NFL Rumors: Jonathan Taylor not willing to play for Colts amid contract standoff with Jim Irsay
Jonathan Taylor is currently on the Physically Unable to Perform list, meaning he's inactive from the Indianapolis Colts. Whenever he's healthy, though, he may not suit up for them then. He is in the middle of a public contract dispute which saw an official trade request and a deadline for potential offers.
That deadline passed with Taylor remaining in Indianapolis, but that's less than ideal for him. A new report suggests that he's still unwilling to play for them even after he's eligible for return.
The Colts are unwilling to give in to his contract demands. Part of any theoretical deal for Taylor would have involved the team committing to extending him, something the Colts are refusing to do.
The Green Bay Packers and Miami Dolphins were linked to Taylor, but nothing materialized. Now, he's nearing eligibility for a return, but he doesn't want to play for Jim Irsay, who publicly shot down Taylor's request.
What's next for Jonathan Taylor?
Jonathan Taylor is still on the PUP list, which is effectively the Injured Reserve. In a similar fashion, players on either list cannot be activated until at least four weeks have passed.
That means that he won't be active this weekend, but he could return in Week 5 when the Colts face the Tennessee Titans. That's the best-case scenario, which means he'd be healthy and happy.
The latter is not likely to be the case. It seems as if the disgruntled running back will not play for the team under his current contract. They seem as if they will not extend him, so the two sides may have seen him play his last down for Indianapolis.
The next date to keep in mind, then, would be October 31. Roughly a month from now, teams will no longer be able to make deals. That would mean that Taylor, if he's not dealt, will probably not play at all this year.
Over the next month, it's likely that he will be shopped around and could be traded, though. He remains unlikely to play for the Colts in 2023.