NFL
What was the reason behind Jonathan Taylor’s request for a trade from the Indianapolis Colts?
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has officially requested a trade, as the team did not want to offer him a contract according to his wishes.
According to insiders, Taylor has expressed that he would like a contract extension agreed upon before responding to the training camp. The All-Pro running back is rumored to have requested $16 million annually.
There has been a general discontent among running backs in the NFL as they feel that the current market does not favor them. Surprisingly, the average salary for kickers is higher than for running backs.
Reports suggest that the Colts contemplate placing Taylor on the non-football injury list due to a back problem. Although he underwent ankle surgery in January, the former University of Wisconsin standout denies experiencing any back pain.
On his social media, the 24-year-old stated that he never experienced back pain and did not inform the team.
According to NFL Network, the talented running back of the Colts has requested a trade. Their rival, the Houston Texans, would welcome this news, as the running back has the potential to dominate in the AFC South.
The Colts selected the 24-year-old in the second round of the 2020 draft, and has had an impressive record of 3,841 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns, as well as 802 receiving yards and three touchdowns. He’s even surpassed Edger James in reaching 3,000 rushing yards with the Colts in just 33 games.
Unfortunately, there haven’t been any negotiations or discussions about his future salary with the franchise owner, Jim Irsay. Irsay, who is known for his humorous quotes, has been unable to find a solution to the problem. There are several ways to express gratitude for being in the NFL while also attempting to calm the tensions of a player/owner contract disagreement, and probably this was not one of them.
“If I die tonight and Jonathan Taylor is out of the league, no one’s gonna miss us,” Irsay said, per The Athletic. “The league goes on. We know that. The National Football (League) rolls on. It doesn’t matter who comes and who goes, and it’s a privilege to be a part of it.”
Reports state that Irsay and Taylor met at the training camp on the owner’s private luxury bus. They aimed to improve the relationship between them and negotiate a deal. Taylor is in the fourth year of his rookie contract, which has a total value of $7.8 million. He is earning around $5 million this year, considered a great deal, and eligible for a contract extension. That’s the last offer on the table, and Taylor will have to respond to it.