Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor told the media Wednesday that he and the organization have had recent discussions about a potential contract extension.
Taylor, 24, is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is hoping the new contract will be finalized before the start of the season. At the same time, he understands the reality of negotiations and the recent trend at the position.
Colts RB Jonathan Taylor says he and the Colts have had some recent contract talks and he’s hopeful for an extension before the season. But he also pointed out that he’s seen some disappointing developments with other RB contracts and is very aware of the realities.
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) June 14, 2023
Taylor is certainly worthy of a contract extension even with the notion of teams being cautious about handing out big money to running backs. That trend and thought process is valid for teams who shy away considering the sheer physicality of the position.
The recent history of running backs on their second contracts isn’t appealing outside a handful of elite players. Taylor should be considered in that tier, but the Colts already have seen what the offense is like when he’s dealing with an injury.
With that said, Taylor wants to finish his career with the team that selected him in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft.
Jonathan Taylor said he wants to retire a Colt, knows the organization has a history of rewarding players who’ve been good on and off the field, and he says it’s kind of in the team’s court right now
— Joel A. Erickson (@JoelAErickson) June 14, 2023
General manager Chris Ballard has admitted he’s willing to reward players at positions of lesser value if they prove to be transcendent on the field and a positive impact off the field. Simply look at the contracts handed out to linebacker Shaquille Leonard and Quenton Nelson.
At this point, we should expect the Colts and Taylor to eventually get a deal done even with the organization having the ability to use the franchise tag in a worst-case scenario.
Regardless, this will be something to keep an eye on over the next six weeks before training camp arrives.
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