Colts Star Top Bounce Back Candidate for 2024

The Indianapolis Colts possess one of the deadliest offensive weapons in the NFL.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) rushes for a touchdown Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023, during a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. / Robert Scheer/IndyStar / USA TODAY

Heading into the 2024 off-season, the Indianapolis Colts have one of the most promising rosters from top to bottom in recent memory for the franchise. Just a few notable names that jump off the page are quarterback Anthony Richardson, wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., tackle Bernhard Raimann, guard Quenton Nelson; as well as defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, end Laiatu Latu, and linebacker Zaire Franklin. 

However, who's arguably the most explosive player on the roster right now is running back Jonathan Taylor. While Richardson is a massive play waiting to happen, he's only logged four career starts and is still growing as a franchise player. Last year was a solid finish for Taylor, but not a complete season. The superstar runner played 10 games (seven starts) and stacked up 169 carries for 741 rushing yards (4.4 yards per carry - career low) and eight all-purpose scores (seven rushing; one receiving). 2024 is a campaign where Taylor has a golden opportunity to bounce back with a vengeance if everything plays out. Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus agrees in his recent article detailing a top bounce-back candidate for all 32 teams, breaking down why he selected the former Wisconsin standout. 

Taylor was one of the NFL’s better running backs in his first two years, but injuries halted his production in the latter two. In 2023, he dealt with the effects of ankle surgery, not playing until Week 5, plus tore a ligament in his thumb.

In addition to potentially better health, Taylor is trending up for at least two other big reasons. For one, with Zack Moss heading to Cincinnati, Taylor should earn even more carries amid unproven depth behind him. Oh, and Taylor finally doesn’t have a contract dispute serving as the elephant in the room. The point is, don’t be shocked if Taylor has a huge 2024.

- Bradley Locker | Pro Football Focus

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As Locker points out, Taylor doesn't have contract drama like he did in 2023's off-season. Now, Taylor is sitting far better with a three-year, $42 million contract ($19,347,556 guaranteed) per Over The Cap. This by itself is a big enough reason to assume that Taylor can return to the player he was just a few seasons ago. Taylor also has a great and promising roster surrounding him that he can work with to maximize on-field results.

While Taylor possesses incredible skills at the running back position, he will require help to have a solid resurgence in 2024. Coach Shane Steichen is a wizard-like playcaller, but offensive line performance and the health of Richardson will be crucial for Taylor's success. Even when Taylor lit the league on fire in 2021, he still did so with an elite offensive line group, which he appears to have again in the present format. 

Indianapolis picking up offensive linemen like Matt Goncalves and Tanor Bortolini were great additions to help secure the depth in protection. The passing game must also be more explosive and vertical to put Taylor in more one-on-one and one-cut situations to take advantage of defenses. At the end of the day, the health of Richardson is crucial to the success of the entire Colts team in the 2024 season, and that includes Taylor. 

Taylor has the tools and skill set to make a return to form in 2024. With the Colts offense looking more explosive than it has in years, Taylor has a better chance to succeed than at any point in his short four-year career. We'll see if the former Pro Bowler and All-Pro can dish it out and punish NFL defenses in the upcoming season. 

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