Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor is the next star rusher in line to receive a heft contract extension, but he isn’t letting the impending deal become a distraction.
Despite an injury-marred 2022 season, Taylor still went over 1,000 total yards in parts of 11 games. That was in the season after becoming the youngest running back in NFL history to record 1,800 rushing yards in a single campaign.
Taylor’s rookie deal is set to expire following the 2023 season, but his focus is elsewhere.
More from Jonathan Taylor: “It wouldn’t be a distraction to me (to not get an extension before the season). I’m under contract here for four years. I put the pen to the paper … I made an obligation to them. They made an obligation to me. But things will happen naturally.” #Colts https://t.co/gd3uNRImPS
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) April 19, 2023
It will be interesting to see where Taylor’s deal eventually falls. Though there is a concern about the value of a running back on his second contract, we’ve seen the elite tier of players make good on those deals.
We likely won’t see another contract like Ezekiel Elliott’s six-year, $90 million deal, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if Taylor received a deal in the ballpark of four years and $60 million. What matters in the end is the guaranteed money.
Doing this kind of deal certainly is easier when a team is working with a quarterback on a rookie contract. That type of flexibility should allow the Colts to offer Taylor a sizeable contract while understanding the volatility of the position once running backs reach their age-27 seasons.
We’ll see what the rest of the offseason has in store for Taylor’s contract negotiations, and it will be something to keep an eye on after the draft concludes next week.
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