Jonathan Taylor's absence starts Colts training camp with drama
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Colts coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard look on as the team practices at the Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield. Photo: Justin Casterline/Getty Images
A big name is missing from the practice field in Westfield.
Driving the news: The Colts on Wednesday placed Jonathan Taylor on the active/physically unable to perform list, a surprising designation given that Taylor seemed on track to return after undergoing surgery in January to repair a high ankle sprain.
- Taylor missed six games last year and did not participate in spring workouts, but indicated last month he hoped to be ready for training camp.
The intrigue: Taylor, 24, is in the final year of his rookie contract and has publicly vented about not getting an extension.
Meanwhile, the Colts are noncommittal.
Why it matters: As the Colts gather in Westfield, Taylor's curious absence made the training camp story all about him.
The big picture: Taylor is among a large group of star NFL running backs who've fallen out of favor as teams have adopted a churn-and-burn approach to their position.
- Across the league, teams are disposing of prime-aged backs based on analytics that show they can replace most of their production with even younger, less experienced players for pennies on the dollar.
State of play: It's not just that big-name running backs aren't getting top-dollar contracts — they're struggling to hold jobs, per The Ringer's recap of this summer of discontent.
- Ezekiel Elliot (age 27), Dalvin Cook (27), Leonard Fournette (28) and Kareem Hunt (27) all got cut or released or did not receive contract extensions from their teams.
- Joe Mixon (26) and Aaron Jones (28) took pay cuts in order to stay with the Bengals and Packers, respectively.
By the numbers: Taylor, like the names above, has a resume that would have earned him a monster contract in previous eras.
- He's rushed for 3,841 yards and 33 touchdowns over three seasons, including a league-leading 1,811-yard rushing season and 18 touchdowns in 2021.
Between the lines: The Colts seem comfortable moving on without Taylor and his productivity.
- "The market is what the market is," team general manager Chris Ballard told reporters Tuesday.
What he's saying: "It's sad and it sucks," Taylor told reporters last month.
What's next: The Colts can activate Taylor to practice any time.
The bottom line: The Colts also can sign Taylor to an extension any time — if the two sides can somehow agree on his value.