Source: Kevin Sabitus / Getty
INDIANAPOLIS – Might the Colts (2-1) have to wait a little longer for a potential return for Jonathan Taylor?
While Taylor is eligible to return to the team next Monday, once his 4-week stay on the physically unable to perform list ends, it sounds like that’s no guarantee.
Shane Steichen was asked on Monday if Taylor traveled with the team to Baltimore, along with the re-integration process for JT.
Steichen’s answer was as followed:
“Like I said, I’m going to refrain from getting into any of that stuff with JT,” the head coach said.
“But, like I said, he’ll be off PUP here in a couple of weeks and (then) I’ll take questions about it.”
Starting next week, Taylor has a 21-day window to return to the Colts 53-man roster or stay on PUP for the remainder of the 2023 season.
Technically, Taylor could make his season debut a week from Sunday (10/8), when the Titans visit Indianapolis in Week 5.
But given Taylor has missed around 50 straight practice sessions, with his last participation coming on, December 15, 2022, the running back needing more time to get back (or a “couple of weeks” in Steichen’s words) to game action makes some sense.
If Taylor doesn’t make his ’23 season debut in that Titans game, the next 3 Colts games would be: at Jaguars (10/15), vs. Browns (10/22), vs. Saints (10/29).
The NFL trade deadline is October 31st.
Here are a couple of other items from Steichen’s Monday presser:
- Steichen wouldn’t comment if the plan is for Anthony Richardson to return to practice on Wednesday. Steichen said both Richardson and Ryan Kelly remain in the concussion protocol, which is obvious because you can’t fully clear the protocol until participating in multiple practices.
- As if you needed a reminder, Steichen did make it clear Richardson will remain the team’s starting quarterback, whenever the rookie is cleared and ready to go.
- The Colts defensive player of the game on Sunday was new defensive end Samson Ebukam. The free agent signing had 4 tackles, 1 sack and 1 forced fumble on Sunday.
- On the injury list front, the Colts had no player leave Sunday’s game and not return to action. Along with Taylor, second-year tight end Jelani Woods (hamstring) is also eligible to return off the injured reserve list next week. Woods did participate in a bit of training camp before aggravating his nagging hamstring injury.
- The Colts will return to practice on Wednesday. They’ll get the Rams this Sunday afternoon, with L.A. coming off a short week, as they play Monday night in Cincinnati, will return home for practice this week and then head back to the eastern time zone for an early kick on Sunday.
