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If Jonathan Taylor was in a contract year following his 2021 season, it would be a no-brainer to offer him a lucrative contract extension that reset the market. After an injury riddled 2022, the transitioning of running back by committee across the NFL, and the RB’s not lasting through their second contract often now, is it worth to pay JT market setting money or franchise tagging him?
Right now there are three running backs that have not signed their franchise tag.
- Josh Jacobs (25) – Las Vegas Raiders (2022 NFL Rushing Champ)
- Saquon Barkley (26) – New York Giants
Now look at some of the recent moves by teams to get off of second contracts at the RB position.
- Dalvin Cook (reported) release coming in June of 2023 (signed 5 year $63M extension in 2020)
- Christian McCaffrey traded in January of 2023 (signed 4 year $64M extension in 2020)
- Ezekiel Elliott released in March of 2023 (signed 6 year $90M extension in 2019)
The highest paid running backs in the NFL right now are Derrick Henry ($16M, but in final year of contract), Nick Chubb ($14.8M, has one year left on contract after 2023 season), Joe Mixon ($12.7M, team option for 2024 season), and Tony Pollard ($10M on franchise tag). Those are the only four RB’s, right now, with a cap hit north of $10M a season. Jacobs and Barkley can join the trio of backs when they sign their tenders or extensions.
On Thursday’s edition of the Fan Midday Show with James Boyd, Jimmy Cook, and producer Eddie Garrison, they voiced their opinions on what the Colts should do with Taylor after this season.
Jimmy Cook’s point of view on the JT contract situation:
“If he has a dominant season again this year, and I look at this both ways from the player’s standpoint and the team’s standpoint. As a player, if that’s the kind of year I have and that point I am approaching 25 years old, I want my money. Pay me true market reset value. If that’s what happens and it’s a five-year deal, I love Jonathan Taylor, he’s a great player, all that aside don’t do it. Worst case scenario you (Colts) get out of it like the Vikings did, you cut him and save money hopefully on the back end of the deal. Best case scenario, it pans out to a point, but then you’re like wow, the running back production is great, but our team is missing other holes and we have all this money allocated to the running back. If he’s that valuable to your team, but you don’t want to go multi-year with him, you tag him. That’s what it’s there for.”
James Boyd’s response to Jimmy:
“I’m not giving any running back a five year deal, I don’t care what you’ve accomplished. Three years is the sweet spot to me. Now if you’re a player, you want the longer deal obviously because you want more security. I’m not offering more than three years. To me what it comes down to three years and what the money looks like over three years. The reason why I say they’re probably going to try avoid the tag is if they need to use the tag on say Pittman or someone else that can help this team if the negotiations with Jonathan Taylor go pretty well. For them to tag him, it would have to be pretty contentious to the point where they’re so far apart that they’re like we’re not going to let you go.”
Eddie Garrison’s thoughts on tagging Taylor:
“I would rather allocate that money to re-signing Grover Stewart because his contract is also expiring after this season. Allocate that money towards Michael Pittman Jr. a little bit and do the unthinkable of Chris Ballard and do what he hasn’t done yet and that’s spend money on a premier position at wideout to go get a guy that can help Anthony Richardson throw. I’m sorry, as a passer, Jonathan Taylor does not help Anthony Richardson’s development as a passer. In order for him to take that leap as a passer, he needs a wideout that is top tier that is viewed as a true number one. I don’t think Pittman is that because in my eyes when you look at a wide receiver one, it’s a guy that you can go out there and put him outside or in the slot and go get open and I can get you the ball. Just go get it open and I’ll get it to you. Right now I don’t think Michael Pittman Jr. is that.”
To listen to Jimmy Cook, James Boyd, and Eddie Garrison’s thoughts on the situation the Colts are in with Jonathan Taylor, download the podcast containing the conversation below! You can always listen to the Fan Midday Show from 12pm-3pm on 93.5/107.5 The Fan, but you can watch and interact with the show by going to the 107.5 The Fan YouTube Channel.
