Taylor, who averaged just 13.3 PPR points per game last year (18th-most among RBs), is now facing an uncertain future after a trade request did not come to fruition before cutdown day and the team chose to keep the former star runner on the PUP list, which will cost him at least the first four games of the season even if he is dealt before Week 1. He may be a top-five player at the position when healthy, and if he were to miss four games, he'd be worth taking around the same spot in drafts as Breece Hall. But with even more uncertainty baked in, it's hard to trust Taylor as a top-24 draft pick at the position. Draft him in the middle rounds with the intent of keeping him on your bench for the foreseeable future.
Colts' Jonathan Taylor: Could be ready to play Week 5
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Taylor (ankle) could pass a physical as soon as Sunday and is planning to return to action when first eligible to return from the PUP list Week 5 against the Titans, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Indianapolis placed Taylor on its PUP list Aug. 29 after he missed time in camp while healing from January surgery on his right ankle. About a month before landing on the PUP list, Taylor put in a request to be moved elsewhere and was eventually granted permission to pursue a deal, but the Colts weren't able to find another team willing to meet their high asking price in a trade for the running back. Though Taylor's relationship with the Colts still remains on shaky ground, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network relays that the 24-year-old is "training hard" as he works his way back from ankle surgery, and there remains a "slim, but possible" chance that he returns to play for Indianapolis when activated. According to Rapoport, Taylor would likely need a contract extension before suiting up for the Colts, something that Indianapolis has not yet been willing to offer. The Colts will most likely continue to engage with teams in trade talks over the next four weeks, assuming Taylor passes his physical and the reports regarding his recovery from the ankle injury remain promising.
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Colts' Jonathan Taylor: Staying around team facilities
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Taylor (ankle) has been at the Colts' team facilities rehabbing and attending meetings, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.
Taylor wants to be traded but isn't holding out, and recent comments from GM Chris Ballard suggest the Colts still hope the running back will change his mind and end up playing for the team at some point after Week 4. He's ineligible for the first four games while on the reserve/PUP list, with his slower-than-expected rehab from late-January ankle surgery playing a big role in the complicated situation. If Taylor is eventually medically cleared and removed from the PUP list, he'd have to report to the Colts for at least the final six games of 2023 to accrue a season and become a free agent next year. For now, the Colts head into Week 1 with Deon Jackson, Evan Hull and possibly Zack Moss (arm) as their running backs against the Jaguars.
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Colts' Jonathan Taylor: Team open to mending relationship
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General manager Chris Ballard said Wednesday that he thinks Taylor (ankle) and the Colts can still repair their relationship, Gregg Doyel of The Indianapolis Star reports.
Ballard said he "won't quit on the relationship" even though "the situation sucks" for player, team and fans. For what it's worth, Doyel disagrees with the GM's assessment that things can be fixed, noting that Taylor has made it clear he's done with the Colts. Taylor is ineligible for the first four games of the season on the PUP list and reportedly still has some pain in his surgically repaired ankle, but the Colts can trade him in the meantime if they're willing to rethink a self-imposed Tuesday deadline. Zack Moss (arm), Deon Jackson and Evan Hull are the three running backs on Indy's initial 53-man roster.
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Colts' Jonathan Taylor: Placed on reserve/PUP list
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The Colts moved Taylor (ankle) to the reserve/PUP list on Tuesday, JJ Stankevitz of the team's official site reports.
Now that the move is official, Taylor -- who had been on the active/PUP list and was also seeking a trade -- will be forced to miss the first four games of the coming season. Following the Colts' roster moves Tuesday, Zack Moss (arm), Deon Jackson, and Evan Hull are the team's current running back options as Week 1 approaches.
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Colts' Jonathan Taylor: To rejoin team Sunday
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Taylor (ankle) is slated to rejoin the Colts on Sunday, Mike Chappell of Fox 59 News Indianapolis reports.
Taylor hasn't logged any on-field work since suffering a high right-ankle sprain Week 15 of last season. Since then, his recovery extended into the offseason program and training camp, the latter of which he began on the active/PUP list. He also made a formal trade request of the Colts in the middle of it all, and he also has been away from the team since Monday to tend to a personal matter. Coach Shane Steichen told Chappell on Saturday that Taylor still needs to receive medical clearance, so it remains to be seen when he may be able to take part in practice.
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Colts' Jonathan Taylor: Away from team for personal matter
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Taylor (ankle), who returned to Indianapolis on Monday, has left the Colts again due to a personal matter, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Per Stephen Holder of ESPN.com, the Colts released a statement Wednesday noting that the running back -- who remains on the active PUP list -- "had a personal matter arise...and his absence is excused." At this time, Taylor is without a timeline to return to the team, but according to Holder, Taylor's current absence is not related to his contract situation.
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Colts' Jonathan Taylor: Back with team
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Taylor, who had been away from the team while rehabbing his injured ankle, is back with the Colts on Monday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
That said, the running back remains on the active/PUP list, and Rapoport suggests that Taylor's stance regarding his desire to be traded hasn't changed. With Zack Moss sidelined by an arm injury, Deon Jackson, Evan Hull, Kenyan Drake, Jake Funk and Jason Huntley currently profile as the Colts' top available backfield options.
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Colts' Jonathan Taylor: Excused absence Tuesday
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Taylor (ankle) received an excused absence from practice Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
The running back, who remains on the active/PUP list, is away from the Colts' facility as he seeks treatment on his surgically repaired ankle. As a result, Taylor could be away from the team for some time while he continues to manage the issue. Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan Indianapolis relays that coach Shane Steichen is optimistic Taylor -- who had previously requested a trade -- will rejoin practice at some point during training camp. "I'd like to see that. We'll see how it all plays out though," Steichen said Tuesday.
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Colts' Jonathan Taylor: Situation addressed by coach
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When discussing Taylor (ankle), who is on the active/PUP list, coach Shane Steichen noted Monday "right now (the running back) is on this football team, and when the medical staff clears him, he should be out there," Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star reports.
Per NFL.com, reports surfaced Sunday that the Colts were believed to be contemplating placing Taylor (who is bouncing back from an ankle injury) on the non-football injury list due to a back issue. The running back subsequently denied that he was dealing with any sort of back injury, while, for his part, Steichen noted "(Taylor is) just dealing with something right now, and I'm going to refrain from getting into that." Either way, things remain contentious between Taylor and the team after his recent trade request, which Colts owner Jim Irsay says the franchise doesn't plan to act on, and there's no timetable for his potential return to the field. In addition to Taylor's ongoing absence, the Colts' backfield depth was further depleted Monday when No. 2 back Zack Moss suffered a broken arm that threatens his Week 1 status. Indy's top available RB options are Deon Jackson and Evan Hull, with Jake Funk and Zavier Scott also in the mix.
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Colts' Jonathan Taylor: Could be placed on NFI list
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The Colts are considering placing Taylor on the non-football injury list due to a back injury that he sustained during the offseason, Mike Chappell of Fox 59 News Indianapolis reports.
Taylor began training camp on the active/PUP list after failing to pass his pre-camp physical. He's been rehabbing from January ankle surgery and is also dealing with a back injury that he sustained while working out on his own during the offseason. In addition to his health concerns, Taylor formally requested a trade after meeting with Colts owner Jim Irsay on Saturday. Irsay has indicated that the Colts don't plan to trade Taylor this year, but it's unclear when the 24-year-old will be able to practice. The Colts wouldn't be obligated to pay Taylor during the 2023 season if he doesn't play due to a non-football injury, and his contract would carry over to the 2024 campaign, which would complicate his contract situation even more as he enters the final year of his rookie contract. Irsay has said that the team isn't currently discussing an extension with the star running back.
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Colts' Jonathan Taylor: Not yet practicing
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Taylor (ankle) isn't participating at Friday's practice, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.
The 24-year-old relayed in April that the arthroscopic debridement surgery he underwent on his right ankle in January was a "perfect success," but he's apparently not yet ready to practice. Taylor missed the final three games of the season due to the ankle injury, and the Colts are likely to remain cautious with his offseason work. He's expected to be fully healthy for the start of training camp.
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Colts' Jonathan Taylor: No decision on surgery yet
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Taylor (ankle) said Monday he will meet with doctors to decide about the possibility of undergoing surgery, Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan Indianapolis reports.
Taylor missed the final three games of the season due to a right high-ankle sprain, and it sounds as though a decision on whether or not the injury necessitates surgery hasn't yet been made. Through his 11 appearances in 2022, Taylor racked up 861 yards and four touchdowns on 192 carries, with another 28 catches (on 40 targets) for 143 yards. The running back's situation in Indianapolis could look very different to start the 2023 campaign, health not withstanding. With three seasons under his belt, Taylor now is looking ahead to the final year of his rookie deal.
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Colts' Jonathan Taylor: Going to injured reserve
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The Colts placed Taylor (ankle) on injured reserve Tuesday, JJ Stankevitz of the team's official site reports.
This comes as no surprise after Taylor suffered a high-ankle sprain during Saturday's 39-36 loss at Minnesota. He's been tending to issues with his right ankle all season, and with three absences to come down the stretch, he'll end up missing six contests overall. In his 11 games of work, though, Taylor racked up 192 carries for 861 yards and four touchdowns and 28 catches (on 40 targets) for 143 yards. Moving forward, Indianapolis will turn to the backfield duo of Zack Moss and Deon Jackson to continue churning out production on the ground.
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Colts' Jonathan Taylor: Likely done for season
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Taylor was diagnosed with right high-ankle sprain after exiting Saturday's 39-36 overtime loss to the Vikings and is considered highly unlikely to play again this season, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Taylor is scheduled to meet with doctors over the next day or two before Indianapolis decides on his status for the final three regular-season games, but with the 4-9-1 Colts on the cusp of being eliminated from the playoffs, there's little incentive to expose their franchise running back to further injury. Assuming Taylor is sidelined for the next three weeks, he'll finish the 2022 campaign with 861 rushing yards and four scores on the ground to go with 28 receptions for 143 yards on 40 targets over his 11 appearances. The Colts appear set to proceed with Zack Moss as their top early-down back and Deon Jackson as their top change-of-pace option the rest of the way.
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Colts' Jonathan Taylor: Sprains ankle, return up in air
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Taylor has been diagnosed with a sprained right ankle following Sunday's 39-36 overtime loss at Minnesota, and while the injury isn't considered to be a major one, it's unclear whether or not he'll be able to suit up for any of the Colts' final three games of the season, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Taylor made an early exit from Week 15 action with a right ankle injury that didn't allow him to return and contained him to one catch (on one target) for 13 yards. In his place, Zack Moss racked up 24 carries for 81 yards, and Deon Jackson notched 13 rushes for 55 yards and caught his only target for a one-yard score. Assuming Taylor sits out at least a Week 16 matchup with the Chargers on Monday, Dec. 26, the duo of Moss and Jackson are poised for bigger workloads in the short term and potentially in both Weeks 17 and 18 as well.
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Colts' Jonathan Taylor: Won't return Saturday
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Taylor (ankle) won't return to Saturday's game against the Vikings, Joel A. Erickson of The Indianapolis Star reports.
With Taylor sidelined for the rest of the contest, Deon Jackson and Zack Moss are now slated to handle the Colts' backfield touches versus Minnesota. Taylor will now target a potential return to action when Indianapolis faces the Chargers in Week 16, a week from Monday.
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Colts' Jonathan Taylor: Sluggish but finds end zone
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Taylor ran for 84 yards and one touchdown on 22 carries against Philadelphia on Sunday.
Taylor added three catches for 10 yards on four targets but also lost a crucial fumble in the 17-16 loss. It initially looked like Taylor would run wild in this game, but after a strong opening drive, the Eagles mostly shut him down from that point. The Eagles doubtlessly paid extra attention to the run -- something they could do with impunity since Darius Slay and James Bradberry are so good at cornerback -- so Taylor was more imposing than the box score might imply at a glance. Hopefully he'll find more room to run against Pittsburgh in Week 12.
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Colts' Jonathan Taylor: Suiting up Week 10
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Taylor (ankle) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Raiders after practicing as a full participant Thursday and Friday.
A sprained ankle and a subsequent aggravation have kept Taylor from playing in three of the Colts' last five games, but his ability to practice fully on consecutive days to close out Week 10 prep appears to put him in a good spot on the health front as Sunday's contest approaches. Taylor should reclaim his usual role as the Colts' lead back in his return to the lineup, and the team may not have the luxury of easing him back in with a lighter workload while top backup Deon Jackson (knee) is out for the contest. The Colts have the newly acquired Zack Moss on hand and could bring up another running back from the practice squad to provide additional depth at the position, but expect Taylor to dominate the snaps and touches Sunday.
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Colts' Jonathan Taylor: At practice Wednesday
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Taylor (ankle) was present for Wednesday's practice, Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan Indianapolis reports.
Taylor didn't practice last week before being ruled out in advance of Sunday's loss to the Patriots, but his presence at Wednesday's session is a positive indicator for his status ahead of this weekend's contest versus the Raiders. The Colts will release their first official Week 10 injury report later Wednesday, when the extent of the running back's participation in practice will be clarified.
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Colts' Jonathan Taylor: Still not practicing
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Taylor (ankle) wasn't present for Thursday's practice, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.
Taylor also sat out practice Wednesday, so his status for Sunday's game against the Patriots is firmly in question at the moment. In Taylor's absence from Thursday's session, Deon Jackson and Zack Moss were on the field along with practice-squad members Phillip Lindsay and Jordan Wilkins.
