Jonathan Taylor

Six Teams In Mix For Jonathan Taylor; Colts Turned Down RB’s Extension Request

August 23rd, 2023 at 11:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins are not the only Jonathan Taylor suitor. Six teams are believed to have shown interest in Taylor, ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder reports.

Two of those clubs are believed to have extended offers to the Colts. It is not known if the Dolphins are one of the clubs to make an offer, but given their reported interest from the start of this accelerating derby, they would be a good guess here. But Miami, which has engaged in ongoing discussions with Indianapolis, is not alone in this pursuit.

More than three weeks after Taylor’s trade request became public, the Colts gave him permission to find a deal. The AFC South team wants a first-round pick — a price no team has paid for a running back since the Colts gave up one for Trent Richardson in September 2013 — or a picks package on the Christian McCaffrey level. The 49ers gave up second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-rounders for CMC last year.

The Colts are giving Taylor until August 29 to find a trade partner, Holder adds. The Colts must decide by 3pm CT on August 29 whether to keep Taylor on the PUP list or move him back to their active roster. Taylor remaining on the PUP past roster-cutdown day would mean a four-game absence to start the season. The team looks to have established a deadline. It remains to be seen if that is a point of no return on a Taylor trade.

Part of Taylor’s frustration with the team goes back to May, with Holder noting the Colts refused the running back’s extension request. Taylor, 24, became extension-eligible in January, but he is coming off an injury-plagued season. Taylor’s first notable NFL injury — an ankle malady that may or may not still be causing him trouble — led to him missing six games. GM Chris Ballard cited this and the team’s poor 2022 performance as a reason no extension was on tap.

Between May and training camp, a number of sobering developments transpired for running backs. It is unsurprising to see the Colts press pause here, but Taylor — who hired a new agent in late May — has changed his tone with the team. Indicating as recently as this year he still wanted to retire a Colt, the 2021 rushing champion switched gears. His agent has gone back and forth with Jim Irsay on social media, with the outspoken owner’s comments on the RB meetings not going over well with his own RB1. Irsay’s one-on-one meeting with Taylor did nothing to end this impasse, with Holder adding the Wisconsin alum remains set on being traded out of Indianapolis.

One year remains on Taylor’s rookie contract. The former second-rounder’s hope for an extension has complicated a trade, with teams leery of sending over notable draft compensation and authorizing a near-top-market extension. It is not known what price Taylor is seeking, but none of the rumors involving the franchise-tagged trio (Saquon Barkley, Tony Pollard, Josh Jacobs) reached the McCaffrey or Alvin Kamara levels. No back has even secured a $10MM-per-year deal since the Browns paid Nick Chubb (three years, $36.6MM) in July 2021.

The Colts would have the option of tagging Taylor in 2024. In theory, a team that acquires Taylor via trade would as well. Though, it would be odd if a team traded for Taylor without the intention of extending him. Despite some of the recent RB extensions working out for teams, the market iced over this offseason. Taylor’s standoff with the Colts may represent the final chapter in perhaps the worst year for the position in its history.

Dolphins, Colts Discussing Jonathan Taylor Deal

August 23rd, 2023 at 10:07am CST by Sam Robinson

A report Tuesday indicated multiple teams had contacted the Colts on Jonathan Taylor, as the team gave the 2021 rushing champion permission to seek a trade. Unsurprisingly, the Dolphins are believed to be one of them.

After the Dolphins were mentioned as an interested party, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson reports they have indeed discussed Taylor with the Colts. Talks are ongoing between the AFC teams. This is far from the first running back the Dolphins have been connected to via trade this year, but the Colts have a lofty asking price in mind. They want a first-round pick or a picks package equivalent to that value.

Dalvin Cook, D’Andre Swift and Saquon Barkley surfaced as Dolphins trade targets during the offseason, and SI.com’s Albert Breer notes Miami came close to acquiring Cook from Minnesota in March. Those talks, however, did not produce a deal. The Dolphins had their chances to add Cook, a Miami native, during his lengthy (and highly public) free agency tour. But the team let the Jets land the seventh-year veteran on a one-year, $7MM deal. In the wake of that signing, would the Dolphins be willing to both part with high trade compensation and give Taylor a lucrative extension?

Despite Jim Irsay‘s early insistence the Colts would not deal Taylor, Jackson adds the team would like to make a move — provided its asking price is met — before setting its 53-man roster. The Colts must decide on Taylor landing on the active roster or remaining on the active/PUP list — which would sideline him for at least four games — by 3pm CT August 29. Teams have been monitoring this saga since the trade request emerged in late July.

The Dolphins’ frequent connections to high-profile backs aside, they have kept costs low at the position ahead of Mike McDaniel‘s second season. Miami re-signed Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson and Myles Gaskin in March. None of these contracts even reached $3MM per year, and Gaskin’s deal contains no guaranteed money. The Dolphins then drafted Devon Achane in Round 3, but the former Texas A&M speedster is currently sidelined because of a shoulder injury sustained in the team’s second preseason game.

The difference between Cook and Taylor would seemingly come down to prime years remaining. Cook is going into his age-28 season; Taylor is 24. Cook has totaled 1,503 career touches; Taylor is heading into Year 4 at 860. The Colts have put Taylor’s rookie contract to good use, deploying him as their starter since Marlon Mack‘s Achilles tear in Week 1 of the 2020 season. But the former second-round pick stands to have a few prime years remaining.

Aside from Tyreek Hill‘s receiver-record contract ($30MM per year, with a high 2026 AAV producing that number), the Dolphins do not have an eight-figure AAV in their skill-position group. The team did pick up Tua Tagovailoa‘s fifth-year option and is already projected to be $32MM over the 2024 cap.

In what could be the most well-rounded AFC East race since perhaps the 1990s, the Dolphins are at least considering making a splash addition. Though, Jackson adds a handful of other teams have reached out as well. It will be interesting to see which other teams have contacted the Colts on Taylor, who is going into a contract year. It will also be worth monitoring if the Wisconsin alum stands down on a pursuit of an extension this year in order to leave Indianapolis.

That said, the prospect of the Colts franchise-tagging Taylor in 2024 has undoubtedly affected his standing with the organization. While Taylor obviously does not have a no-trade clause, would another team be willing to make a deal for a player on a PUP list without having an extension in place?

Multiple Teams Inquire On Colts RB Jonathan Taylor

August 22nd, 2023 at 10:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Advancing this saga to another stage, the Colts have allowed Jonathan Taylor‘s camp to look for a trade partner. This comes weeks after Jim Irsay said the former rushing champion would not be traded.

Teams are looking into this situation. Multiple clubs have inquired about Taylor, Stephen Holder and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com report. Real interest has emerged, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com indicated (video link). The Colts want a first-round pick or a picks package that meets that value, though the team is seeking a slightly better haul than the one the Panthers received for Christian McCaffrey.

Carolina fetched 2023 second-, third- and fourth-round picks, along with a 2024 fifth, from the 49ers for the dual-threat dynamo. Early indications around the league do not point to the Colts doing that well, were they to trade Taylor. Of the AFC and NFC execs polled by SI.com’s Albert Breer, none said Taylor will bring back more than a single Day 2 pick. Some believe a second-rounder is possible; others lowered expectations to a third-rounder as the deal’s centerpiece. Fowler noted another exec suggested a Day 2 pick would be in play. No RB has fetched a first-round pick since the Colts acquired Trent Richardson from the Browns in 2013; McCaffrey is the only back to land a second-rounder in that span.

If the Colts’ early stance is to be believed, they would likely hold onto their fourth-year back if these were the best offers to emerge. McCaffrey (four 600-plus-yard receiving seasons, with two years north of 800 yards) is a more versatile back than Taylor, though the latter is three years younger — at 24 — and has a less notable injury history. Last year’s ankle trouble marked Taylor’s first known injury as a pro or during his Wisconsin tenure. But the problem is either still lingering or Taylor is using this as leverage to avoid returning to practice amid this standoff.

The prospect of another team giving Taylor a big-ticket extension has slowed interest. No team has authorized even a $10MM-per-year RB deal since the Browns extended Nick Chubb (three years, $36.6MM) in July 2021. And this year has obviously brought a difficult series of events for the position, with Taylor voicing his frustration about the offseason developments. Upon returning to the Colts’ facility as a non-camp participant, Taylor’s attitude has changed. He has also twice left the facility — once due to his ankle injury and later due to a personal matter — since the team placed him on the active/PUP list.

The Colts have until August 29, when 53-man rosters must be set, to make a call on Taylor’s status. If Indianapolis leaves Taylor on the PUP list, he transfers to the reserve/PUP and must miss the season’s first four games. The Colts can move Taylor to their 53-man unit, going week to week with their disgruntled back. That would require the team to give Taylor an injury designation each week in practice. From a player’s perspective, Jalen Ramsey provided a blueprint for this route in 2019. Seeking a trade, the Jaguars cornerback did not practice fully due to myriad reasons, two of them being back issues and the birth of his daughter. Upon being traded to the Rams, the All-Pro cornerback returned to the field.

After Irsay criticized running backs for holding Zoom meetings about their situation, he met one-on-one with Taylor and made other comments that did not help this situation. When asked about Taylor on Monday night, the longtime Colts owner said GM Chris Ballard will “work hard to calm the waters.”

The Dolphins, who have inquired about multiple backs via trade this year, are believed to be interested. Even after cutting Ezekiel Elliott and not replacing him, the Cowboys are not. Jerry Jones said (via the Fort Worth Star-Telgram’s Clarence Hill) he is “very comfortable” with Dallas’ Tony Pollard backups.

Colts Grant Jonathan Taylor Permission To Seek Trade

August 21st, 2023 at 10:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

The latest chapter in the Jonathan Taylor saga has begun. The Colts have granted the All-Pro running back permission to seek a trade, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link).

Indianapolis had initially resisted, with Jim Irsay emphatically insisting the team was not dealing the 2021 rushing champion. But those comments came weeks ago. And rumblings of some in the organization being open to such a move have since come out. With no resolution in sight, the Colts are following the Chargers’ lead by letting their standout running back explore the market. This situation is far more contentious than the Austin Ekeler-Bolts backdrop, however, with Taylor leaving Colts camp on multiple occasions amid this standoff.

Taylor’s agent has begun calling teams, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Interest is believed to exist, but a team that acquires Taylor will both need to part with notable compensation and authorize an upper-crust extension. The latter component has given teams pause, ESPN.com’s Dianna Russini tweets. The Colts are seeking a first-round pick or a package of picks for Taylor, ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder reports (on Twitter).

No running back has been traded for a first-round pick since the Colts surrendered one for Trent Richardson in 2013, though Christian McCaffrey fetched second-, third-, fourth-and fifth-rounders last fall. The Colts are expected to want more than what the Panthers landed for McCaffrey, per Rapoport.

While the Colts made the disastrous Richardson trade, they did not extend him upon doing so. They were unable to, since the ex-Browns draftee was in his second season. McCaffrey also remains on his Panthers-constructed deal. For high-profile trade-and-extend sequences involving a running back, going back to 2015 (LeSean McCoy, Bills), 2004 (Clinton Portis, Washington) or 1999 (Marshall Faulk, Rams) is necessary. This is not widely explored modern terrain.

The Colts have tabled extension talks with Taylor, who has taken a long time to recover from the ankle injury that forced him to miss six games last season. Taylor, 24, underwent surgery in February but remains on the Colts’ active/PUP list. Of course, the fourth-year back has also been connected to using this injury as a way to stage a hold-in. Then again, Taylor still dealing with ankle pain this long after a minor surgery will only hurt his trade market. This trade news also comes after Shane Steichen said (via Holder) Taylor would travel with the team to Philadelphia for joint practices this week.

The Dolphins have emerged as an interested party. They are planning to explore the Taylor market, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson tweets. This should not be surprising, given Miami’s path at running back this offseason. The Dolphins discussed Dalvin Cook with the Vikings and D’Andre Swift with the Lions. They may or may not have reached out to the Giants about Saquon Barkley. After the Jets landed Cook, the Dolphins will look into Taylor. While the Dolphins did not want to give Cook $7MM ahead of his age-28 season, Taylor — who is heading into his age-24 campaign — is a more valuable asset.

Since Irsay made his comments about the Colts’ lack of interest in trading Taylor, the irked RB left training camp for the purposes of additional injury rehab. At least, that was the reported reason. Shortly after returning to the facility, Taylor left again due to a personal matter. Having hired a new agent this offseason, Taylor has operated differently with the Colts. The contract-year back went from wishing to retire as a Colt to requesting a trade in a matter of months.

The running back market cratering looks to have been the tipping point for Taylor, who is surely seeking to avoid playing out his rookie deal and being hit with a 2024 franchise tag. The Colts’ efforts since this impasse became public have not helped matters.

GM Chris Ballard pointed to the market when addressing Taylor’s future with the team, and Irsay — as he has increasingly done over the past two offseasons — got involved. The outspoken owner took a shot at running backs for holding meetings involving the state of their position. After a one-on-one meeting with Taylor, Irsay made the comment about not trading the former second-round pick. A rumor then emerged about the Colts considering Taylor being shifted from the PUP list to the NFI list, which would put his $4.3MM 2023 base salary at risk. The Colts have not followed through with that move, which would undoubtedly be challenged due to Taylor having denied mentioning any injury beyond the ankle issue.

Despite leading the NFL in touchdowns in each of the past two seasons and bringing elite receiving chops to the table, Ekeler was not believed to have generated much trade interest. This ultimately led to the Bolts reeling Ekeler back in with a low-level incentive package. Taylor is four years younger, but the Ekeler market may be telling here.

The Colts would obviously be a better team with Taylor, as they have Zack Moss rehabbing a broken arm and only have Kenyan Drake, Deon Jackson and fifth-round rookie Evan Hull as notable options. But this relationship has deteriorated rapidly. The Colts would have the option of franchise-tagging Taylor on what will again be a low number in 2024, but given recent events, how eager will the team be to recoup a prime asset and end this drama?

Colts RB Jonathan Taylor Leaves Camp Due To Personal Matter

August 16th, 2023 at 10:17pm CST by Ely Allen

Once again, Colts running back Jonathan Taylor is away from the team this preseason. After spending about a week away from the team rehabilitating a nagging ankle injury amidst contract struggles, Taylor returned to camp just two days ago. Now, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Taylor has left camp once again, this time due to a personal matter.

Schefter’s colleague at ESPN, Stephen Holder, reported that, according to “multiple sources,” the personal matter Taylor is attending to is completely legitimate. It must be since, despite the recent disagreements over his contract, the Colts classified his absence as “excused” in a team statement, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.

News isn’t likely to be released concerning the personal matter that Taylor is dealing with, but although it seemingly has nothing to do with the contract issues Taylor and the Colts face, it’s impossible not to add that context to the situation. Regardless of whether or not it was his intention, this personal matter allows Taylor to continue his holdout from team camp. He is technically not missing much anyway, as he remains on the physically unable to perform list nursing the ankle injury that hampered him throughout most of the 2022 season.

This new absence doesn’t really add any new information to the existing situation and issues. Taylor is still dealing with the ankle injury. Taylor still has concerns about his future in Indianapolis that the team seemingly has no interest in discussing. All this new absence does is prolong the inevitable conversations that will need to take place.

In the meantime, the Colts will continue rolling with Deon Jackson, Kenyan Drake, and a hampered Zack Moss through the preseason. There’s still time to work things out and get Taylor back on the field before the regular season, but with Taylor out of the building once again, it will be a bit less time.

Colts RB Jonathan Taylor Returns To Camp

August 14th, 2023 at 12:54pm CST by Ely Allen

AUGUST 14: Taylor has indeed returned to camp, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). He is not being activated from the PUP list, and the trade request remains in place, but the disgruntled back is at least on-site in case a resolution to his situation can be found in the near future.

AUGUST 13: The NFL’s 2021 leading rusher has been away from the Colts’ training camp as he rehabilitates his ankle. According to ESPN’s Stephen Holder, the team expects star running back Jonathan Taylor to return to camp this week. The ankle recovery combined with contract disputes that have been extremely public lead to a number of questions about what his return means moving forward.

Taylor has been away from the team now for almost a week, nursing the ankle injury that hampered most of his 2022 season. He missed six games last year due to the injury and failed to reach 1,000 rushing yards or double-digit touchdowns for the first time in his career. The team had placed him on the physically unable to perform list, so there is no penalty for his being away from the team, but most teams would prefer their injured players heal under the watchful eye of their own doctors.

The injury absence has served double duty for Taylor, allowing him to essentially hold out from training camp amidst the contract issues he’s been attempting to work through. Seeing the writing on the wall with how running backs have fared on the market this offseason, Taylor attempted to get ahead of things and start conversations towards his second contract. Soon after, owner Jim Irsay made it clear that the front office wasn’t at the point of considering that idea, shortly after making some concerning remarks about the running back group’s efforts to combat their falling value.

This led to Taylor requesting a trade, likely hoping to go to a team that is willing to start discussions towards an eventual extension. Again, Irsay vocalized that the franchise was not open to this idea, but the Colts didn’t seem to entirely dismiss the possibility as teams began to show interest. The situation was unresolved and seemingly a bit hostile as Taylor left camp, so what exactly is a return to camp going to look like for Taylor?

First off, we don’t know exactly when this return would come. New head coach Shane Steichen was the one who confirmed the team’s expectations, telling the media, “He should be back this week. Do I know the exact date he’ll be back? No, but he should be back.”

Secondly, even when he does return, he’s still on the PUP list. He will have to pass a physical with the team’s medical staff in order to be activated off of the list and return to the field for full participation. A source told ESPN that Taylor “has consistently made his intention clear to the team that he’ll return to the field when he is 100% healthy,” but given the lack of any sort of resolution in the contractual matters, it’s easy to wonder about the veracity of that claim.

Taylor’s ankle rehab has been a useful tool in his ability to dictate the flow of the contract conversation. If he returns fully-healed, he’ll be subject to the requirements of the CBA, which would penalize him for any further missed time, neutralizing that advantage. Regardless, the situation, which has been at a standstill for weeks, has to move forward at some point. It will be an intriguing situation to watch for this week as we wait to see how things unfold.

Jonathan Taylor Leaves Colts Camp To Rehab Ankle Injury

August 8th, 2023 at 2:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

The latest development in this enduring Colts-Jonathan Taylor drama involves the running back’s attendance. Taylor was not with the Colts at their Tuesday practice, and ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder notes it was by design.

Residing on the Colts’ active/PUP list, Taylor has left the team facility to rehab his ankle at an unspecified offsite location. The team has been informed of Taylor’s plans to rehab offsite, and Holder adds the absence is expected to last several days. Taylor has not practiced with the Colts since last season and has expressed frustration about his contract to the point a trade request emerged.

Taylor’s trade request still stands, and while rumors about this PUP stay doubling as a hold-in effort have swirled during this turbulent period, it is interesting the fourth-year running back is still in need of rehab after undergoing surgery in January. The procedure on Taylor’s injured ankle was believed to be minimally invasive in nature. The Colts have cited Taylor’s 2022 injury, which caused him to miss six games, as a reason for tabling extension talks. Jim Irsay pronounced Taylor ready to go just before camp, but that has proven to be far from the case.

Rumblings about Taylor complaining of back and hamstring pain at camp led to a rumor the team was considering shifting him to the active/NFI list. Taylor has denied making such a complaint. A move from PUP to NFI would affect Taylor’s $4.3MM 2023 base salary (and potentially destroy this fractured relationship). As of last week, the Colts were not likely to make that designation switch. And Taylor needing ankle treatment would not allow for such a move, since this rehab effort pertains to an injury he suffered while playing in 2022.

Although rumors have circulated regarding trade interest in Taylor, this ankle issue would stand to diminish any market that may or may not be forming. The running back position has sustained steady blows this year, and even while residing as one of the position’s young aces, Taylor not being ready six-plus months after a minor surgery likely will keep him in Indianapolis. Irsay has already indicated no trade is coming, and the ankle problem will make it unlikely a worthwhile offer comes Indy’s way.

Already down backup Zack Moss due to a broken arm and Deon Jackson due to an unspecified injury, the Colts signed Kenyan Drake late last week. Drake, who worked out for the team, is going into his age-29 season. Drake signed a one-year deal worth $1.17MM, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who adds the pact comes with $153K guaranteed.

Colts Not Dismissing Jonathan Taylor Trade

August 3rd, 2023 at 10:58am CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts-Jonathan Taylor impasse has showed no signs of ending, as the second week of a training camp observational period begins for the talented running back. Jim Irsay has indicated the Colts will not honor Taylor’s trade request, but this escalating situation might be moving the team toward at least considering a deal.

Trading Taylor is a subject that has not been completely shut down at Colts headquarters, Stephen Holder of ESPN.com reports, adding multiple NFL execs believe a trade market exists for the 24-year-old back. Going into his fourth season, Taylor is a more attractive commodity compared to the lot of late-20-somethings on the free agent market.

A team that acquires Taylor could attempt to slow-play this, as the Colts are doing by indicating no extension offer is coming soon, with a 2024 franchise tag available. But it should be considered likely a team that acquires the contract-year back would have a contract ready to go. Multiple teams are believed to be open to a trade-and-extend scenario involving the former rushing champion.

Indianapolis’ goal remains to retain Taylor, Jeff Howe of The Athletic writes, and have him back in his starting role to begin the Anthony Richardson era (subscription required). As this offseason has shown, running back leverage has cratered. Midlevel free agent contracts, cap-casualty decisions, pay cuts and a franchise tag deadline coming and going without an extension has turned this into a crisis point for the position. Derrick Henry has initiated talks among backs about their position’s standing, per TitanInsider.com’s Terry McCormick, and Taylor voiced frustration after the tag deadline hit without Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs or Tony Pollard landing a deal.

A host of anonymous executives informed Howe a trade should not be considered likely, due to the cost of a second contract and the supply-and-demand issue plaguing the position. While Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott were listed by two such execs as cheaper options, Taylor would represent a higher class of player at this stage of his career. The Colts RB has 860 career touches; Cook and Elliott are at 1,503 and 2,186, respectively. A team could view Taylor as a much better asset and pull off a trade, and an extension — despite the carnage on the RB market this year — could line up well as the salary cap booms. That said, no team has even authorized a $12MM-per-year RB deal since the Browns paid Nick Chubb in July 2021. Due to his age and the cap rise, Taylor could logically be targeting the Christian McCaffrey–Alvin Kamara bracket, but no team has signed off on a $14MM-AAV deal for a back since the Saints inked Kamara in August 2020.

The Colts, particularly Irsay and GM Chris Ballard, have been surprised by Taylor’s attitude at camp, per Holder. Taylor hired a new agent this offseason and has not only become frustrated by his contract situation, but Holder adds the Colts’ approach to injury management has irked the Wisconsin alum. Taylor underwent arthroscopic ankle surgery in January, and the procedure was not expected to keep him out too long. Irsay pronounced him as ready to roll for camp. But Holder adds the Colts wanted Taylor to return to Indianapolis shortly before camp. This request did not go over well with Taylor, who interpreted it as a team push to return to action before he was 100%.

Taylor played hurt during last year’s miserable Colts campaign, finishing the season despite needing ankle surgery. Holder echoes the Sunday report regarding Taylor complaining of back and hamstring pain when coming to camp. Taylor has denied he notified the Colts of back pain, a subject that led to the rumor the Colts could shift him from the PUP list to the NFI list — a matter that could affect Taylor’s salary. That rumor only further intensified this situation, though Holder adds the PUP-to-NFI shift is unlikely.

Still, Taylor remains out of action. It is unclear if the ankle injury sustained in October 2022 is truly keeping him off the field or if this is a hold-in measure. The Colts, who have also lost Zack Moss to a broken arm, worked out Kenyan Drake on Wednesday.

It will be interesting to see if any viable trade offers come in for Taylor, who is set to be part of a big free agency class — one that, as of now, would include Barkley, Jacobs, Pollard, Henry, Austin Ekeler, J.K. Dobbins, AJ Dillon. We are still far away from that point, but it represents another factor that would work against him leaving Indianapolis via a 2023 trade.

Teams Showing Interest In Jonathan Taylor

August 1st, 2023 at 9:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

The escalating drama between the Colts and Jonathan Taylor certainly qualifies as one of the defining storylines during an important year for the running back position. Taylor remains out of Colts practice and has requested a trade.

As of Tuesday, the Colts are against trading the former rushing champion. A recent report also indicated a robust market should not be expected to form, as several backs — including some who have also expressed frustration about their present situations — are on track to hit free agency in 2024. Taylor is as well, though the franchise tag is a play the Colts can make. Would another team force the Colts’ hand early?

Interest is, however, expected to exist for Taylor, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link). Adding on that point, Rapoport indicates multiple teams are expected to call the Colts to see how resolute they are in not trading the 2021 All-Pro. No resolution between Taylor and the Colts appears close.

The former second-round pick is going into a contract year and doing so at a bad time for the running back market. But Taylor is only going into his age-24 season. Prime years should remain for the Wisconsin alum, who finished second in the 2021 Offensive Player of the Year voting. Although a team that trades for Taylor would have the option of franchise-tagging him in 2024, Rapoport adds multiple clubs are believed to be open to giving him a real contract. That would presumably mean a deal north of $12MM per year, though it is not known how high prospective suitors would be willing to go.

No team has authorized a running back deal beyond the $13MM-AAV point since the Saints reupped Alvin Kamara in August 2020. The Vikings cut bait on their $12.6MM-per-year Dalvin Cook deal this offseason, while the Bengals and Packers trimmed their $12MM-per-year backs’ pay for 2023. The salary cap has risen by nearly $30MM since the Kamara and Christian McCaffrey deals, however, and will make another climb in 2024.

Taylor voiced frustration about the market after Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard were not paid, and his issues with the Colts have escalated since. That said, ESPN’s Stephen Holder adds that the contract-year back has been at odds with the organization for a while (Twitter link). The Colts have not made an offer, with Jim Irsay — whose previous comments about the RB position added more fuel to this fire — publicly indicating as such.

Since the Taylor drama became known, the Colts have lost Zack Moss to a broken arm. They traded Nyheim Hines last season. Fifth-round rookie Evan Hull and veteran Deon Jackson reside as the top available options currently, though a few notable free agents — Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette, Kareem Hunt — remain beyond Cook. The ex-Viking’s connections remain to the AFC East at this point.

Colts Considering Placing RB Jonathan Taylor On NFI

July 30th, 2023 at 9:45pm CST by Ely Allen

9:45pm: The craziness continues straight out of the workhorse’s mouth as Taylor has weighed in himself on the recent reports, tweeting out that he “never had a back pain” and “never reported a back pain.”

This could be a case of reporters running amok with a story that got out of hand without confirmations or reliable sources. It could also be some damage control from Taylor, who likely realizes the financial ramifications of being placed on the NFI list.

If Taylor’s refutation is false, one would assume there would be medical records from the team’s training staff noting the back pain as a concern. And, in order to move him to the NFI list, one would assume there would need to be documentation detailing that it happened away from the team.

If Taylor never did report back pain, this could be an inside look at the tactics the team is willing to go to in order to gain leverage in a negotiation in which it already has all the power. Speculation aside, Taylor’s response through unmediated channels is further confirmation that this relationship may be deteriorating beyond repair. And fast.

8:30pm: In a wild continuation of a situation seemingly full of pettiness, the Colts have reportedly considered placing star running back Jonathan Taylor on the non-football injury list, according to Mike Chappell of FOX59/CBS4 Sports. Things have gotten rather contentious between Taylor and the organization lately, and if the team were to pull off this transaction, the situation would only get rockier.

Taylor has been involved in the recent conversations pertaining to the decline of the running back market, and anticipating his future active role in the situation, Taylor made it clear that he wants to begin discussions on a new deal with Indianapolis. With team owner Jim Irsay making it clear that no extension offer has been made yet, nor does he have any current intention to offer an extension, Taylor formally requested a trade. Irsay has planted his heels in the ground, expecting Taylor to honor his rookie contract, but with no indication of good faith negotiations, Taylor felt the need to stay ahead of the eight ball.

Currently, Taylor is on the team’s physically unable to perform list. He’s still rehabilitating from an ankle surgery he underwent in January, and he came into training camp complaining of back pain. Because he began experiencing the back pain while working out on his own in Arizona, it was deemed to be a pre-existing issue, stemming from outside organized football activities. This grants the team the option of moving Taylor from the PUP list to the NFI list.

That may not seem super significant as you continue to see PUP and NFI placements here and there on our Minor NFL Transactions posts, but in a volatile situation in which money is a key point of contention, this move would be a clear escalation from the Colts’ brass. Once the season begins, if a player remains on the PUP list, the team continues to pay that player for time missed. If a player is instead on the NFI list, having suffered an injury away from team-organized events, the team is able to withhold any amount of pay it chooses, up to the player’s full base salary.

According to Nick Korte of OvertheCap.com, it may not end there. The current collective bargaining agreement reportedly “opens up a path for his contract to be tolled,” something only available for NFI players in a contract year. Taylor can avoid this by returning to action by the sixth game of the regular season. The CBA also “opens up a path (for Taylor) to fail to accrue a season in 2023.” This would mean that, instead of entering the offseason as an unrestricted free agent, he would be a restricted free agent.

Moving Taylor to the NFI becomes an immediate message to the young running back: Not only are we not sure we want to pay you in the future, we’re not even sure we want to pay you now. A year removed from having led the NFL in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns, it seems insane to be this dismissive to a player asking to work towards a future together. The team has yet to make the move, but it’s become clear that the two sides are nowhere near a path that leads to resolution anytime soon.

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