INDIANAPOLIS – On the hierarchy of the Colts coaching staff, the ‘senior offensive assistant’ isn’t too high.
But Press Taylor’s history with Carson Wentz had him in the unique position of seeing the quarterback playing at his highest level and also his lowest.
So as the Colts made the monumental decision to trade for Wentz, Frank Reich asked the new assistant:
Do you believe in the player still and what he is capable of with everything that happened in his past?
Taylor came with conviction in his response.
“That was a no-brainer for me. I absolutely 100 percent believe in Carson Wentz as a player,” Taylor says of his answer to Reich.
Why the conviction for Taylor, despite Wentz’s awful 2020 campaign, which contributed to the falling out in Philadelphia?
“I’ve seen (Wentz) when he’s been playing at his best, when the pieces are around him and working well and what he can to elevate those around him as well,” Taylor says. “Ultimately, I think he helps make the Colts better so I’ll stand on a table for a player that I think can make us better.”
That right there sums up the Colts’ biggest belief in what they can offer Wentz.
Internally, the Colts are adamant that they will provide Wentz with better support around him than the Eagles did.
Whether that’s a healthier/better offensive line, better skill talent or a more in-sync coaching staff, the Colts think this is a better environment for Wentz.
In Philadelphia, Taylor was the offensive quality control & assistant quarterbacks coach when Reich was the OC in 2016-17.
Taylor got to see up-close that early relationship of Reich and Wentz.
“Both guys have a true passion for the game and then developing the players around them whether that’s as a quarterback or as a coach, pulling in the guys to help everybody kind of elevate their game for what’s best for the team,” Taylor says of Reich and Wentz. “Those two guys, there is a true passion for football. I mean when they get together in a meeting room, it’s going to be a lot of back and forth, a lot of conversation philosophically, the minute details of a certain play, footwork and things like that because they are so passionate about it. They both have personal philosophies on the things they like, they don’t like. I think with their relationship, they are able to go a little deeper in those conversations as well, and that’s what helps with having a past with somebody.
“You come in here and they haven’t worked together for the last few years, but I think it’s going to be where they are able to pick up where they left off and keep moving forward in the relationship.”
Support. On and off the field.
That recruiting chip, led by Reich, is what has the Colts believing in their newest chapter at quarterback.
