Colts Owner Adds Fuel to Running Back Debate

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay took to Twitter to announce his feelings toward the value of NFL running backs.

The Indianapolis Colts are in the middle of the running back conundrum sweeping across the NFL. This is due to their best player being a running back himself, Jonathan Taylor.

Not long ago (2021) Taylor was an MVP candidate and the undisputed NFL rushing king. Now, after a pathetic team season and injuries that sidelined him, he finds himself in the heap of other running backs who are fighting for their worth as professional football players.

While training camp is officially underway, Taylor is currently on the PUP (Physically Unable to Play) list, but can be activated anytime. It brought many to ask “Why?”

It’s likely due to still recovering from having ankle surgery earlier in the season. However, the circle of murmurs that were saying he wasn’t happy with contract discussions have a reason to continue thinking this way after an interesting tweet from owner Jim Irsay’s account surfaced; discussing briefly what he thought of the running back discussions.

NFL Running Back situation- We have negotiated a CBA,that took years of effort and hard work and compromise in good faith by both sides..to say now that a specific Player category wants another negotiation after the fact,is inappropriate. Some Agents are selling ‘bad faith’..

— Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) July 26, 2023

Taylor's agent, Malki Kawa, went on to give a response to Irsay's tweet as the heated negotiations have seemed to enter the public eye.

Bad faith is not paying your top offensive player https://t.co/ZYvrLhxygG

— malki kawa (@malkikawa) July 27, 2023

This is an interesting release from Irsay, especially with him knowing full well that Taylor wants an extension and doesn’t want to be undervalued.

Recently, New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley took a one-year, $11 million deal. This is not remotely close to the value that he displayed on the field for the Giants in 2022, essentially carrying the ground and receiving areas of the team on his back.

Whether or not this message from Irsay was meant to cause chaos, it is and will for a while.

What will be in store during training camp for Taylor and his argument for value on the team? Is his status due to frustration rather than recovery? How will this message from the top of the hill affect the team? All of these are now bigger questions due to an evening tweet from an NFL owner that wasn’t necessary.

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