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[JAFF]

Tackling the big questions in the Jonathan Taylor contract saga

Tackling the big questions in the Jonathan Taylor contract saga
Nate Atkins
Indianapolis Star


Jonathan Taylor's contract standoff with the Colts will continue, as the team opted against trading their All-Pro running back and instead kept him on the Physically Unable to Perform List, which means he must miss at least the first four games.

That likely means four more contentious weeks, unless the Colts find a trade in that time or one of the sides has a dramatic change of heart.

I'd encourage you to catch up with this deep dive on how the relationship once got so good and then became so bad in a single spring.

This situation has so many tentacles by now that it's time to sit down and address some Frequently Asked Questions:

Indianapolis Colts All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor has yet to practice this season.
GO DEEPER:Jonathan Taylor and the Colts were a perfect marriage. Can they avoid a messy divorce?

Question: Is Jonathan Taylor actually injured?

Answer: So, the one piece we can't truly answer without being in Taylor's body and brain is the one that's become so central to the issue.


Let's start with a timeline:

Taylor hurt his ankle three times last season, first suffering a high-ankle sprain in Week 4, and then aggravating it in Weeks 8 and 15. The team finally placed him on Injured Reserve, so it has been more than 36 weeks since he has participated in any team-related football activities.


The ankle took a pounding last season, and his explosion and efficiency dipped along the way. But he got more than a month of rest before he went in for a late January surgery. He told NFL.com that his doctor and the Colts were in "lock-step" on the type of procedure.

Taylor underwent an arthroscopic debridement, which is a clean-up procedure that carries a two- to four-week return-to-play timeline, a source with knowledge of these procedures told IndyStar. It's the same procedure that linebacker E.J. Speed underwent this offseason, though Speed did so for even more precautionary reasons. He was able to come back for the team's veteran minicamp in June.


"I bounced back perfect," Speed said.

It's been seven months since Taylor underwent the surgery. It'll be eight by the time he can come off the PUP List. The Colts said they placed him on the list due to last season's ankle injury, and no new football-related injury has taken place.


It doesn't appear the Colts believe that Taylor isn't healthy, as a team source told Fox59 that they believe he is staging a "hold-in."

We can't know without examining Taylor, and only he can say how he feels. But it's worth keeping in mind that any team trading for Taylor would need to pass him in a physical, and the Colts reportedly took their trade talks with the Dolphins right up to the buzzer.

Question: Could the Colts punish Taylor if he doesn't want to play?

Answer: Yes, they can. The question is whether they want to take it to that level -- and when.

Taylor has to miss the first four games since the team placed him on the PUP List, and the Colts can't do anything about that. That was their decision. And as a member of the PUP List, Taylor will receive the first four game checks of his $4.3 million base salary this season.

But if those four games pass and they believe he's healthy, they could suspend him for conduct detrimental to the team, Fox59 reported on Tuesday. If Taylor is insisting he isn't healthy by then, it could become a league matter involving the NFL Players Association.

He'll be eight months removed from surgery by then.

GREGG DOYEL: Colts don't trade Jonathan Taylor, so we're stuck in nightmare of his creation

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor led the NFL with 1,811 rushing yards and 18 rushing scores in 2021,.
Question: Why wouldn't Taylor just play out a contract year and reap the rewards?

Answer: To be fair, we don't know that he doesn't plan to, but the contract talks are zapping his energy to be involved. He took his rehab off-site for a week, has been disengaged without ever smiling at practices. He did not watch the team's preseason finale from the field, instead becoming the first player to leave the locker room for the bus in Philadelphia, within minutes of when coach Shane Steichen broke the team down.


I've covered three franchises in this league, but I'm not sure I've seen any player that checked out before.

This is ultimately about the loss of trust. The Colts have asked Taylor to play out this season and prove that he can bounce back from the ankle surgery to his 2021 self. They don't have full trust that that's still who he is.

Taylor watched this general manager and owner reward player after player entering the final year of their first contract for delivering on and off the field, from Quenton Nelson to Braden Smith to Shaquille Leonard to Nyheim Hines to Kenny Moore II. That group includes stars and role players and some non-premium positions, too. And he's the first one of his caliber they've skipped.

Zero offers feels out of character to the culture he grew up in. It's left him wondering if they value him at all. That's why he tweeted what he did just before training camp.


And it's also why he hired Malki Kawa. For three years, Taylor believed the path of least resistance was the one that would reward him here, and he rode that tight, sounding like a team commercial in his interviews. He said his rookie contract was an obligation. He was that positive an extension would come this summer, like it did for everyone else.

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So when it didn't, and he felt that submissive attitude used against him, he flipped the negotiation tactic 180 degrees. He went looking for someone to ramp up the temperature using the only leverage he had -- himself -- and landed on an agent with a Mixed Martial Arts background and a willingness to punch back. Kawa does mirror Taylor’s shifting attitude, but it's important not to mistake the cause for the effect.

Shortly after hiring Kawa, Taylor was on a Zoom call with other star running backs facing this crumbling market. He got to hear the experiences of Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs, who received the franchise tag this summer. In the days after Taylor reported to training camp, Irsay took to Twitter to voice his displeasure with suggestions to alter the franchise tag for running backs.

This sent a message to Taylor, and that's when Kawa fired back with, "Bad faith is not paying your top offensive player.” With the tag costing just $10.09 million this season, the Colts could be in a position to use it more than once on Taylor after this year. A player obsessed with maintaining his body has become worried about what he will look like when he's through with all of that.

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Ballard likes to say that the locker room always knows in reference to how the franchise has treated the players, who it rewards and why or why not. He has a right and in some ways an obligation to change his ways when they don't produce results, and that can mean abandoning those promises of the past. Perhaps he's learning from those past deals, and this is the evolution he promised.

It's just left Taylor wondering why he has to be the one to pay. He doesn't believe they have his health and best interests at heart if they aren't willing to make a commitment to him.

The Colts want Taylor to prove he's healthy and explosive again out of surgery before they talk about a contract, and Taylor wants a contract before he risks getting injured for them again.

Question: What can Taylor gain by sitting out?

Answer: It could become the best of the bad options.

Because of the looming threat of the franchise tag, Taylor could see the $10.09 million franchise tag as not only the likely outcome of this season but maybe even the best that's even possible. If he suffers a major injury late next season, the team might not even want to tag him.

This is the dilemma facing running backs right now: If Taylor manages to play 17 games and dominates, the narrative about him on the open market will be that he's added a lot of tread on his tires. If he gets hurt, it'd be two injury-riddled seasons in four years and thus questionable durability. It can feel like there's no way to win.

If Taylor can find a way to play a minimum number of games this year for an accrued season, then he could minimize the risk of injury and lower the mileage for potentially the same reward. It is a risk, as losing time in a short season will hurt his image. But you lose something in a long season anyway.

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In the end, if Taylor is looking out for his body and does not trust the team to take care of it, then he could try to find a way to limit the number of games that team gets out of him. At some point, it gets so personal that he just might not want to play for this team again.

We won't really know until Taylor decides to speak publicly and tells us how he feels. I've let him know he has an open invitation to talk.

Question: Why don't the Colts trade Taylor if they don't want to extend him?

Answer: Teams look for value in every move they make. Value can come in on-field production, in cap savings or in draft pick compensation. The Colts do still value Taylor's production this season. This week, they measured that value up against what they could land in a trade.

They know he can add a rare dose of explosiveness to their offense and can take quality hits away from Anthony Richardson, whose health and development are their top priorities. Taylor's ability to end drives early by making a defender miss and taking it to the house can save Richardson from having to be the hero. It could limit his exposure to the red-zone, which is where he knows he must develop most as a passer, with all the quick decisions and pinpoint ball placement and so little space.

They value those traits, but they don't know how long they'll maintain their shelf life. And like all teams, they're not going to pay a player more than they have to.

What they might have to decide eventually is how much of that value they will actually see this season and what kind of toll Taylor's absence and conflict could add to their rookie coach and quarterback.

Having been around this team all but a few days since this saga began, let me assure you nobody is enjoying how this situation is playing out. It's been difficult for coaches and players to talk about, and it's taken some juice out of a new season with a new offensive scheme and a rookie quarterback taken in the top five. The building badly needed excitement and found it with Shane Steichen and Richardson.

They could use some more of that again.

[JAFF]

Insider roster analysis: Colts still thin in several spots after cutting to 53

INDIANAPOLIS — The Colts, like the rest of the NFL, made a flurry of moves on Tuesday to finish the painful process of reducing the roster from 90 players to 53.

And it remains clear that the team’s work is far from over.

An already-young Indianapolis roster has clear needs for at least one wide receiver and experienced depth on the offensive line, along with the potential to add players at running back, defensive end, cornerback and special teams if the right opportunity arises.

The good news is the Colts have opportunity.

By virtue of the ugly 4-12-1 finish that allowed Chris Ballard and Shane Steichen to draft Anthony Richardson with the No. 4 pick in April, Indianapolis also has the No. 4 spot on the waiver wire, allowing the Colts to pick and choose from the hundreds of players who just hit the waiver wire.


Expect Indianapolis to make at least a couple of waiver claims, and potentially a couple of outside signings outright, because veterans are not exposed to the waiver wire. Here is a look at the Colts roster, as of 4 p.m. Tuesday:

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Sam Ehlinger (4) looks for an open receiver during the second half of an NFL preseason game against Chicago on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Colts won, 24-17.
More:Colts roster cuts tracker ahead of Tuesday’s NFL deadline

Quarterbacks (3)

Anthony Richardson, Gardner Minshew, Sam Ehlinger

Roster moves: None

Analysis: Indianapolis could still decide to waive Ehlinger if room is needed for a waiver claim or outside signing, but ultimately, the decision to keep their developmental backup is unsurprising, given the NFL’s new rules allowing a third quarterback to play, even if inactive, in the event both regulars get hurt. Richardson, the prized rookie, is the starter and star attraction; Minshew is here to help Richardson develop and play in a pinch.

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 24: Anthony Richardson #5 and Evan Hull #26 of the Indianapolis Colts react following a touchdown by Hull during the second quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on August 24, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Doyel:Colts don't trade Jonathan Taylor, so we're stuck in nightmare of his creation

Running backs (3)

Zack Moss, Deon Jackson, Evan Hull

Roster moves: Jonathan Taylor placed on reserve/PUP; Jake Funk, Jason Huntley waived; Kenyan Drake released

Analysis: Losing Taylor for at least the first four games robs the position of its explosiveness, and it wouldn’t be too surprising to see the Colts make a move for a running back cut loose from another team. Moss’ timetable to return from a broken arm puts him back in the lineup right around the season opener, and Jackson and Hull have made their marks mostly at receiver, although Jackson has been given ample opportunities to run between the tackles in training camp with Taylor and Moss unavailable.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (1) rushes up the field Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023, during training camp at Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield.
Wide receivers (4)

Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, Josh Downs, Isaiah McKenzie

Roster moves: D.J. Montgomery, Amari Rodgers, Mike Strachan, Kody Case, Tyler Adams waived; Breshad Perriman, Vyncint Smith, James Washington, Juwann Winfree released

Analysis: The Colts have to make a claim or a signing at wide receiver, particularly somebody who can play the outside. Four receivers isn’t enough for an NFL team on Sundays, and the decision comes after an offseason where Indianapolis stockpiled low-cost receivers with some level of experience, hoping to catch lightning in a bottle with one. Instead, none of the veterans stood out in training camp, and the Colts lost Ashton Dulin to injury, leaving a gaping hole behind the trio of young receivers — Pittman Jr., Pierce and Downs — who are expected to play the biggest roles in the offense.

Indianapolis Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox (81) stretches Saturday, July 29, 2023, during Colts Training Back Together Weekend at Grand Park in Westfield.
Tight ends (5)

Mo Alie-Cox, Jelani Woods, Kylen Granson, Drew Ogletree, Will Mallory

Roster moves: Ricky Seals-Jones placed on injured reserve; Michael Jacobson, Nick Eubanks waived; Pharaoh Brown released

Analysis: Athletically, Woods seems best-suited to play the primary tight end role in Steichen’s offense, but he’s been sidelined most of the offseason due to hamstring injuries. Mallory is likely a developmental player at this point, albeit a developmental player who looks like he could be a downfield threat at receiver. Alie-Cox, at this point in his career, is an in-line blocker, and both Granson and Ogletree represent valuable chess pieces who seem tailor-made for different roles — Granson as receiver, Ogletree as a do-everything — in the Colts offense.

Indianapolis Colts offensive tackle Bernhard Raimann warms up prior to an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, in Foxborough, Mass.
Offensive line (9)

Bernhard Raimann, Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, Braden Smith, Blake Freeland, Arlington Hambright, Carter O’Donnell, Wesley French

Roster moves: Danny Pinter placed on injured reserve; Dakoda Shepley, Emil Ekiyor, Matthew Vanderslice waived; Dan Skipper released

Analysis: The Colts can likely find more experienced offensive line depth on the waiver wire, considering that the four players they kept have just one career start between them, and it was Hambright’s in Chicago. The loss of Pinter, who was Kelly’s primary backup the past three seasons, puts pressure on Indianapolis to find a backup center. Hambright, the big riser in training camp, can play inside and outside, but if the Colts lose one member of a starting five that is already trying to recapture its reputation after a down season, the results could be disastrous.

Aug 24, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Grover Stewart (90) during pregame warm-ups against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
Defensive line (10)

DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, Kwity Paye, Samson Ebukam, Dayo Odeyingbo, Tyquan Lewis, Adetomiwa Adebawore, Taven Bryan, Eric Johnson, McTelvin Agim

Roster moves: Titus Leo placed on injured reserve; Khalid Kareem, Caleb Sampson waived; Al-Quadin Muhammad released

Analysis: The Colts arguably have more defensive tackles on their roster than they can play, especially considering that Buckner has always been an iron man who plays roughly 75% of the snaps and Odeyingbo, Lewis and Adebawore figure to play critical roles as interior pass rushers. If Indianapolis adds players at other positions, a spot could come from the trio of Bryan, Agim and Johnson. The Colts also might want a little more speed on the outside as depth, which could lead to a claim; Paye and Ebukam are the only two true “speed” players on the initial roster.

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin (44) celebrates a stop Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, during a game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Linebackers (6)

Shaquille Leonard, Zaire Franklin, E.J. Speed, Grant Stuard, Cameron McGrone, Segun Olubi

Roster moves: JoJo Domann placed on injured reserve; Liam Anderson, Donavan Mutin waived

Analysis: The key to this group is the return of Leonard, who is expected back soon from a concussion. If Leonard is able to come back from his injury and get back to his turnover-producing ways, the linebacking corps should be one of the strengths of the team. Initially, the other three players will make most of their contributions on special teams.

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II (23) works through defensive back drills Wednesday, June 14, 2023, during mandatory minicamp at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center in Indianapolis.
Cornerbacks (6)

Kenny Moore II, Darrell Baker Jr., Dallis Flowers, JuJu Brents, Jaylon Jones, Tony Brown

Roster moves: Darius Rush, Isaac Taylor-Stuart, Kevin Toliver waived

Analysis: The decision to waive Rush came as something of a shock. The fifth-round pick from South Carolina battled injuries throughout the offseason and into training camp, but Rush had the best ball skills of any of the Colts’ young cornerbacks. And it’s a remarkably young group outside of Moore, who believes he’ll bounce back in Gus Bradley’s defensive scheme this year. Baker and Flowers, the two presumed starters on the outside, are both former undrafted free agents in their second seasons, and Brents and Jones are a pair of rookies. Brown will make most of his impact on special teams.

Indianapolis Colts safeties Rodney Thomas II and Nick Cross (20) talk between plays during day #9 practice of Colts Camp, Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023 at Grand Park in Westfield.
Safeties (4)

Julian Blackmon, Rodney Thomas II, Nick Cross, Trevor Denbow

Roster moves: Henry Black, Marcel Dabo waived; Ronnie Harrison, Teez Tabor released

Analysis: Indianapolis brought in a trio of veterans to push its young group of safeties, but in the end, there was little movement at the position throughout camp. Blackmon, the “old man” of the group as heads into his fourth season, is flanked by three players who are all in just their second season in the NFL. Nick Cross is a critical depth piece; the Colts see him as the primary backup at both safety positions and behind Moore in the nickel.

Specialists (3)

Matt Gay, Rigoberto Sanchez, Luke Rhodes

Roster moves: Lucas Havrisik waived

Analysis: The Colts tried to take advantage of a budding kicker market by shopping Havrisik, but the young kicker’s lack of track record didn’t help — the two kickers traded Tuesday were Wil Lutz and Nick Folk, both experienced kickers. Frustrated by years of uncertainty at kicker going to Adam Vinatieri’s final season in 2019, Indianapolis signed Gay to big money in the offseason to make sure it didn’t have to worry about any of its specialists this year.

[JAFF]

Colts could consider suspension for Jonathan Taylor, according to report

Colts could consider suspension for Jonathan Taylor, according to report
Nate Atkins
Indianapolis Star


Jonathan Taylor's stand-off with the Colts has the potential to take at least one more twist.

Indianapolis could look into suspending Taylor for conduct detrimental to the team, Fox59 reported Tuesday. The report states that the team believes Taylor is staging a contract "hold-in" and is actually healthy enough to practice.

The Colts placed their All-Pro running back on the Physically Unable to Perform List at Tuesday's 4 p.m. roster deadline. He is not currently a part of the 53-man roster and must miss at least the first four games while on this list. The Colts made the move after electing not to fulfill his trade request Tuesday. The Colts gave him a 4 p.m. Tuesday deadline to find a trade partner, Fox59 reported.

The Colts did not ultimately receive their first-round-pick asking price, nor did they receive a second-round pick in any offer, Fox59 reported. The Dolphins were one of the teams in the mix, according to multiple reports.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has yet to practice since training camp began.
RELATED: Jonathan Taylor and the Colts were a perfect marriage. Can they avoid a messy divorce?

Taylor has been on the PUP List since reporting to training camp July 25. The Colts have said it's a result of a an ankle injury from last season. Taylor suffered a high-ankle sprain last year and hurt it two more times before going on Injured Reserve after exiting a game in Week 15.


He underwent a surgery in late January called arthroscopic debridement, which is a clean-up procedure that carries a 2- to 4-week timeline to return to play, a source with knowledge of these procedures told IndyStar. It's the same procedure that linebacker E.J. Speed underwent this spring, and he returned in time to participate in the team's veteran minicamp in June and with no limitations to start training camp.

“I bounced back perfect,” Speed said.


Taylor has yet to participate in any team-related on-field activities since. By the end of his minimum four-game stay on the PUP List, he will be eight months removed from surgery.

Taylor grew frustrated this spring with the Colts' refusal to engage in contract negotiations. He was expecting a market-rate deal entering the final year of his rookie contract, which is the same point in time that the team has extended Quenton Nelson, Braden Smith, Shaquille Leonard, Kenny Moore II and Nyheim Hines.


With no contract offer by late July, Taylor requested a trade following a meeting with owner Jim Irsay on his luxury bus during a training camp practice. Irsay has said that the team does not plan to make him an offer until he and the team show they can bounce back from a 4-12-1 season.

The running back market has crumbled this spring, with stars such as Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard all receiving the franchise tag. This market made it more difficult for Taylor to find a trade partner that would meet the Colts' demands for compensation as well as his own desires in a new contract.


The Colts can still trade Taylor before the NFL deadline on Oct. 31.