INDIANAPOLIS — The Colts’ primary insurance policy at running back behind Jonathan Taylor is dealing with an injury.

Trey Sermon, who had emerged through the first two weeks of training camp as the clear backup to Taylor, suffered a hamstring injury in the first half of the team’s preseason opener against Denver and left the game.

Sermon was initially examined in the injury tent after the first Indianapolis drive, then returned to the game briefly before trainers pulled him from the game.

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The fourth-year back had one catch for 12 yards before he was removed from the game, and Indianapolis declared him out for the rest of the game. He did not have a carry.

If Sermon is forced to miss extended time, the next two players competing for a spot behind Taylor are returning back Tyler Goodson and second-year player Evan Hull.

Goodson got the first carries in place of Sermon, handling running back duties for the rest of the first quarter and part of the second. Hull, a fifth-round pick in 2023, is coming off a rookie season lost to a knee injury suffered in the opening game.

Indianapolis has little depth behind those two players.

Trey Sermon stats

Sermon has rushed for 346 yards on 78 carries with 1 touchdown in his career. He had 160 rushing yards on 35 carries for the Colts last season, plus 3 catches for 13 yards. Sermon was a third-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 2021 but has also played for Philadelphia as well as the Colts.

Trey Sermon contract

Sermon will be paid $1,055,000 this season if he remains on the roster. He is an unrestricted free agent next season.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts Trey Sermon injury: Leaves game vs Broncos with hamstring injury