Jonathan Taylor comments on his contract/Request trade (Merge)

[NewColtsFan]

12 minutes ago, BlackTiger said:

 Hes in a position where he should finish his rookie contract imo like most players.

 

Its not like the colts have ran him into the ground over these three seasons.  

 

I am staring to wonder if all those carries at Wisconsin are effecting things and making him jump the gun.  

Jonathan Taylor is not most players.   He’s the best player in the offense.   The Colts history is that they reward their best young players by offering the second contract before the start of the last year of their rookie deal.   That has stopped.   I understand all the reasons the Colts have.   I’m just trying to offer more context for JT’s viewpoint.   
 

What was Pat McAfee’s quote today?   Something like this has gotten way too hot.   Cooler heads are needed.   100 percent.   

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

16 minutes ago, TaylorStillTruckedYou said:

Yep this right here is very valid.  So can everyone also agree that with an unexpected change in the philosophy that you were drafted in, that JT feelings and emotions are also valid?  I know if I worked my tail off for multiple years expecting to be rewarded for my hard work, then it was ripped from right under me, I would be somewhat emotional as well.  

That’s what makes this hard. Both sides are right. Taylor saw one of his best friends go down with a Achilles in his free agent year and has barely played again. Both sides  need to cool down and compromise. Give him a pay raise this year and add a extra year or two.  Both neither  side wants to compromise.  If Irsay took care of his player they would give him some extra money this year. If his agent was any good he would know the market and compromise too. 

[Colt.45]

7 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

Jonathan Taylor is not most players.   He’s the best player in the offense.   The Colts history is that they reward their best young players by offering the second contract before the start of the last year of their rookie deal.   That has stopped.   I understand all the reasons the Colts have.   I’m just trying to offer more context for JT’s viewpoint.   
 

What was Pat McAfee’s quote today?   Something like this has gotten way too hot.   Cooler heads are needed.   100 percent.   

 

From JTs perspective, I think he wants to add flames to this. He hired this agent and this is the guy who got Shaq the MAX. Players talk. 

 

What other leverage does JT have here? What's the incentive to calm things down? Aside from the Colts fans, I dont see any other reason he'd do it. Oh, and he asked to be traded so yeah, i dont think he cares too much what the fans here think.

 

For me, the main miscalculation here has come from Jim Irsay. Dude needs someone babysitting his Tweets (Xs?), strategically it was silly to put that tweet out but thats always been Irsay's biggest fault, he's as much a fan as any of us

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

 

[ShuteAt168]

10 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

Jonathan Taylor is not most players.   He’s the best player in the offense.   The Colts history is that they reward their best young players by offering the second contract before the start of the last year of their rookie deal.   That has stopped.   I understand all the reasons the Colts have.   I’m just trying to offer more context for JT’s viewpoint.   
 

What was Pat McAfee’s quote today?   Something like this has gotten way too hot.   Cooler heads are needed.   100 percent.   

We have no proof he is healthy enough to run from here to there. He used to be our best offensive player, sure. Is he still? That’s an unknown. Would you want the Colts to extend him and give him a raise with so much uncertainty? 

[Hoose]

5 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

 

How much of that is guaranteed? That’s the key number. 

[w87r]

3 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

 

If we offered it, he would be smart to.

 

Nice security for him. 

 

Would have 2025 hit guarantee spring '25

[Defjamz26]

If the rumors of him wanting $16 million a season are true then we need to pass. He should get no more than $12 million a year tops.

[Solid84]

The “players vs owners” narrative is just wrong. Everyone - players and owners - signed off on the CBA. There’s a salary cap. JT wanting more isn’t taking money away from the owners, it’s taking away from his fellow players. That’s why some of us are arguing the RB position isn’t worth what JT is asking, because it means less moolah for, what is currently considered, premium positions. If the salary cap wasn’t a thing, by all means, pay JT. But it is, so, yeah….

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

The thing about asking Taylor to prove it this year is in a way kind of silly too. Because owners don’t look at it that way with running backs. They look at it as another year on the tires.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

17 minutes ago, w87r said:

If we offered it, he would be smart to.

 

Nice security for him. 

 

Would have 2025 hit guarantee spring '25

Yep. Both sides need to come to the table and compromise instead of acting like toddlers.

[AKB]

who thinks he gets traded?

 

i know they said they arent trading him , but we've seen multiple FO claim this. Seen it with Rodgers most recently. 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Just now, AKB said:

who thinks he gets traded?

I say 80%. This might be to far gone.

[AKB]

Just now, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

I say 80%. This might be to far gone.

im starting to think so too 

[Colt.45]

17 minutes ago, Solid84 said:

The “players vs owners” narrative is just wrong. Everyone - players and owners - signed off on the CBA. There’s a salary cap. JT wanting more isn’t taking money away from the owners, it’s taking away from his fellow players. That’s why some of us are arguing the RB position isn’t worth what JT is asking, because it means less moolah for, what is currently considered, premium positions. If the salary cap wasn’t a thing, by all means, pay JT. But it is, so, yeah….

 

Correct and that's why even though Irsay's tweet was ill advised, he was 100% right about everything he said. 

The point I was making with the owners was that they are way wealthier than players so any ire at players, whether backs or QBs, for perceived greed should be doubled down at the owners.

 

The CBA was signed, yes. Whether it's fair or not is another story entirely. It certainly stinks for running backs.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

2 minutes ago, AKB said:

im starting to think so too 

It’s getting to the point if Ballard and Irsay think he doesn’t want to be here you just trade him

snd move on. We don’t need the distraction. 
 

zak keefer was on radio this morning said if they can get a 1st or a 2nd they might be dumb to not take it.  Having two first next year would give us some ammunition to get Harrison junior or a couple great players. I could see a team that is contending giving up a first if they feel they are in their SB window.

[Colt.45]

3 minutes ago, AKB said:

who thinks he gets traded?

 

 

Jim Irsay says he's not trading him. There isnt a large enough trade value, not while Zeke and Calvin and others remain out there so what're the Colts getting from that trade that makes it worth it? A 6th rounder? A 5th? Is that worth more than the potential of forcing JT to stay + getting yards out of him? JT is not going to want to put out bad tape, he'll probably play a few games then go on IR to protect his tread. So lets calculate that, if Jim forces JT to stay, he might get a month of JT and if JT really kicks on with AR, who knows. 

 

The Colts hold all the leverage here. JT can pout and burn things with the fans and hold out at worst, leverage is leverage. If Jim Irsay senses the fans want JT gone, he'll do it. So, i think as long as the fans are still dreaming of JT + AR, the Wisconsin kid isnt going anywhere.

 

Lets see where things are with this fanbase at the end of October.

[AKB]

8 minutes ago, Colt.45 said:

 

 

Jim Irsay says he's not trading him. There isnt a large enough trade value, not while Zeke and Calvin and others remain out there so what're the Colts getting from that trade that makes it worth it? A 6th rounder? A 5th? Is that worth more than the potential of forcing JT to stay + getting yards out of him? JT is not going to want to put out bad tape, he'll probably play a few games then go on IR to protect his tread. So lets calculate that, if Jim forces JT to stay, he might get a month of JT and if JT really kicks on with AR, who knows. 

 

The Colts hold all the leverage here. JT can pout and burn things with the fans and hold out at worst, leverage is leverage. If Jim Irsay senses the fans want JT gone, he'll do it. So, i think as long as the fans are still dreaming of JT + AR, the Wisconsin kid isnt going anywhere.

 

Lets see where things are with this fanbase at the end of October.

 

this hasn't made me dislike Taylor, I just think he is honestly being misled by his agent

[Solid84]

25 minutes ago, Colt.45 said:

 

Correct and that's why even though Irsay's tweet was ill advised, he was 100% right about everything he said. 

The point I was making with the owners was that they are way wealthier than players so any ire at players, whether backs or QBs, for perceived greed should be doubled down at the owners.

 

The CBA was signed, yes. Whether it's fair or not is another story entirely. It certainly stinks for running backs.

I don’t think anyone feels the owners don’t gave enough money, but it’s their businesses. Arguing a business owner can’t make more money is kinda nonsense (not saying you are by the way). 
 

It’s definitely an unfortunate situation for RBs, but individual positional agreements within the cba is not ever going to be a thing I think. It’s just going to be impossible to make everyone happy. They’ll just have to adapt. 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

27 minutes ago, Colt.45 said:

 

 

Jim Irsay says he's not trading him. There isnt a large enough trade value, not while Zeke and Calvin and others remain out there so what're the Colts getting from that trade that makes it worth it? A 6th rounder? A 5th? Is that worth more than the potential of forcing JT to stay + getting yards out of him? JT is not going to want to put out bad tape, he'll probably play a few games then go on IR to protect his tread. So lets calculate that, if Jim forces JT to stay, he might get a month of JT and if JT really kicks on with AR, who knows. 

 

The Colts hold all the leverage here. JT can pout and burn things with the fans and hold out at worst, leverage is leverage. If Jim Irsay senses the fans want JT gone, he'll do it. So, i think as long as the fans are still dreaming of JT + AR, the Wisconsin kid isnt going anywhere.

 

Lets see where things are with this fanbase at the end of October.

Taylor is a lot younger then some of these RB on the market.

[masterlock]

I can understand Taylor wanting a new contract. He sees what's on the horizon. The Colts can ride him hard for another year, tag him the 5th, tag him a 6th, and then say, "You're 28 and past your prime, so we can't offer you a big deal." This seems to be what the NFL is moving towards when it comes to running backs. That's one side.

 

The other side of the equation is that the NFL has evolved into a pass-first league, and it just doesn't make sense to pay big bucks to a running back. Jim Irsay is a businessman and realizes he holds all the cards, thanks to the CBA.

 

My feeling is that the two should meet somewhere in the middle. Taylor is a rare talent and has been a good teammate. But he needs to realize that the market for running backs is what it is. And Irsay needs to reward good players. Something in the neighborhood of 4 years/$32 million sounds reasonable. 

[jvan1973]

I think he would be smart to sign a 3 year deal worth 33 million all guaranteed.    That works for both sides

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

 

[Fluke_33]

2 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

He’s the best player in the offense.

Do you think he’s better than Nelson?  It’s close for me but I’d give the edge to q.  They both had down years last year though. 

[jvan1973]

Just now, Fluke_33 said:

Do you think he’s better than Nelson?  It’s close for me but I’d give the edge to q.  They both had down years last year though. 

Q is the best player.   JT is the best playmaker

[richard pallo]

1 hour ago, AKB said:

who thinks he gets traded?

 

i know they said they arent trading him , but we've seen multiple FO claim this. Seen it with Rodgers most recently. 

If they can’t resolve this in the next week or so I think he gets traded.  It helps that it’s been reported some teams are interested in trading for him so I don’t see Ballard letting this drag out too far.  I think getting past this asap is priority number one now.

[crazycolt1]

4 hours ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

The reason this is hard  is both sides are right. Both sides need to come to the table and compromise a little. Irsay needs to give Taylor some security this season and his agent has to meet him in the middle. Instead both sides are acting like toddlers.

How does Irsay explaining how the NFL pay system works be called being a toddler? 

[Colt.45]

1 hour ago, AKB said:

 

this hasn't made me dislike Taylor, I just think he is honestly being misled by his agent

JT is an extremely thoughtful, smart man. He didn't fire his old agents for nothing. This agent is a hoodlum but that's the exact tool JT chose to further his goals. From the Colts fan perspective, its understandable why that'd seem unlikely but everything folks say is correct. JT was one of the leading backs and voices in the Zoom backs gathering, to him this is nothing personal, it's 100% business.

[Colt.45]

1 hour ago, Solid84 said:

I don’t think anyone feels the owners don’t gave enough money, but it’s their businesses. Arguing a business owner can’t make more money is kinda nonsense (not saying you are by the way). 
 

It’s definitely an unfortunate situation for RBs, but individual positional agreements within the cba is not ever going to be a thing I think. It’s just going to be impossible to make everyone happy. They’ll just have to adapt. 

100%. Business owners want to make more money. Same deal for players. RBs especially have to address the reality that their bodies are private enterprises and they must now maximize earnings early in reaction to the league's current stance on them. It's a toggle that'll keep happening, these are just early skirmishes

[Colt.45]

1 hour ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

Taylor is a lot younger then some of these RB on the market.

 

We'll see, there're arguments both ways i reckon.

How many yards does he have on his tires? That's the key. He got heavy usage in college (which is the true RB prime lately), he's got heavy usage in Indy when healthy.

 

Each party will have legitimate arguments for more value in their favor but if Ekeler gets 4 years, 24M, JT isnt sniffing anywhere near 16M annual, and I'll believe there's a team out there willing to offer a 1st or 2nd when i see it. Grigson did it so maybe the guys in AZ or somewhere like that might bite. The portents are not good. 

[NewColtsFan]

2 hours ago, ShuteAt168 said:

We have no proof he is healthy enough to run from here to there. He used to be our best offensive player, sure. Is he still? That’s an unknown. Would you want the Colts to extend him and give him a raise with so much uncertainty? 

That's a very fair argument.   As I write in my post, I understand why the Colts are reluctant.  
 

I was only trying to respond to the idea that Taylor is just another player.  I was trying to offer Taylor’s perspective and show how much he’s at risk.   And that this situation happened just before the clock strikes 12, so just as Taylor is about to collect his biggest payday,  it gets yanked out of his reach.  It’s agonizing.  
 

His career is on the line.   
 

And I agree with Pat McAfee who today said things need to cool down.  Things are way too hot.   I’m hoping cooler heads might lead to a compromise.  For example, San Diego cooled off Austin Ekler by throwing in a $1.75m sweetener at him.   Something that demonstrated some good faith and at least an attempt to find common ground.   That’s what I’m hoping for….    Whether the Colts do that, and whether Taylor would even accept that is a great unknown. 
 

[GoColts8818]

I have no issue with Taylor wanting to be paid.  I don’t think he’s going to get it from anyone to the level he wants but I have no problem with him wanting it.

 

 I’ll keep saying it’s really hard for people who will never make four million dollars in their lives to understand why someone is upset at that amount.  It’s relative.  He’s seeing his coworkers make gobs of money and he feels like he’s one of the best players on the roster and he’s not getting it.  That would make anyone frustrated if you were in their shoes.  When this started I heard on the radio networks front office insiders say that aside from punters and long snappers, running backs have seen the smallest growth since the last CBA so that’s why they are frustrated.  
 

Still the Owners aren’t just going to change their stance because they feel bad.  Like I heard JJ Watt say yesterday it sucks but that’s how the CBA works some positions see growth and others don’t.  
 

I don’t like how Taylor has gone about it and I don’t think it’s going to work but I understand it.  I’d also be careful to cast all the blame on Taylor’s agent.  If Taylor really didn’t like what he was doing he’d tell him to stop.  He didn’t.  I think Taylor’s agent is acting on Taylor’s wishes.   
 

I am also not going to trash Taylor.  I want him back here and still think that’s how this is ultimately going to play out at some point.  I just see this as the business side of the NFL.  It is what it is.
 

I also think those calling for compromise are missing a big point from the Colts perspective.  They don’t want to extend Taylor right now.  They want to see how he does in the new offense and how he recovered from his injury before they do something with his contract.  They don’t want to lock themselves in now.  Before Taylor really got upset about the contract negotiations the Colts met with him to tell him they weren’t going to do something with his contract right now.  That’s been reported.  So that decision has been made and nothing Taylor has done so far is going to make them change it.  

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

25 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

I have no issue with Taylor wanting to be paid.  I don’t think he’s going to get it from anyone to the level he wants but I have no problem with him wanting it.

 

 I’ll keep saying it’s really hard for people who will never make four million dollars in their lives to understand why someone is upset at that amount.  It’s relative.  He’s seeing his coworkers make gobs of money and he feels like he’s one of the best players on the roster and he’s not getting it.  That would make anyone frustrated if you were in their shoes.  When this started I heard on the radio networks front office insiders say that aside from punters and long snappers, running backs have seen the smallest growth since the last CBA so that’s why they are frustrated.  
 

Still the Owners aren’t just going to change their stance because they feel bad.  Like I heard JJ Watt say yesterday it sucks but that’s how the CBA works some positions see growth and others don’t.  
 

I don’t like how Taylor has gone about it and I don’t think it’s going to work but I understand it.  I’d also be careful to cast all the blame on Taylor’s agent.  If Taylor really didn’t like what he was doing he’d tell him to stop.  He didn’t.  I think Taylor’s agent is acting on Taylor’s wishes.   
 

I am also not going to trash Taylor.  I want him back here and still think that’s how this is ultimately going to play out at some point.  I just see this as the business side of the NFL.  It is what it is.
 

I also think those calling for compromise are missing a big point from the Colts perspective.  They don’t want to extend Taylor right now.  They want to see how he does in the new offense and how he recovered from his injury before they do something with his contract.  They don’t want to lock themselves in now.  Before Taylor really got upset about the contract negotiations the Colts met with him to tell him they weren’t going to do something with his contract right now.  That’s been reported.  So that decision has been made and nothing Taylor has done so far is going to make them change it.  

One problem. His coworkers at running back are not making gobs of money.

 

I do believe Irsay would throw some extra money in there for this year a one year extension if his side would actually come to the table and compromise. 

[GoColts8818]

Just now, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

One problem. His coworkers at running back are not making gobs of money.

I wasn’t talking about just running backs.  I was talking about his fellow football players as a whole.  

[csmopar]

3 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

Jonathan Taylor is not most players.   He’s the best player in the offense.   The Colts history is that they reward their best young players by offering the second contract before the start of the last year of their rookie deal.   That has stopped.   I understand all the reasons the Colts have.   I’m just trying to offer more context for JT’s viewpoint.   
 

What was Pat McAfee’s quote today?   Something like this has gotten way too hot.   Cooler heads are needed.   100 percent.   

Honestly, I think it is cooling off, Irsay, JT, even JTs agent have been rather quiet, much quieter than they were just a few days ago. 

[GoColts8818]

4 minutes ago, csmopar said:

Honestly, I think it is cooling off, Irsay, JT, even JTs agent have been rather quiet, much quieter than they were just a few days ago. 

Honestly Irsay has been pretty cool during this whole thing.  I do think the meeting between Irsay and Taylor was a meeting to clear the air.  I think it’s important to note Irsay said that meeting went well too, with that said that could just be Irsay talking too.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

If Taylor isn’t here week one that might change their decision to start Richardson week one. Without a one two punch the run game won’t be as potent so it’s going to be harder to design a run first offense while his passing game develops.

[csmopar]

1 minute ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

If Taylor isn’t here week one that might change their decision to start Richardson week one. Without a one two punch the run game won’t be as potent so it’s going to be harder to design a run first offense while his passing game develops.

One won’t affect the other

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

23 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

I wasn’t talking about just running backs.  I was talking about his fellow football players as a whole.  

Well then he is wrong because he isn’t getting WR money. Him and his agent need to be more realistic. 

[GoColts8818]

Just now, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

Well then he is wrong because he isn’t getting WR money. Him and his agent need to be more realistic. 

That’s not what I said or anywhere close to it.