Colts Running Backs Have Been Helpful to Rookie Jonathan Taylor

The Indianapolis Colts are adamant there won't be any animosity in the running backs room after the second-round selection of Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor. So far, Taylor says he’s appreciated bonding with his new teammates, who have offered assistance with the rookie’s NFL transition.

NFL players can’t prevent having a human reaction to when another is drafted at their position.

That’s why the Indianapolis Colts — general manager Chris Ballard, head coach Frank Reich, and running backs coach Tom Rathman — have answered offseason questions about how the backfield will be accepting of second-round selection Jonathan Taylor.

Specifically, how did 2019 leading rusher Marlon Mack accept that pick?

Ballard was quick to say during the draft that Mack is a team guy who, when contacted, said he was all about having anyone on the team that could help the Colts win. Reich and Rathman have said the same thing.

When Rathman recently spoke to media in a Zoom video conference call, he was convinced there wouldn’t be any animosity in the room, that each player would push the other to be better.

So far, that’s what Taylor, a running back who amassed 6,174 yards in three years at Wisconsin, has experienced in getting to know Mack, Nyheim Hines, and Jordan Wilkins.

“I’ve definitely been able to speak with not just Marlon but a lot of the other backs, especially asking those guys about the surrounding areas and towns,” Taylor said in a Zoom video conference call on Tuesday. “Especially in a time like this, it is hard to kind of find a place when you’re not able to actually physically go to that place and check it out. I hate just going off of pictures. I know some people will go off of pictures online and say, ‘This looks like a nice spot,’ and go from there. I actually want to feel the vibes inside of the potential place that I want to be staying at.

“So those guys have been definitely helping me out on and off the field. If I ever have any questions, I just shoot it to those guys and they’ll get back to me as soon as possible. That’s been fun, but especially on the field I mean we’ve been able to really help each other out. I mean they have been helping me out, but there have definitely been times where they’ve been helping each other out. I think that is the best thing.”

Taylor arrived in Indianapolis this week and has taken part in unsupervised team workouts organized by quarterback Philip Rivers.

“You are only as strong as your weakest link, so (it’s about) coming in as a rookie and trying to make sure that I’m trying to push my limits to new heights to equal the NFL level just because I know that it takes a room,” Taylor said.

Mack, who rushed for a career-high 1,091 yards last season, is entering a contract year, so his future beyond 2020 is in doubt. Reich and offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni have said Mack and Taylor form a “one-one punch,” because both are capable of being starters.

Reich also said that preferential respect is shown to the starter, so it stands to reason that Mack will take the first snaps and Taylor will back him up.

When asked specifically about Mack offering assistance, Taylor again reiterated he’s received input from everyone.

“All the running backs, they’ve been helping me out,” Taylor said. “Anything that I’ve had, I’ve shot multiple running backs texts just to get a variety of areas like, ‘Hey, where should I live at? Where do you live at?’ Or, ‘Hey, what is this again? I’m going through some of my things and it’s just not quite making sense.’

“It’s definitely been fun so far and the crazy thing about it is we haven’t really all been together yet for an entire week yet. Everything has been through Zoom for the most part, so that’s actually kind of fun because I can’t wait until training camp actually starts and we’re around each other a whole bunch more.”

(Phillip B. Wilson has covered the Indianapolis Colts for more than two decades and authored the 2013 book 100 Things Colts Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. He’s on Twitter @pwilson24, on Facebook at @allcoltswithphilb and @100thingscoltsfans, and his email is phillipbwilson24@yahoo.com.)