With roster cutdown day having come and gone, Jonathan Taylor remains with the Colts for at least the time being. As a result, the 2021 rushing champion and the team still have time to find a way to continue their relationship, something general manager Chris Ballard recently spoke about.
Indianapolis granted Taylor permission to seek out a trade partner, and a number of teams showed interest in a trade which would, presumably, be conditional on a big-money extension being agreed to. The Dolphins and Packers are among the teams who reports have indicated would be prepared to give Taylor a deal placing him high in the RB pecking order. The Colts have not been willing to make such a commitment at this point, leading in large part to the current stalemate between player and team. 
The 24-year-old will start the season on the PUP list, meaning he will be sidelined for at least the first four weeks of the season. A lingering ankle injury was named by Ballard as the reason for the designation, adding that Taylor will rehab the ailment at the team’s facility. Taylor had spent time away from the organization to recover earlier this offseason. Regarding the extension-eligible back’s contract situation, Ballard admitted he is in an unprecedented situation during his tenure while striking an optimistic tone.
“It’s where we’re at, and we’re got to work through it, and we’re going to do everything we can to work through it,” he said, via NFL.com’s Nick Schook. “Relationships are repairable. They’re repairable. When guys get emotional and take a stance, you’ve got to be able to work through those. We’ve got work to do. We got work to do on the relationship. We got work to do to find a solution to the problem and that’s what we’re gonna do.”
It remains to be seen if said solution will see Taylor play out the final year of his rookie contract in Indianapolis, or if a trade sending him elsewhere is still in the cards. A drop in asking price – a first-round pick or a similarly-valued collection of draft capital – will likely be required for the Colts to be satisfied by an offer in time for the trade deadline. In the meantime, interest will no doubt still remain around the league as Ballard and Co. set about trying to salvage the situation with their top offensive player.
With Taylor not in the picture to start the campaign, the Colts will have to move forward with Deon Jackson atop the depth chart. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports the former UDFA will handle starting duties in Indianapolis’ season opener against the Jaguars. Jackson saw 68 carries last year, during part of which Taylor was sidelined with the ankle injury. An uptick in usage will be in order for Jackson in at least the short term.
2022 trade acquisition Zack Moss is making progress in his recovery from a broken arm, Wilson adds. Moss suffered the injury at the end of July, and his Week 1 availability was put in doubt as a result. Wilson reports that the former Bills third-rounder is expected to miss the first two or three games of the season. His return after that missed time will be welcomed given Taylor’s absence, but it will be interesting to see how much progress will have been made regarding the latter by that point.
So what he’s actually defining is – we’ve bashed your positional role and career choice but pretty sure money will make you love us again.
And he’s right.
Old news – the new news is that JT is more P’OD than ever. Dolphins and Packers expressed openness to making him the second highest paid RB, BUT the teams don’t want to give up massive picks/players to the Colts….
I think the Packers and Dolphins potential trades were made up. GB made one their backs get a ‘haircut’ as it’s always called, for $5m. The Fins passed paying $7m for D Cook. So why would they pay $12m for another RB?
I feel bad for Chris Ballard. He’s going to get thrown under the bus because of this Taylor business yet everyone knows Irsay the idiot calls the shots in that organization.
Why? He’s already under the bus for being crap at getting talent, remember back to back de picks? Dude might be all time historically worst person at picking in the second round. No WR talent outside Pittman, no talent behind Taylor, offensive line is a mess and still no starting LT. If it weren’t for him getting Leonard, JT, Grover and Pittman right he’d already be gone. Go back and look at how bad his drafts were. All that and I still didn’t touch on his lack of free agency recruiting.
jroseka – Ballard is great at picking in the 2nd round; Braden Smith, Leonard, Pittman, Taylor, Alec Pierce, Odeyingbo, & Julian Brents. Not so great in 2019 with 3 picks that are all mediocre at best; Rock Ya-Sin, Ben Banagou, Parris Campbell. So 10 picks; 4 are studs, 3 mediocre, & to soon to tell on 3 others. All 10 are still playing in the NFL.
Look at his guaranteed contract, then say you still feel bad. I’d gladly play the role of Indy GM and have Irsay backstab me non-stop! And I agree with jroskea, he’s bad at drafting.
Ballard is finally being exposed as the mediocre GM he has always been. Hitting Linebackers, Guards and Running backs high in the draft hard. Try getting QB, LT, RT and WR right for a change… And try spending some of the Cap space they always have.
Who showed up at the Pro Bowl just a year ago with more selections than any other GM? Chris Ballard. To say he is a poor GM is absurd. The fact he’s managed any success at all while being undermined by Irsay is rather remarkable.
In essence – owners should OWN
GM should MANAGE
Coaches should TEACH
Players should SHOW UP & PUT UP
And FANS should be asking why they’re being charged $40 for a HOT DOG & BEER.