The Indianapolis Colts may be planning for a potential future without Jonathan Taylor, but the star running back isn’t considering that hypothetical.
Despite an ESPN report that Taylor could be dealt by the Colts (2-4) ahead of the trade deadline in November, he is focused on the task at hand, in this case Indianapolis’ road game against the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
“I haven’t given (it) any thought,” Taylor said Thursday regarding his future. “That’d be crazy right now, especially because we’ve got a great Minnesota Vikings team that we have to go against. I think it would be a discredit and a disservice to my teammates and this whole organization to think about what could, what should, what may be.”
Colts general manager Chris Ballard was fired on Monday, perhaps signaling a changing of the guard in Indianapolis. Taylor, who is the NFL’s active leader in rushing yards per game (89.9) is the team’s biggest bargaining chip.
The 27-year-old three-time Pro Bowler has rushed for 8,090 yards and 76 touchdowns in 90 career games (84 starts). Taylor, a second-round pick by the Colts in 2020 out of Wisconsin, has twice led the league in rushing touchdowns, including last season, when he amassed 18 scores on the ground.
Entering what would have been the final year of his contract, he signed a two-year, $44 million extension in August, locking him into his deal through the 2028 season.