The Indianapolis Colts were one of the best teams in the National Football League last season.

After a third consecutive 11-5 season with Andrew Luck, Indianapolis advanced all the way to the AFC Championship game.

But, there is still much work to be done.

Without a doubt, the biggest issue for the Colts is running the football. Last season, the Colts rushing attack ranked 22nd in the league, and Trent Richardson has been a huge disappointment. There's also a good chance that Ahmad Bradshaw will not be returning next season. As good as Luck (who led the NFL in touchdowns last season) is, he can't do everything.

Fortunately for the Colts, this offseason has a lot of great free agent running backs as well as players who could be on the trade block. The most obvious one, of course, being Dallas Cowboys leading rusher DeMarco Murray.

The Cowboys and Murray have yet to reach a new contract, and he will most likely become a free agent on Tuesday, March 10 at 4 p.m. EST.

As Mike Wells on ESPN writes when referring to Murray: "He'd be the perfect complement to quarterback Andrew Luck. Also, something the Colts don't have."

He's absolutely correct. Murray is the missing piece that could send the Colts to the Super Bowl in the AFC. Murray has eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark the last two seasons, including a record-breaking season last year in which he led the NFL with 1,845 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. Running backs don't last as long as other positions as we all know very well, but it's important to note that Murray is still just 27 years old. There's no reason Indianapolis can't lock him up into a short-term three to five year contract, thus saving money down the road.

What makes the Colts and Murray such an idealistic match (other than the reality that the Colts can't run the ball) is the fact that Indianapolis has money to spend. Only the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans and New York Jets have more cap space in the AFC. But those teams are terrible. The Colts have the most cap space by a playoff caliber team, and that's a scary thought for teams around the league.

With Murray, it will all come down to length and money. If Murray wants a huge blockbuster deal for more than five seasons, than it would be wise to pass on him. They can't fall into the Alex Rodriguez trap. But, if Murray is willing to take less and play for a Super Bowl contender, this would be a terrific fit.

There is also another option. Numerous reports have circulated that the Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys and the Colts are very interested in adding Adrian Peterson. The Colts have even been on Peterson's "preferred" list.

Making a trade for Peterson instead of signing Murray does have its positives and negatives for the Colts. On the positive side, the Colts know exactly what they're getting and for how long. Peterson has three years remaining on his contract, and that's good for the Colts because his contract will expire when he turns 32 years old. Peterson is also a lot more accomplished on the football field than Murray is. On the negative end, Peterson is two years older than Murray and his contract is costly over the next three seasons. Peterson's contract has a total of $47.4 million in cap hits over the next three seasons. But for the Colts, it may be worth it.

General manager Ryan Grigson has a lot of money to spend this offseason, and he knows running back is a big priority for the team. Fortunately for him, there are plenty of quality backs on the market this offseason.

Follow Damon Salvadore on Twitter

FOR MORE SPORTS NEWS AND UPDATES, CLICK ON THIS LINK TO VISIT LATIN POST.COM'S SPORTS PAGE