AFC Contenders Looming Large as Landing Spots for Reggie Bush

In the NFL, getting cut is a way of life. Established veterans don’t typically stay free agents for long, and that could well be the case for former Detroit Lions running back Reggie Bush, who has relieved of his services this last week.

At age 29, Bush doesn’t seem ready to give up his day job just yet. His dismissal from his third team in nine years – Bush debuted for the New Orleans Saints in 2010 before heading to the Miami Dolphins in 2011 – could prove to be a blessing in disguise, with three AFC heavyweights looking for some depth at running back.

In the coming days, the Indianapolis Colts could emerge as a leading contender to sign Bush. The franchise looks set to finally wash its hands of the awful Trent Richardson experiment, with the underperforming youngster set to be the first of several cap casualties in Indy.

Bush boasts a track record and reputation that should inspire a lot more confidence. What’s more, Bush is a decent chance of beating out Vick Ballard in training camp and assuming the starting role on a team that desperately needs to give Andrew Luck more variety on offense.

Bush’s skills as a receiving back should not go unnoticed in Pittsburgh and New England, either. Mike Tomlin and Bill Belichick are always looking to add an extra threat to their menacing offenses, and Bush could be a great ‘bit-part’ player in either scheme.

And if Bush’s natural talent doesn’t win over either front office, logistical woes could force someone’s hand anyway. Without a definitive backup to Le’Veon Bell in last season’s playoffs, the Steelers imploded with a deflated showing against archrivals the Baltimore Ravens in the wild card round.

Meanwhile, in the land of the Super Bowl champions, the 2015 status of LeGarrette Blount remains cloudy at best. Without him, the unit lacks experience, and with both Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen listed as unrestricted free agents heading into this offseason, Bush is looking more and more like the consummate mid-range Belichick signing that has yielded so much success in the past.