Is there anyone better in the NFL right now than Jonathan Taylor? That’s a rhetorical question because the answer is no. It doesn’t matter if he is in the MVP conversation because current odds show it isn’t about the most valuable player but instead the most valuable quarterback. It may be impossible for him to win, and that’s ok. What he is doing right now makes it plain to see how valuable he truly is and why he was 100% correct when he held out for a bigger contract in 2023.
It was messy. Private
meetings on the bus, a training camp holdout roaming the sidelines with a scowl on his face, and a nagging ankle injury all added up to a relationship on the brink. It reached a point where some, myself included, were ready to cut ties if he didn’t want to be here. Well, it wasn’t so much that Taylor didn’t want to be a Colt. It boiled down to knowing his worth. His worth is on full display as he is nearing the franchise lead in rushing touchdowns and is punching it into the endzone three times a game on repeat. His numbers and performance through eight weeks are video game-esque. No one has been able to contain him, and that doesn’t look like it is going to change anytime soon.
Touchdowns are the main prize, but he isn’t doing this with one-yard runs up the gut. Those short yardage runs on the goal line have been reserved for Daniel Jones this year. Taylor has had to find his own way. Yes, the offensive line opening gapping holes at times certainly helps. So too does the play of Jones and game plan of Shane Steichen, but Taylor is doing some heavy lifting. An eighty-yard dash down the sideline was beautiful, but even when not that grandiose, he manages to break a big gainer at least once a game. In between ripping off huge yardage, he is slithering and sneaking through holes as he dances and tiptoes through traffic. His vision, patience, and ability to avoid contact and create yards after make him a next level player. Add in his improved capability to catch passes out of the backfield and Taylor is showing he can do it all.
This team needs Jonathan Taylor. They wouldn’t be where they are without him. In a league where running backs are seen as a dime a dozen, Taylor is a diamond. That diamond is shining brighter than ever. The contract he received juxtaposed with his output is looking like an incredible bargain for the team. His decision to hold out was the best decision he could have made and sticking to his guns was imperative. The decision by the Colts to pay him what he is worth is turning out to be a great one too. Luckily, for anyone who loves Colts football, they came to the right one.
