Jonathan Taylor is entering the last year of his deal. If you remember, that was a three-year extension worth $42 million. If you also remember (because who could forget?) negotiations quickly devolved into one of the more dramatic offseasons for the Indianapolis Colts. That’s saying something because there have been some doozies. This time will hopefully be better, but that doesn’t mean it will be easy to get a deal done. There is a dance to be done, and it will take both parties to be in step.
Taylor has made his intentions known; he wants to be “a Colt for life”. Those are his words. That is a far cry from the sulking that was the 2023 preseason. Running backs were seen as a dime a dozen and an easily replaceable commodity. Times have changed and Taylor, himself, has a lot to do with that. His mini-holdout paved the way for bigger contracts, while his play on the field helped justify it. Averaging 1,500 yards over the last two years, adding 18 rushing touchdowns, and becoming a franchise leader in that category in 2026 made Taylor one of the most important players in football.
Before everything went off the rails last year, Offensive Player of the Year was being thrown around. The Colts saw that production and are most likely set to reward it. Taylor wants a new contract before this season starts. The Colts probably do too. The question is, will they meet in the middle? Taylor is a stud, but the shelf life of a running back is short. That brick wall is closer than other positions. The Colts might not be overly keen to sink high dollar into that position, no matter how good Taylor has been. Paying Daniel Jones top dollar could be a deterrent or all the more reason to strike while the iron is hot. Whatever the Colts offer, will it be enough for Taylor to accept and join in the dance?
Both sides have to be ready and willing to get something on paper. Jonathan Taylor probably wants one last big payday, and the Colts want to keep him on board while he still has plenty of pep in his step. Expect something to get worked out. That doesn’t mean it will be right away or without disagreement and conversation, but Taylor should be in the Colts’ future. With what he has shown the last two years, to not keep him around would be a grave misstep.
