No matter how well Jonathan Taylor practiced on Tuesday, he was going to be a happy member of the Indianapolis Colts. That is because he could look toward the future, understanding that he was going to get paid a lot of money. The thinking was based on the Atlanta Falcons giving running back Bijan Robinson a three-year extension worth $75 million.
Taylor didn't know about the deal until he was asked about it by reporters who cover the Colts, after which the running back couldn't stop smiling. What he said in reaction spoke volumes, however.
According to a tweet by The Athletic's James Boyd, Taylor said, "Hopefully, I gotta go talk to my agent, too. I gotta go talk to him and see where things are at. I've been trying to just focus on getting better, making sure I'm staying in shape. I have faith, so I’m gonna tap in and check in with him, now that you guys broke the news to me."
Indianapolis Colts' Jonathan Taylor needs to talk to his representation
Right. He heard the news of Robinson, and he immediately thought that he needed to talk to his agent. Of course, he does, and he should. Taylor is worth the kind of money that Robinson is getting paid, and likely more.
Indianapolis presumably wants to keep Taylor on the roster past this coming season, but doing so is going to cause a review of the cap space the team has. General manager Chris Ballard can fit Taylor under the cap, but he is also paying wide receiver Alec Pierce a large amount of cash, and likely quarterback Daniel Jones, too.
If Jones doesn't play well, or he gets hurt again and the team doesn't trust him to stay healthy in the future, the Colts could release Jones and save $38 million in 2027. The team and fans are hoping that doesn't need to happen. The wish is that Jones is very good in 2026 and leads the team to the playoffs.
As for Jonathan Taylor, he is still only 27 years old and should have many more years to play at a high level. He knows that, but he probably also knows his next deal could be his last highly lucrative one. If he re-signs with the Indianapolis Colts, he will be over 30 years old when the contract ends. Teams don't tend to pay running backs a lot past 30.
In other words, Taylor will want to make the most of his next deal, and he's earned that. He should ask for at least $25 million a season. But just don't ask him about that right now. He is probably busy talking to his agent.
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