Indianapolis Colts owner speaks out with decision imminent on Jonathan Taylor

20 August 2023 , 18:12

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Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay has battled publicly with Jonathan Taylor over his contract (Image: AP)

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay has spoken out on the contract dispute regarding Jonathan Taylor - insisting he is ‘excited’ to have the star running back in the building.

Taylor, selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, is entering the final year of his rookie deal and should be in line for a big payday - but he is aware of how poorly the running back position is valued. He has been in an alarmingly public dispute with Colts owner Irsay.

The 24-year-old has put together an impressive body of work over his first three seasons with the Colts. He has rushed for 3,841 yards and 33 touchdowns, firmly establishing himself as one of the top running backs in the NFL.

On Saturday night, Irsay addressed the ongoing contract dispute with Taylor. He didn’t provide a massive update on the situation, but the Colts owner did sing his running back’s praises in a possible attempt to soothe any tension between the two parties.

“We’re excited to have Jonathan Taylor back,” Irsay said on the broadcast of the Bears-Colts preseason game. “I know these things are always difficult, I respect any time people are, they’re trying to fight for their position for their families and all those things. And, you know, l’ve been around it so long that I just think the biggest thing that I preach is timing is everything.

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“We’re really looking forward to him to playing his way into being the Jonathan Taylor he was. And we’re really excited to have him and we want to do everything we can to support him and embrace him as a Colt, because he’s a great young man. I can’t say enough about him and his family.

“Look[,] you have these problems, you know how it is. You never go in with no problems at all. These days you hope you have less contractual problems because the way the CBA is and they work a lot of things through. But you have them and that’s what I know [G.M.] Chris Ballard is going to work hard on and try to get the waters as calm as they can and go forward.”

Jonathan Taylor is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract with the Indianapolis Colts (Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Taylor enjoyed a terrific 2021 season as he rushed for a franchise record 1,811 yards, but he struggled last year. He battled a nagging ankle issue that limited the back to just 11 games in which he went for 861 yards and four touchdowns.

The Colts would certainly love to see Taylor suit up in 2023, particularly with the franchise set to start rookie Anthony Richardson. Indianapolis selected Richardson with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Taylor - who could hold in and reportedly wants a trade away from Indianapolis- is focusing on his own contract. Earlier this offseason, he said: “You see why guys request trades. They just want to feel valued by not only their coaches, their teammates, but the organization as well.

“We definitely have approached [the contract]. Hopefully [the Colts] can see the value.”

Andrew Gamble