expecting after taking the nation by storm with the USC Trojans in college. After stints with the New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins, Bush was just released by the Detroit Lions on Wednesday, according to Michael Rothstein from ESPN.com.

If the price is right, is Bush worth the risk for the Colts? I think so.

Injuries hampered Bush's ability to be an effective running back the past two seasons, as he missed seven games with the Lions. However, when healthy, he showed off some serious skills in the open field, picking up 1,303 yards and six touchdowns over the past two years, averaging around 4.4 yards per carry.

But the real reason that Bush could possibly fit nicely with the Colts is his impact in the passing game out of the backfield. The Lions weren't afraid to use him as a pass-catcher, with the 29-year-old catching 94 passes for 759 yards and three touchdowns while in Detroit.

Offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton began to use Daniel Herron consistently in the passing game by the end of last season, and if the Colts want another back who can do that, Bush might be their guy. There are definitely concerns about Bush's injury-prone history, but those concerns might help drive the asking price down.

David Cobb

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The Colts have more pressing needs to address in the first couple of rounds of the NFL draft. If they're in the third or fourth round and have yet to take a running back, there's a good chance that they give someone like Minnesota's David Cobb a call, even if they've brought in another back in free agency.

As the go-to running back for the Golden Gophers the past two seasons, Cobb proved to be a legitimate rushing threat, running for 2,828 yards and 20 touchdowns while averaging 5.1 yards per carry. He's not the fastest prospect, but Cobb's 5'11'', 229-pound frame is what a power-running team like the Colts is looking for.

Thanks to that frame, Cobb is able to stay low and power through defenders. He's a smart and decisive runner who knows when to look for the lane and when to make something from nothing. While Cobb might not be the kind of runner who consistently breaks off huge runs, his balance and determination to keep his legs moving help him pick up yards after contact.

Cobb's running style translates well to the NFL, and he has a legitimate shot at one day becoming a starter in this league. If he's still on the board in the third or fourth round, the Colts are going to need to think and long and hard about taking him in hopes of developing him into the running back that Richardson was supposed to be.

Adrian Peterson

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Off-field issues aside, there have been few running backs in NFL history as dominant as Adrian Peterson. According to Tom Pelissero from USA Today, a federal judge has overturned the ruling on Peterson's suspension, putting him one step closer to playing football again.

The big question now is whether or not Peterson will return to the Minnesota Vikings.

A number of things could happen this offseason for Peterson, from being released by Minnesota to being traded. According to Peterson's father, there are rumors of interest from the Colts as well as the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals, per Josh Alper from Pro Football Talk.

If the Colts do indeed trade for him, they'd likely be giving up quite a bit while taking on the remainder of Peterson's massive contract. That's not the best move for the Colts right now, but if Peterson ends up getting released, Ryan Grigson may be able to bring him in for less.

A lot has to happen for the Colts to even have a shot at bringing in Peterson, but if they're somehow able to land the 29-year-old, they'd have their first legitimate rushing threat in the backfield in the Luck era.

Todd Gurley

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Few running backs are worth a first-round pick, but Georgia's Todd Gurley is one of them, even with the torn ACL.

Before the injury, he looked like the sure-fire No. 1 running back on every big board. He rushed for 911 yards and nine touchdowns on just 123 carries in six games. The two years before that, Gurley added another 2,374 yards and 27 scores while averaging more than 6.0 yards per attempt.

On size alone, Gurley simply towers over most running backs at 6'1'' and 222 pounds. Along with that size, he had the speed, power and balance to run over some of the more impressive defenses in the SEC. There are obvious concerns about his speed returning after the ACL tear, but we've seen NFL players come back and play at high levels recently after suffering the same injury.

Many are quick to compare Gurley to Marshawn Lynch, and those comparisons are fair to a degree. However, when I watch Gurley, I can't help but think of Edgerrin James. The two have similar frames, with James playing at 6'0'' and 219 pounds. James was an unstoppable running back before his ACL tear, yet he was still able to play at a high level after the injury.

He gave the Colts the balanced offense that they needed when Peyton Manning was under center. Now just imagine what next year's offense would look like with Luck and Gurley in the backfield.