Source: INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – NOVEMBER 04: Jonathan Taylor #28 of the Indianapolis Colts reacts during the second half at Lucas Oil Stadium against the New York Jets on November 04, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
A situation that has been anything but predictable has once again taken another surprising twist.
The Indianapolis Colts announced on Monday that Jonathan Taylor, their disgruntled All-Pro running back, will be activated off the active/PUP list and will return to practice on Wednesday. There is a chance that he will play against the Tennessee Titans in Week 5.
Taylor’s return and apparent excitement to do so is unexpected, but also not entirely shocking. The Colts were listening to trade offers, and it seems like no one was willing to give up enough to get Taylor. At a certain point, it seems Chris Ballard’s phone stopped ringing.
With the team holding all the leverage, as Taylor is under contract for another year, the only real option for Taylor was either find a trade partner or suit up and play for the Colts. To hold out once he was off of the active/PUP list would have risked league discipline, as well as a good amount of money.
Whatever the relationship is between Taylor and the Colts, there is no denying how special of a player he is. Rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson has shown tons of promise, but he has had to make do with a patchwork running game. Zack Moss, as good as he has been, is not a home-run hitter like Taylor is. Imagine how potent the Colts running game could be with Taylor, Richardson, and Moss all carrying the ball. Perhaps the Colts wouldn’t have come out so flat in the first half against the Rams with Taylor in the backfield.
During Monday’s edition of The Ride With JMV, Stephen Holder of ESPN joined the show to discuss, among other things, the Colts loss to the Rams, as well as the return of Jonathan Taylor. Listen to that conversation below, and tune into The Ride With JMV weekdays from 3-6pm on 93.5/107.5 The Fan!
