Jonathan Taylor

Jonathan Taylor To Practice This Week

October 4th, 2023 at 3:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 4: ESPN’s Stephen Holder notes that, to no surprise, Taylor’s teammates are excited about his presumed return to action in Week 5. The 24-year-old’s relationship with the Colts seems to be “headed in the right direction,” Holder writes, adding that Taylor’s mindset regarding his situation in Indianapolis has “improved significantly.” That points to an audition period in 2023 taking place, the potential trade effects of which will be worth watching closely.

Taylor was listed as a full participant in Wednesday’s practice, though it was merely a walkthrough. Still, all signs continue to point to his 2023 debut happening on Sunday as the next phase of his Colts tenure takes shape.

OCTOBER 2: After two months of trade rumors, Jonathan Taylor remains on the Colts. While the prospect of trade is not believed to be shut down, the team is indeed opening the running back’s practice window.

A Sunday report indicated this move was coming, and Shane Steichen confirmed Taylor is slated to return to practice Wednesday. Taylor has resided on Indianapolis’ reserve/PUP list; he will now have a 21-day window to return. Questions remain about Taylor’s desire to play for the Colts again, and the trade deadline looms Oct. 31. For now, however, the Colts will move him closer toward playing for them in 2023.

Steichen also did not rule out Taylor from making his debut Sunday against the Titans, Fox 59’s Mike Chappell adds. Taylor requested a trade in July, amid a clash with owner Jim Irsay, and likely attempted to use his ankle issue as a way to avoid a return to the Colts. The 2021 rushing champ is believed to have been healthy for a bit now; Irsay proclaimed him ready to go back in mid-July. But a stretch of turbulence between Taylor and the team engulfed Steichen’s first summer on the job. It will certainly be pivotal if/when Taylor addresses his situation this week.

After Irsay flatly stated Taylor would not be traded back in July, the Colts did end up engaging with teams ahead of the August deadline to finalize 53-man rosters and set injured lists. The Dolphins and Packers discussed Taylor with the Colts, with other teams rumored as interested to a lesser degree. Rumors have emerged about the Colts’ lack of desire to truly move the contract-year back, a development foreshadowed by Jaylen Waddle coming up in Dolphins talks. The Taylor market never appeared robust, and it has cooled from the August point.

The Colts are believed to have dropped their asking price for the fourth-year RB. No team has fetched a first-rounder for a running back since the Colts sent the Browns one for Trent Richardson 10 years ago, and Indy is now open to accepting a Round 2 choice here. As of last week, Taylor also remained at odds with the Colts. Of course, if Indianapolis does not make a deal, Taylor’s options are limited.

Once Taylor returns to practice, the Colts will have 21 days to activate him from the PUP list. If the team does not do so, Taylor’s season is done. A player not on an injured list exaggerating an injury to force a trade is not unprecedented; Jalen Ramsey did so in 2019, when the Jaguars collected two first-rounders from the Rams. But some finality to Taylor’s 2023 saga looks to be coming. Steichen said (via the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson) he has stayed in contact with Taylor during his time on the PUP list.

It is also uncertain if Irsay and GM Chris Ballard are on the same page regarding a potential trade. If the Colts do not trade Taylor, they would still have the option of franchise-tagging him in 2024. This year’s franchise tag deadline accelerated Taylor’s standoff with the Colts, with three running backs (Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Tony Pollard) playing on the tag. And the grim prospect of Taylor playing out his rookie deal and then being cuffed still looms. Though, the Colts will need to decide how much longer they want to endure this situation. How Taylor reacclimates under a new coaching staff could be important as he rejoins his teammates at workouts.

Winning the 2021 rushing title by more than 500 yards, Taylor missed six games due to an ankle injury — his first notable malady during his college or pro careers — last season and underwent what was labeled a minimally invasive surgery in January. It is expected the Wisconsin product is good to go. If Taylor is truly on track to play in Colts games, he would presumably reclaim the starter role ahead of Zack Moss, who has operated as such for the past three weeks. The 2022 trade acquisition has played at least 75% of the Colts’ offensive snaps in each of his three games since returning from a broken arm.

Colts Have Not Engaged In Recent Jonathan Taylor Trade Talks; Team To Open Taylor’s Practice Window

October 1st, 2023 at 7:16am CST by Adam La Rose

OCTOBER 1: The Colts plan to open Taylor’s 21-day practice window on Wednesday, October 4, per Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. Rapoport and Pelissero confirm Breer’s report that there have been no trade talks between Indianapolis and other clubs in recent days, though one source tells them that “multiple teams” remain interested in acquiring Taylor and authorizing a top-of-the-market contract for him. Likewise, Ballard is still open to moving his Pro Bowl back if he gets the right offer. Per Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required), Ballard is seeking an early second-round pick (or, presumably, an equivalent package).

As suggested below, the Colts’ current list of potential trade partners does not include the Dolphins, who have not spoken to Indy since the season began, or the Packers, who remain out of the mix. For now, the Colts are simply focused on getting Taylor — who has been rehabbing at the team facility in recent weeks — back on the field.

SEPTEMBER 30: With their Week 4 contest just around the corner, the Colts will soon need to decide how to proceed with Jonathan Taylor. The team’s lead running back will be eligible to be activated from the PUP list next week, and it appears likely he will be able to suit up in Indianapolis or elsewhere in the near future.

Taylor has been nursing an ankle injury since training camp, and his placement on the reserve/PUP list during roster cutdowns bought the Colts an extra month to work out a potential trade. A deal sending him out of Indianapolis remains the 24-year-old’s goal, but the situation does not seem headed in that direction for the time being.

The Colts haven’t received trade calls in recent days, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes. That comes as little surprise, given the lack of teams known to still be interested in Taylor at this point. The Dolphins and Packers have been heavily linked to him in recent months, but Miami’s strong (and cost-effective) RB room and Green Bay’s decision to drop out of the running in any potential deal have dropped the number of logical destinations. Breer adds that interest will likely pick up if/when Taylor plays for the Colts as early as Week 5, if he is activated by that point.

Breer also predicts Colts general manager Chris Ballard would be more than willing to listen to trade offers, despite the latter’s public optimism the team’s relationship with Taylor can be repaired. Indianapolis was originally seeking a first-round pick in a deal for the former second-rounder, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. That stance is believed to have since shifted, though, and a lower asking price could open up at least a rental market for the remainder of the 2023 campaign.

Taylor appears to be fully healed (as many have speculated he has been since before the regular season kicked off), per ESPN’s Stephen Holder. The 2021 rushing champion has suggested as much in recent social media posts, though Holder notes Taylor has immediately departed the team’s facility after his morning workout routines, and that he has been absent from each of the Colts’ games this season. That would make a return to action in Indianapolis a tense development in this saga, though it is the expected outcome at this point.

Taylor’s contract would toll to 2024 if he were to go without being activated by Week 6 and stay on the PUP list through the rest of the campaign. If he were to play for the Colts this season, the franchise tag would become a serious consideration on the team’s part. For the time being, though, all eyes will be on the Colts’ plans with respect to activating Taylor with the October 31 trade deadline looming.

Colts’ Jonathan Taylor Still Aiming To Be Traded; Ravens Not Interested?

September 27th, 2023 at 10:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts are coming close to the point when they will need to make a call on Jonathan Taylor. The former rushing champion can be activated from the reserve/PUP list next week, and he already could return to practice for the team.

While Taylor has shared a video of himself training at the Colts’ facility, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano notes the fourth-year running back has not changed his stance on playing for the team again. Taylor has sought a trade since July, and although the Colts halted talks before the deadline to set their initial 53-man roster, they have until Oct. 31 to unload him this year.

Just as Taylor wants a deal that leads him out of Indianapolis, Graziano adds the Colts have not adjusted their stance on an extension. Indy is not budging on that front, either. The Colts, who have the option of franchise-tagging Taylor in 2024, have not offered him a deal.

Zack Moss has fared well since returning from a broken arm, playing 98% of the team’s RB snaps in Week 2 and totaling 122 yards (on a career-high 30 carries) in the overtime win over the Ravens. While Taylor is undeniably better than Moss, this has not helped his cause or dispelled the notion that RBs can largely be easily replaced.

When the Colts engaged in trade talks in late August, doubt emerged about their desire to complete a deal. Jaylen Waddle surfacing in talks with the Dolphins sent up a red flag about the Colts’ true interest in moving on, and a Taylor path to Miami may be closing. The Dolphins just rushed for 350 yards in a historic decimation of the Broncos, and Mike McDaniel‘s team has received quality play from Raheem Mostert. De’Von Achane‘s first crack at regular work also produced a monster outing — 203 rushing yards, four touchdowns. Miami also has Jeff Wilson eligible to come off the PUP list next week, though it is uncertain if the ex-49er will be ready to do so. Summer’s top Taylor suitor does not seem to feature a need, having three backs tied to low-cost contracts.

The Ravens and Browns have lost their starters for the season. Cleveland also recently reunited with Kareem Hunt, potentially applying some heat on Baltimore to improve its situation. Barring a dramatic shift in their approach, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson notes the Ravens should not be considered an interested party. Injuries have forced Baltimore to add numerous veterans over the past few seasons — that list now includes Melvin Gordon and Kenyan Drake — but the team does not appear prepared to hand over a high draft choice and/or a lucrative extension for a running back. It no longer looks like the Colts are asking for a first-rounder to move Taylor, but there do not look to be many suitors.

Time may be running out for Taylor to continue his crusade. While the 2021 All-Pro has lobbied against playing for the Colts again, his options are limited. The Colts do not have to activate him from their PUP list next week, however, and the parties may continue to use the list as a way to keep trade talks alive. Taylor returning to a Colts team that has shown signs of life — after an abysmal 2022 — would be an important AFC South development, and an answer about his availability should be days away.

Latest On Colts, Jonathan Taylor

September 24th, 2023 at 3:16pm CST by Adam La Rose

One more week remains until Jonathan Taylor will be eligible to be activated from the PUP list. Plenty remains to be seen what will happen next for the Colts running back, but the chances of a trade appear to be dwindling.

The Colts have explored a deal sending the 24-year-old elsewhere, something which would be difficult to sort out given the price required in a trade and a subsequent extension handed out by an acquiring team. Indianapolis was originally thought to be seeking a first-round pick (or a package of draft capital with equal value), but that may no longer be the case. A report from earlier this week indicated a lesser asking price might be sufficient to get a deal done.

In spite of that, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports it is increasingly likely Taylor remains with the Colts. He notes executives around the league doubt that Indianapolis has ever truly intended to move on from the 2021 rushing champion, whose PUP designation came amidst speculation his ankle injury is not serious enough to keep him out of game action. A few teams have been brought up in Taylor trade negotiations, but at least one of them (the Packers) is no longer interested in a swap.

The first few weeks of the NFL season has seen several major injuries at the running back spot, including J.K. Dobbins and Nick Chubb being lost for the year due to Achilles and knee injuries, respectively. As Jones notes, those examples of the injury risk the position is marked with “have not helped” Taylor’s market. The Ravens and Browns have looked elsewhere for depth options (reuniting with Kenyan Drake and Kareem Hunt) in lieu of a Taylor trade. The Bears, Jones adds, never emerged as an interested party.

With few obvious suitors in place at this point, the likeliest outcome in this situation is that Taylor remains with the Colts through Week 4, when he will first be eligible to be activated. As Jones notes, though, the true calendar point to watch in Taylor’s case will be the Oct. 31 trade deadline. Taylor must play six total games (with the Colts and/or another team) in 2023 to accrue another year toward free agency. He is on the final year of his rookie pact, meaning the franchise tag looms as a viable option for 2024 from the Colts’ perspective.

General manager Chris Ballard has publicly expressed optimism the team’s relationship with Taylor can be repaired. With a trade still Taylor’s preference, per Jones, it will be worth watching how active Indianapolis is in working out a potential deal. For the time being, though, it seems unlikely Taylor will be on the move in the immediate future.

Colts Willing To Take Less For Jonathan Taylor?

September 22nd, 2023 at 10:00pm CST by Ely Allen

The Jonathan Taylor drama has quieted down a bit since the start of the season, but by no means does that mean it isn’t there. After failing to both 1) reach a long-term agreement with Taylor and 2) find a viable trade partner willing to meet their price for Taylor, the Colts placed him on the physically unable to perform list, where he remains today. After the constant drama and failure to navigate their way out of it, is Indianapolis willing to lower its asking price? ESPN’s Stephen Holder thinks so.

The team’s relationship with Taylor seems fractured beyond repair. The Colts made it very clear that they were not willing to commit to Taylor long-term. And, if they choose to utilize the franchise tag on Taylor after the season to keep him from hitting free agency, it’s hard to see any situation where the relationship is repaired. If they remain uncommitted to signing the former All-Pro to a long-term contract, trading Taylor seems like the best option.

Seemingly, Taylor’s pure talent should be enough to convince the Colts to hold on to him for the long-term. Especially considering what they’ve been working with in his absence. In Week 1, while Zack Moss continued recovering from a broken arm, Indianapolis was forced to turn to a combination of Deon Jackson, Evan Hull, and Jake Funk. The three combined for 25 rushing yards on 16 carries for zero touchdowns and two lost fumbles. Moss made his debut in Week 2, during which he would be the only running back to see snaps on offense, playing 56 of the team’s 57 offensive snaps.

This sends a clear message about the team’s confidence in its depth at the position. The Colts were completely dependent on Moss with Taylor still out, and while it’s nice to be able to depend on Moss and have him deliver, they would likely prefer to have multiple options they can trust. Seeing how little the team feels they can trust their current running backs room, one might think their eyes would be opened to the benefits of signing Taylor long-term. Of course, one might think that a 2021 rushing title and a career 5.1 yards per carry might be enough to open their eyes, but here we are.

So, if the Colts want any return on losing Taylor, they’ll need to find a trade partner for the young rusher. Obviously, they need to aim for teams that have the desire and bandwidth to sign Taylor to a long-term deal. Besides that, the asking price has been their biggest concern. The Dolphins and Packers reportedly showed interest in trading for and signing Taylor, but both teams were unable to match the haul that the Indianapolis was requesting. The Packers are also now believed to be out of the running.

Holder reminds that the team’s asking price was a package of picks that amounted to a first-rounder, but he also claims that the Colts would be willing to “settle for something a bit less.” What exactly that means is yet to be determined as the team will still likely continue to play hardball in an effort to avoid giving him away for pennies on the dollar, but if they’re able to lower their expectations, it could open the door for a new team to come in and add Taylor to their stable.

For now, the Colts will hope to see Taylor back on the field after his stint on the PUP list. Past that, there’s still hope that cooler heads prevail, and the two sides can come to an agreement, but a lower asking price for Taylor may lead to the 24-year-old’s inevitable exit.

Colts Likely To Resume Jonathan Taylor Trade Talks; Packers No Longer Involved

September 10th, 2023 at 11:13pm CST by Rory Parks

The Colts had reportedly set August 29 — the day when teams were required to finalize their 53-man rosters — as the deadline to trade running back Jonathan Taylor. It was clear, however, that roster cutdown day was merely a “loose” deadline that was set in the hopes of expeditiously resolving a difficult situation for a maximum return.

Unsurprisingly, trade talks involving Taylor are likely to resume, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Taylor is presently on the PUP list and is therefore required to miss the first four games of the season, but sources tell Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Taylor is healthy and could pass a physical today if he were required to do so. As such, the contract-year back plans to be ready to play as soon as Week 5, when he is first eligible to take the field.

According to Rapoport, there remains a possibility that Taylor will again suit up for the Colts, but the odds of that happening are slim. After all, the rift between player and team formed when Indianapolis refused Taylor’s request for an extension this offseason, and there is nothing to indicate that the club’s stance in that regard will change.

Instead, it seems more plausible that Taylor will be traded. In order for that to happen, the Colts may need to reduce their asking price, which was reportedly either a first-round pick or a package similar to what the 49ers paid for Christian McCaffrey last year. During their trade talks with the Dolphins, Indy is believed to have asked about Miami wideout Jaylen Waddle, and Schefter notes that the team targeted promising second-year receiver Christian Watson in its conversations with the Packers (via ESPN’s Stephen Holder).

Rapoport writes that Green Bay offered two mid-round picks in exchange for Taylor — for whom it was willing to authorize a top-of-the-market contract — though he says the club is now out of the running. The Dolphins, who were also prepared to pay top dollar for Taylor, remain a viable landing spot. As the first few weeks of the season unfold, of course, it is also quite possible that other clubs will enter the mix.

The Bears and Broncos were rumored as potential suitors at the end of last month. This year’s trade deadline is October 31.

Latest On Colts’ Backfield; Team Worked Out James Robinson

September 5th, 2023 at 8:35pm CST by Ben Levine

With Jonathan Taylor sitting on the reserve/PUP list for at least the first four games of the 2023 campaign, the Colts backfield is plenty uncertain heading into Week 1. With Zack Moss also nursing an arm injury, it sounds like even the Colts don’t know who will lead the team in carries to start the season.

“I think it’s running back-by-committee,” said head coach Shane Steichen (via Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star). “Whoever’s got the hot hand, let ‘em ride a little bit.”

Deon Jackson and Evan Hull are set to be the team’s two healthy RBs on Sunday against the Jaguars. Jackson has experience on his side, garnering 111 touches over the past two seasons (including 98 last season). However, the Duke product has averaged only 3.3 yards on his 81 career rushing attempts, and he’s proven to be much more productive in the passing game (including a 30-catch campaign in 2022).

Hull also projects to be more of a receiving back, but the 2023 fifth-round pick was a productive runner in college. Along with his 94 receptions (including 55 this past season), the Northwestern product collecting 2,417 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on 488 carries.

As Steichen notes, Moss would be the clear RB1 if he was healthy. The former Bills draft pick had 334 yards on 69 carries in four games down the stretch while filling in for Taylor. He’s been sidelined throughout training camp and the preseason while recovering from a broken arm, and he finally returned to practice earlier this week. However, Moss isn’t expected to see a significant role as he makes up for lost time.

Considering the uncertainty on the depth chart, the front office is apparently considering options from outside the organization. Free agent running back James Robinson worked out for the Colts yesterday, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Robinson has had a busy offseason. He inked a two-year deal with the Patriots back in March but was released a few months later. He later caught on with the Giants and spent the preseason with the club before getting cut. The 25-year-old split the 2022 season between the Jaguars and Jets, collecting 476 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns.

Teams are clearly still counting on the production Robinson showed during his rookie campaign. The former UDFA finished the 2020 season with 1,414 yards and 10 touchdowns. He suffered a torn Achilles at the end of the 2021 season that ended up costing him a chunk of the following campaign.

Colts GM Chris Ballard Addresses Jonathan Taylor Situation

September 2nd, 2023 at 9:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

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.

Dolphins GM: WR Jaylen Waddle Not Available; Team Content With RB Room

September 2nd, 2023 at 4:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Packers entered the fray for Jonathan Taylor, the Dolphins loomed as the most aggressive suitor. In on just about every available or potentially available running back this year, the Dolphins were connected to Taylor interest within minutes of the Colts greenlighting trade talks.

For now, Taylor remains on the Colts, set to begin the season on the reserve/PUP list. But the trade deadline is nearly two months away (October 31). That gives the Dolphins more time. One player the Colts asked about will almost certainly not be on the table if/when the sides huddle up on talks again. GM Chris Grier laughed upon indicating (via ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques) Jaylen Waddle would not be available in a trade, “no matter who they’re calling about.”

The Colts are believed to have asked about Waddle during Taylor talks that included a back-and-forth featuring players and picks. Despite the Dolphins being tied to Taylor for nearly two weeks now, Grier said no offers emerged from either side. A recent report indicated at least two teams made offers, and it is a bit difficult to imagine the Dolphins were not one of those. But Grier said the Dolphins “feel good about their running back room,” per Louis-Jacques.

Miami has been connected to inquiring on Josh Jacobs, Saquon Barkley, D’Andre Swift and Dalvin Cook over the past five-plus months. The team pursued Cook in both a trade, coming close to a deal with the Vikings, and in free agency. But the Jets landed the Miami native on a one-year, $7MM deal. The Dolphins then cut Myles Gaskin, whom they re-signed this offseason, and placed Jeff Wilson on IR. This leaves Raheem Mostert, Salvon Ahmed, third-rounder Devon Achane and rookie UDFA Chris Brooks as Miami’s available RBs. Achane is also nursing a shoulder injury.

While Mike McDaniel said he would not be surprised if Wilson returns this season, the running back’s agent — Drew Rosenhaus — said (via WSVN’s Josh Moser) his client is dealing with rib and pinkie finger injuries and should not be sidelined for long after the mandatory four-game absence requirement ends. Acquired just before last year’s trade deadline and re-signing with the Dolphins this offseason, Wilson also missed the start of the 2021 season due to a summer foot injury.

On Waddle, it is unsurprising the Dolphins would scoff at including him in a deal for Taylor. The former No. 6 overall pick is one of the NFL’s best young wide receivers. While he is the No. 2 target on the Dolphins behind Tyreek Hill, the Alabama alum zoomed to a 1,356-yard, eight-touchdown season and led the NFL in yards per reception (18.1). Waddle can be kept on his rookie deal through 2025, once the Dolphins exercise his fifth-year option by May 2024.

Waddle being included in the talks for Taylor, during a period in which wideout value has soared well past that of running backs, makes it worth wondering how serious the Colts are about dealing the 2021 rushing champion. Immediately after Taylor’s trade request became public, Jim Irsay shot down the notion the disgruntled back would be moved. Rumblings about some among the Colts warming up to the idea surfaced, but this situation is on pause for the foreseeable future.

Dolphins, Packers Willing To Pay Jonathan Taylor Among Highest-Paid RBs

August 31st, 2023 at 10:08pm CST by Ben Levine

Jonathan Taylor‘s relationship with the Colts has deteriorated to the point of no return. While owner Jim Irsay’s comments about the state of the running back market seemed to be the final straw, Taylor’s frustrations with the organization first popped up when the front office refused his extension request this offseason.

While Indy was unwilling to negotiate Taylor’s next contract, it sounds like two trade suitors were willing to pay up for the running back’s services. Per Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, both the Dolphins and Packers were willing to give Taylor a contract that would place him “among the highest-paid running backs in the NFL.”

As Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com points out, the only RB making serious money is Christian McCaffrey at $16MM per year, and the likes of Derrick Henry, Nick Chubb, and Alvin Kamara (when accounting for his phony final year) are all earning around $12.5MM. Without knowing the specific structure of the deal, Florio opines that it’d be difficult to truly know where a Taylor extension would land at the position.

Taylor is set to earn $4.3MM in base salary this season, so he’ll undoubtedly see a raise on a new deal. It’s uncertain if Taylor would even insist on a new contract following a trade, but he can probably rest easier knowing that some suitors are willing to bump his pay.

As we noted recently, the Packers invested in the position a few years ago when they signed Aaron Jones to a four-year, $48MM extension. However, the team can easily get out of that contract (with a $6MM dent in dead cap). With fellow RB AJ Dillon set to hit free agency following the 2023 campaign, the Packers could be considering a completely new-look backfield for 2024.

Meanwhile, the Dolphins will have a number of tough decisions to make from a financial standpoint in the near future, so locking in Taylor could ruffle some feathers. Yesterday, general manager Chris Grier told reporters that the Dolphins are tabling extension talks with Tua Tagovailoa and defensive tackle Christian Wilkins until after the season.

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