Stephen Holder

The Colts could use a boost in their running game.

But that boost will not be coming from now-reinstated Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice.

The Colts currently have no plans to pursue Rice, who won an appeal Friday and is free to sign with any NFL team. That news comes from a source familiar with the team's plans.

Rice previously was suspended indefinitely by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after footage of an assault on his wife in an Atlantic City, N.J. casino became public. But an arbitrator on Friday overturned the suspension, making Rice a free agent.

This stance by the Colts shouldn't come as a surprise. For starters, any team that signs Rice is going to be subject to the same outside pressures the Baltimore Ravens felt before they voided his contract in September. This is likely to include everything from intense media coverage that extends well beyond the sports pages to pickets and protests. It's not the kind of attention any team is seeking while pursuing a third straight playoff appearance.

But there are football reasons to take this position, too.

For one, the Colts are eager to see what Boom Herron can do now that he's getting extensive playing time following Ahmad Bradshaw's season-ending leg injury. Adding Ray Rice could lead to Herron taking a back seat.

And then there's the whole matter of Rice's subpar 2013 season. His string of four consecutive seasons with more than 1,100 yards came to an abrupt end when Rice had a disappointing 660 yards last season. He averaged a dismal 3.1 yards per carry --worse than Colts fans' favorite whipping boy Trent Richardson's current average (3.4 yards per carry). The suggestion that Ray Rice is the answer to the Colts' struggles in the running game might be a bit presumptuous, although his past success suggests there's a chance he could rebound.

But in the end, this is a moot conversation. As things stand right now, Rice isn't on the Colts' radar.

We can officially put the speculation to rest.