Indianapolis Colts’ running back Jonathan Taylor has expressed his desire to remain with the Colts as he enters the final year of his contract. On Friday, owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon echoed similar sentiments.
“He’s one of our pillars,” Irsay-Gordon said, via the Indy Star. “His picture is on the stadium for a reason. I would love it if he’d be a Colt for life.”
Taylor remains one of the most productive backs in football, while shouldering a heavy workload out of the backfield. He played in 13 games in 2024 and all 17 games last season, rushing for 1,431 yards and 1,585 yards, respectively.
Beyond all the yards and touchdowns, it is Taylor who sets the table for the Colts offense. With a strong and steady run game to lean on, that keeps the Colts out of predictable long down-and-distance situations and opens up the playbook for Steichen.
An extension would seem like a no-brainer, but it’s not often around the NFL that we see running backs get a third contract with the same team, especially when the back has as many carries as Taylor does.
There is also the potential uncertainty of what lies ahead if the Colts miss out on the playoffs again, which could lead to heavy organizational turnover and the new GM wanting to bring in their own players.
On Taylor’s current deal, he is averaging $14 million per year, which ranks as the seventh-most among running backs. Perhaps of interest to Taylor as he looks for an extension, Devon Achane signed a four-year, $64 million extension this offseason, making him the third-highest-paid back in football.
Taylor said recently that he has “faith” that the two sides will be able to reach a new deal, although we don’t know where talks currently stand.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Carlie Irsay-Gordon on Jonathan Taylor’s contract situation with Colts
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Colts Wire / Colts Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Paul Bretl, Colts Wire | USA TODAY Network
