Frank Gore Officially Signs with Colts. Will Johnson Join Him?
Shortly after spurning the Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore has officially signed with the Indianapolis Colts:
Colts officially announced deal for former 49ers/Eagles RB Frank Gore. It includes $8.5 million guaranteed.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 10, 2015
It's official: Colts have signed 31yo RB Frank Gore.
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) March 10, 2015
Gore is 2nd among active players with 11,073 career rush yds pic.twitter.com/yjkgrEEzqE
It’s speculated that his former Miami Hurricane teammate in longtime Houston Texans wideout Andre Johnson could soon be joining him:
Frank Gore and Andre Johnson, former Miami teammates, scheduled to arrive into Indianapolis on Jim Irsay’s plane early this evening.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 10, 2015
The 10-year veteran running back has only missed 1 start for the 49ers in the past 4 seasons and has rushed for over 1,000 rushing yards in 8 of his 10 seasons in the NFL. The soon-to-be 32 year old running back has been consistently one of the most productive and durable running backs in the NFL. As noted, he is 2nd among active players with 11,073 career rush yards.
Highly regarded for his veteran leadership, as much as his production, Gore will be a welcome addition to the Colts locker room and will help solidify a backfield that has been in desperate need of a featured running back in recent seasons.
Still, there are some legitimate concerns with Gore. Mainly, he’s 32 years old with a lot of mileage on his tires, and it’s unclear just how much tread he may realistically have left. While Gore still rushed for 1,106 rushing yards on 255 carries (4.3 ypc) and 4 touchdowns, he won’t get the luxury of running behind a power blocking offensive line in Indianapolis like he was accustomed to in San Francisco.
However, Gore’s numbers last season actually compare quite favorably to some of the top 32 year old running backs in NFL history: