Why the Colts Should Extend Jonathan Taylor

The Indianapolis Colts should sign star running back Jonathan Taylor to a contract extension.

The Indianapolis Colts are going into a critical time in franchise history. A period that will likely shape its future for years to come. Arguably, an essential piece to that future is running back Jonathan Taylor, who will go into the fourth and final year of his rookie contract. With that information stated, let’s understand why the Colts need to seal the deal now with an extension for Taylor.

A brief rundown of his first three seasons is to show his ridiculous production. He kicked things off with 1,169 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in his rookie season in 2020. He’d follow the next campaign in 2021 by lighting NFL defenses on fire. He’d stack up 332 rushes for 1,811 rushing yards, 20 total touchdowns (18 rushing and two receiving), and 2,171 yards from scrimmage (tack on 360 receiving yards), all league-leading numbers.

As for 2022, it’s well noted he was injured and limited to 11 games for 861 rushing yards and only four rushing touchdowns. Due to a multitude of reasons like blocking, quarterback play, and rotating coaches galore.

However, Shane Steichen is now the head coach and will help Taylor get on track.

With this combination, the Colts must give an extension to ease any stresses of other teams trying to pilfer him once his initial deal is up. Let’s turn to Pro Football Network’s Ben Rolfe’s “Highest-Paid Running Backs” piece to get an idea of the potential contract. He is highlighting the top average salaries per year.

The top five list is:

• Christian McCaffrey (San Francisco 49ers): $16 million
• Ezekiel Elliot (Dallas Cowboys): $15 million
• Alvin Kamara (New Orleans Saints): $15 million
• Dalvin Cook (Minnesota Vikings): $12.6 million
• Derrick Henry (Tennessee Titans): $12.5 million

All of those are also between the four to six-year time frames. With these numbers displayed, what would the Colts likely pay a playmaker like Taylor?

It must be said that on any given Sunday, there arguably isn’t a more talented running back in the league. Also, his importance to a rookie quarterback and a new head coach/offensive coordinator is irreplaceable. His new contract could top all of the aforementioned names.

My prediction is a multi-year deal near $20 million annually, perhaps even between $40-50 million in guarantees to show their trust. Taylor was the entire offense in 2021 and, despite defenses knowing that was the case, was still “lightning in a bottle.”

This move would make the Colts fanbase happy, lock Taylor down for years, and give the next quarterback a chance to mesh with the star for his entire rookie contract.

Will Indianapolis get the extension inked up with Taylor? Maybe, maybe not. But one thing is for sure. They absolutely should do it. If he can get back to 100 percent and Steichen can help him hit the ground running in Week 1, Taylor will be a spectacle to watch again every time he sets foot on the field. 

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