Note: This is the second in a series of essays that look at which positions the Colts might draft, and whether they should or not.

Verdict: Probably not, unless the right guy falls to them

Going into the 2015 season, the Colts were pretty happy with the running back contingent. Starting was five-time Pro Bowler Frank Gore, behind him were Zurlon Tipton, draft choice Josh Robinson and promising undrafted rookie Tyler Varga. They also had erstwhile starters Boom Herron and Ahmad Bradshaw on speed dial.

Things didn’t work out as planned. With the quarterback carousel taking the fangs out of the passing attack, opposing teams keyed on the run. And with the Colts having major problems at guard and center, running room was scarce.

Gore struggled to get 967 yards (a 3.72 average). He would later call them the “hardest” yards he ever got. The backups, especially Robinson, fared far worse. Herron — who had been signed and released by Buffalo in the interim — couldn’t find any traction. It was so bad that injury-prone veteran Ahmad Bradshaw was re-signed only to wind up on injured reserve again. While there, he ran into Robinson and Varga, who’d been hurt earlier. Facing the onslaught of injuries, the Colts added a little guy named Trey Williams late in the season. He played two snaps.

Gore’s coming back, but he’s 32 and has a lot of wear — he’s rushed for more than 6.84 miles in the NFL — on his surgically repaired knees. His days as a No. 1 back are dwindling.

Herron, Bradshaw, Robinson and Tipton were all told to hit the bricks. Tipton was arrested for firing an assault rifle in his girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend’s driveway soon thereafter, so don’t expect him back. Actually, we wouldn’t expect any of them back.

The Colts still have Varga — who showed some promise, particularly on special teams, in the three games he played before getting hurt — and Williams. Varga does the little things well and is bull strong for his size, but lacks the quick first step and acceleration we look for in a ball-carrier at this level. He can contribute, but might not have the magic in legs you look for in a No. 2 back. Williams can be an explosive runner, but is small and underdeveloped in the receiving and blocking parts of his job.

In free agency, the Colts added a pair of veteran backs. Robert Turbin is a career backup who has seen some extended playing time in Seattle (pretty good), Cleveland (terrible) and Dallas (okay). He’s a decent receiver, a willing blocker and he won’t put the ball on the grass. Turbin is an acceptable short-term No. 2 option, especially for the bargain-basement price of $760,000. He won’t take over the job when Gore’s contract expires after 2016, but he can allow him to take a breather and fill in in if Gore gets hurt. Don’t expect to see him stand out on special teams.

The Colts also signed Jordan Todman, who has bounced around the league. As a runner, he’s speedy and somewhat elusive, but goes down much too easily and will occasionally cough up the ball. He has some value as a receiver, but that’s sort of cancelled out by his pass-blocking problems. Still, Todman can be a positive factor on special teams and will do a decent job returning kicks if you need him to.

If the Colts head into 2016 with Gore at No. 1, followed by Turbin and Todman, Varga and Williams duke it out for any remaining snaps, they should be okay. Certainly any set of backs would benefit from Luck’s return and any improvement in offensive line play and play calling.

But there’s a problem with that. After the 2016 season, Gore’s contract will be up, and probably so will his ability to be a true No. 1 back in the NFL. In fact, he could well wear out before then. And none of the other guys on the roster appear to be able to take his place.

That’s why a number of mock drafts have the Colts picking Ezekiel Elliott in the first round (although it now appears unlikely that he will last until their pick).

The Colts have just six picks in the draft, and plenty of holes to fill, so they might just see drafting a running back a bit of a luxury when they have Gore et al under contract. Still, it’s a draft that’s rich in quality runners and the position is so undervalued in the draft these days that bargains can be found in later rounds. We could see them drafting a running back, but only if he could potentially be Gore’s long-term replacement, not just another depth guy or role player.

The only halfback who has bell cow attributes but could be available in the third or fourth round is UCLA’s Paul Perkins, who we’d grab in an instant if he lasts until Round 3.