The Jonathan Taylor saga was one of the bigger stories of the 2023 NFL off-season. He has been one of the most productive running backs in the league over the last few years, finishing with the most yards and touchdowns in 2021 while being named as a First Team All-Pro. But his relationship with the Indianapolis Colts had soured, and Taylor reportedly asked to be traded over the summer.
Colts News: What To Expect From Jonathan Taylor vs. Titans
Sources to ESPN: Jonathan Taylor and the Colts reached agreement on a three-year, $42 million contract extension, including $26.5M guaranteed, that makes him one of the league’s highest-paid RBs and clears him to make his season debut Sunday vs. Titans.
Taylor becomes the first… pic.twitter.com/uidsSbbyPi
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 7, 2023
The wish was never granted. The Colts failed to come up with any reasonable trade in order to ship Taylor off, and rumor has it they were asking for the moon and stars in exchange for their star player. With unhappiness coming from both sides, Taylor was placed on the PUP list to start the season, meaning that he would miss the first four games of the year while the team came up with a plan for the future.
Apparently, the two sides have made good. On Saturday morning, it was announced that Indianapolis had activated Jonathan Taylor off of the PUP list, and that he would potentially be available to play in this Sunday’s game against the Titans.
The news got even better for Taylor just minutes later, when it was announced that he and the team had agreed on a contract extension. The new deal will be for 3 years and $42 million, with over $26 million in guarantees.
Two Big Games Coming Up For Indy
𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: The #Colts are signing star RB Jonathan Taylor to a 3-year $42 million dollar extension, per @AdamSchefter
He gets the contract he wanted. pic.twitter.com/kTWnGd7Qzz
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) October 7, 2023
Taylor’s return is huge for the Colts and their young quarterback, who are looking to improve on their 2-2 record. It couldn’t have come at a better time, as Indy is scheduled to face off against two division opponents over the next two weeks.
So what can we expect from Taylor in his first game back, should he play on Sunday? In 11 healthy games in 2022, his numbers were down a solid amount, losing a full yard on his per attempt average and putting up nearly 30 yards less per game than the previous season. That isn’t to say that he lost a step, but he will now be two years removed from his dominant performance back in 2021.
The Titans have a tough run defense, as well. Tennessee ranks 8th as a total unit, but they’ve allowed the fewest rushing yards per attempt of any team thus far this season. They’ve allowed the 4th fewest yards overall.
The Colts will play against the Jaguars the following week.
NFL Betting Guides You May Like
- Best NFL Betting Sites Sites 2024 – Discover Top-rated Football Sportsbooks Ranked & Reviewed.
- Live Betting NFL Guide – Compare The Best NFL Live Betting Sites for 2024.
- Best NFL Betting Apps 2024 – List of Top Football Betting Apps in US.
- Best Offshore Betting Sites Review – Compare Best Offshore Sports Betting Sites.
- Best Online Gambling Sites 2024 – Best Gambling Sites in USA Ranked & Reviewed.
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
