Rumor sprung this week that the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears were talking about a trade that would send RB Thomas Jones to Indy for a couple of draft picks. Meanwhile, in Kansas City, Chiefs' GM Carl Peterson says he expects the team's all-time rushing leader, Priest Holmes, back in training camp and at full speed in 2006. Holmes, who has hinted in the past at retiring young, likely will make one last hurrah in the Chief's backfield this year. The 33-year old has played only 15 games the last two seasons but has averaged 4.2 yards per carry and scored 20 touchdowns. After losing Edgerrin James to the Cardinals in free agency, its no wonder the Colts would be interested in an upgrade at the running back position. Last year's backup, Dominic Rhodes, had a 1000-yard season in 2001 when James missed 10 games with a knee injury, but it is no doubt "Super Bowl or Bust" for the Colts this year, and pinning their hopes on Rhodes would be a huge mistake. The Colts MUST find a way to replace James' 1506 yards and Rhodes is not the answer. The problem is, neither is Jones. The Jones-to-Indianapolis trade does not make sense for either team. Jones and Rhodes would, at best, form a slightly above average Running Back-by-Committee. Neither back is going to provide the kind of receiving threat that Peyton Manning needs out of the backfield, and neither are threatening enough to adequately setup Manning's playaction passes. Trading away Jones means the Bears, a playoff team in 2005, would rely on untested sophomore Cedric Benson and Adrian Peterson. The poor passing attack of the Bears will rely on a good running game to move the chains in 2006, and putting that much pressure on two guys with 190 combined career carries would be absurd. That brings us back to Holmes and the Chiefs. Indianapolis could trade a third round draft choice to Kansas City and add Holmes' experience, leadership, and phenomenal rushing skills to its sickening offense. With Holmes, the Colts are easily the favorites in the AFC; with Rhodes, they are underdogs to the defending champion Steelers. They get one season from him, possibly win a Super Bowl, then try to convince him to play one more year. The Chiefs can afford to lose Holmes for a number of reasons. First, Larry Johnson may be the best all-around back in the NFL. He is perfectly capable of handling the ball 25 times per game without breaking down, so the strength of his backup needn't be important. They could use the pick to draft Mississippi State's Jerious Norwood or Jerome Harrison from Washington State. Even more importantly, they free up about $5 million of salary cap space which they could use to sign CB Ty Law. Priest Holmes to the Colts? It's only idle speculation, but it makes sense around the board.