The Indianapolis Colts expect Jonathan Taylor to return to training camp sometime this week.
And I got into a very public contract dispute with the organization so far this fall. But Colts head coach Shane Steichen said Sunday that Taylor should be with them for the near future.
“He should be back this week,” said Steichen. . “Do I know the exact date of his return? No, but he must return.”
Taylor’s situation with the Colts has been very messy in recent weeks. Taylor is officially out after meeting his owner Jim Irsay – WHO. Taylor was eligible for an extension this summer, but the Colts refused to reach a long-term agreement with him.
Taylor, 24, had 861 rushing yards and four touchdowns last season in 11 games. He missed a large portion of the season with an ankle injury, and had surgery on his ankle in January. He’s recorded 3,841 rushing yards so far in his career, and has 33 rushing touchdowns—second most in the league in that span. He led the NFL in both rushing yards and touchdowns in 2021.
Taylor was placed on the physically unable to perform list when he arrived at training camp last month, and he has yet to participate in the preseason with the Colts. Before he can officially return to the lineup, he must be cleared by the team’s medical staff and activated from the PUP roster.
While the two sides are clearly not on the same page, Taylor is clearly a very essential part of Indianapolis’ rebounding effort after last season’s dreadful outing. The Colts went just 4-12-1 last year, and they hired Steichen to replace interim head coach Jeff Saturday. With rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson potentially starting the franchise this fall, having Taylor in the backfield would clearly be a huge help.
Whether Taylor will be ready and/or ready to go in the season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 10, though, remains to be seen.