Colts' Jonathan Taylor Returns to Training Camp
The Indianapolis Colts vs. Jonathan Taylor saga has reached its fourth week, and things do not seem to be progressing very quickly.
The sides have not changed their stances. Taylor still desires to be traded away from the team that drafted him in 2020. Colts' owner Jim Irsay has publicly stated that they will not trade their superstar running back.
While Taylor and the Colts are still at odds over offering the fourth-year back a contract extension, Taylor is still rehabbing an ankle injury he suffered last season. Taylor had surgery on the ankle in January and was expected to be 100% well before the beginning of training camp. That has not been the case, as Taylor has yet to see the field in camp.
Last week, Taylor received an excused absence from the team to rehab his surgically repaired ankle at an out-of-state facility. Head coach Shane Steichen said he expected Taylor back with the team this week.
It looks like Taylor's return is coming to fruition. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that Taylor has returned to the Colts today and is back with the team.
"#Colts RB Jonathan Taylor, who has been away from the team getting additional rehab on his ankle, is back today, source said," Rapoport posted on X. "He remains on PUP and his stance has not changed. But he has returned."
Although Taylor has returned to the team, that does not mean we will see him on the practice field. At the time of writing this, Taylor is still on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, as Rapoport stated. The Colts' medical staff would need to clear Taylor for him to be removed from the list and begin practicing.
When the former All-Pro running back returns to the practice field is anyone's guess at this point.
“I don’t have an answer for that and a timetable on that," Steichen said last week when asked if he expected Taylor to practice. "But really looking forward to getting him back and getting him healthy and getting him back out there playing with the guys."
With Taylor back with the team and presumably back on the sidelines watching his teammates practice, will we see a more engaged Taylor or the same stone-faced Taylor we saw before his leave of absence? We will find out Tuesday when the Colts are back on the practice field.
Want more Colts content? Check out the latest episode of the Horseshoe Huddle Podcast!
Follow Andrew on Twitter @AndrewMooreNFL.
