Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor is expected to return to the team Sunday following his excused leave of absence due to a personal matter.
Head coach Shane Steichen told reporters following Saturday night’s preseason win over the Chicago Bears that Taylor is expected to return, but he’s unclear whether the star back will be cleared to practice.
“He’ll be back [Sunday] with the team,” Steichen said. “I do not know that. Once he is cleared to play, like I said, he’ll be back.”
Taylor has been rehabbing the ankle he had surgery on this offseason and has been on the PUP list since the start of training camp. He’s also in the middle of a contract dispute with the team and has had two separate absences during the last month, both of which were excused.
Steichen has maintained that Taylor will practice whenever he’s cleared to play by the medical team so we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.
But considering the poor play from the backfield throughout the preseason, the Colts desperately need a player of Taylor’s talents taking some pressure off rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson.