Colts Should Wise Up With Looming Jonathan Taylor Situation

The Indianapolis Colts are on the precipice of a critical 2026 season. There's no more room for Chris Ballard and Shane Steichen to produce a mediocre season without playoff success.

Daniel Jones is obviously the most crucial piece to this happening since he's the new franchise QB, but barely trailing him is running back Jonathan Taylor.

Taylor has been a force for Steciehn's offense, and without him, it greatly decreases the efficiency and firepower of what this team can accomplish.

Taylor is in the last year of his three-year, $42 million deal, and Eva Geitheim at Sports Illustrated thinks Taylor's contract situation is one to monitor closely.

"The Colts had concerns about paying Taylor due to his injury history, but he has been worth the deal, putting together consecutive seasons with over 1,400 rushing yards in 2024 and ’25 and leading the league in rushing touchdowns in ’25. Taylor is still just 27, and easily the Colts’ best playmaker.

This offseason, Taylor said that he’d love to be a Colt for life and hopes the franchise feels the same way."

Geitheim brings up Taylor's previous contract talks with Indianapolis in 2023. That year was filled with immense drama and rumors galore.

It also didn't help that Taylor was coming off of playing just 11 games after sustaining a high ankle sprain for the 2022 season. Ultimately, things smoothed out and a new deal was reached.

As Geitheim points out, it's been worth the deal.

Jonathan Taylor tries to run away with the football. — Nov 30, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) rushes the ball during a game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christine Tannous-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While the 2023 season saw Taylor deal with more injuries, playing just 10 games. It looked like Indy could have buyer's remorse. But once the 2024 campaign hit, Taylor returned to his dominant ways.

Over the last two seasons, Taylor has put up 3,016 rushing yards, 177 total first downs, and 32 all-purpose touchdowns.

Last year was more of the same; Taylor led the NFL in rushing attempts (323) and all-purpose scores (20) while pairing 1,585 rushing yards with those league-best numbers.

Indianapolis had the NFL's deadliest offense for much of the campaign, and Taylor was the blunt force that set up a lot of that success.

Time and time again, Taylor destroyed defenses, and before the Week 11 bye, the former Wisconsin Badger had five games of 100-plus rushing yards and four games with three rushing touchdowns.

His best performance of the 2025 season came in Berlin against the Atlanta Falcons, where he amassed 244 rushing yards and three scores on the ground.

Taylor also scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime.

JONATHAN TAYLOR FOR THE WIN. pic.twitter.com/EkhnwY50lO
— NFL (@NFL) November 9, 2025

While it's fair to say that most star running backs don't have a long shelf life in the NFL, Taylor's importance and consistency demands that Indianapolis present him with an extension this year.

The Colts can ill afford another dispute as they had with Taylor in 2023. They also can't risk allowing him to hit free agency, given how much he means to this offense.

Regardless of how Indianapolis' 2026 campaign starts, it's hard to imagine the Colts won't do whatever is possible to retain him for the future.

But the NFL is a brutal business. It will be interesting to see if Taylor tries to negotiate a new deal this offseason, or if he's content with letting things play out organically.

However things flesh out, this fact remains the same: Taylor is the most important non-quarterback player on the Colts' roster, and it's not even close.

They should make it the highest priority to ensure he remains in blue for the future.

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