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

[csmopar]

3 hours ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

He did say he likes the fans here, the city, and his teammates + winning a championship for Indianapolis is important.

He also said he’d play out his contract and let the chips fall where they may

[csmopar]

1 hour ago, Colt.45 said:

 

Right, like I said earlier when you made the comment about 'shocking'... You're closing your mind to how or why someone could see this differently. Certainly not interested in the player's side or logic.

 

So while I won't throw that line back at you, i will say I smell a lot of naivety. Great talk!

 

 

The player signed a contract, they should honor that

[Colt.45]

4 minutes ago, csmopar said:

The player signed a contract, they should honor that

Yup. That's exactly what the player is doing while also rightfully/legally angling wanting a raise. He's playing within the rules so far, he aint Chris Jones-rich just yet and even Jones backed off that talk once the money started squeezing, and like JT he saw that the team was filling his role just fine albeit not at the ELITE level.

 

 

[GoColts8818]

Just now, csmopar said:

The player signed a contract, they should honor that

So do teams, should they honor it when they release a player when it benefits them?  For the record by the letter of his contract Taylor has honored it.  There is nothing in his contract that says he can’t ask for a new one before it up and we see both teams and players do this all the time in the NFL.  Right or wrong he found a way with the “injury” to not be in violation of his contract.  I agree his “injury” was at best questionable but the Colts agreed to play along with it which means rather they bought it or not they accepted it.  
 

I am not going to say he did everything ethically right but let’s not kid ourselves teams don’t either.  I am not saying the Colts did anything ethically wrong in this case, I stand by what I’ve said all along they handled things perfectly, but Taylor and the Colts don’t work in a vaccum they are part of a larger picture.  I think if you ask most players they don’t feel the way running backs contracts are being handled is ethical from their perspective when compared to how other players who excel have their contracts handled.  

 

I do think for the most part we as fans tend to take the Colts side on things and see things from their perspective which makes sense, for the most part we are fans of the Colts first.  However, I do think there is another way to look at this from the player’s perspective that many here don’t want to see or refuse to consider.  It doesn’t mean their side is right all the time but by the same token the teams side isn’t always right either.  I’d go one step further and say I don’t think either side is 100% right the vast majority of the time.  I think for the most part these are complicated issues that aren’t as black and white as we sometimes make them out to be, sometimes there is a lot of gray in there.

[CamMo]

I finally watched the entire presser after only seeing bits and pieces on Twitter today. And my overall take of it was…

The second hand embarrassment I was getting from him laying it on so thick about his “injury” and how he is just SO EXCITED to be healthy again so he can help bring our little ol’ city a championship is just 🙈 dude was liking tweets about how the Colts are holding him hostage a few weeks ago. You don’t have to air it all out but I did expect more genuineness.

 

The part when he said he commended the guys who have to rehab and come back from injury because of how hard it is. Just…come on dude. I think Superman’s use of the word “gaslighting” is actually accurate and warranted.

 

I’ll be very interested in how the media reacts to this tomorrow.

It’s funny how we can all watch the same press conference and get very different feelings from it.

I’m a Colts fan, so at the end of the day if he scores TDs and helps us win, I don’t really care. But woof…

 

[Shepman]

4 hours ago, Colt.45 said:

He said the city deserves a championship and he aims to help them win one. He said its been a health thing and he's back (sneezing out BOOOOLCHAITE). So basically, he said everything you want but the media had many more detailed questions and he was never going to be able to answer without deflecting or being recalcitrant like Marshawn would have been, and JT chose to deflect instead.

 

Also why would he commit to a long term relationship when the Colts are not saying or doing that?

 

I really feel bad for the fanbase. This was a fan fave who seemingly went rogue out of the blue. In truth his villain act started when he watched how things went with Marlon Mack and got to understand firsthand how fungible his professional career was. I dont agree with JTs strategy but totally understand it. Bitter reminder that loyalty isnt a thing....if circumstances align then loyalty is bandied around. Fans though, we stay loyal....it's our curse.

The commit part was part of my point as he can't commit to the team outside of this year without commitment from the Colts 

[colts89]

Just a quick reminder that the best player currently on the Indianapolis Colts (if healthy) might actually play this weekend. Pretty exciting stuff!

[throwing BBZ]

57 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

So do teams, should they honor it when they release a player when it benefits them?  For the record by the letter of his contract Taylor has honored it.  There is nothing in his contract that says he can’t ask for a new one before it up and we see both teams and players do this all the time in the NFL.  Right or wrong he found a way with the “injury” to not be in violation of his contract.  I agree his “injury” was at best questionable but the Colts agreed to play along with it which means rather they bought it or not they accepted it.  
 

I am not going to say he did everything ethically right but let’s not kid ourselves teams don’t either.  I am not saying the Colts did anything ethically wrong in this case, I stand by what I’ve said all along they handled things perfectly, but Taylor and the Colts don’t work in a vaccum they are part of a larger picture.  I think if you ask most players they don’t feel the way running backs contracts are being handled is ethical from their perspective when compared to how other players who excel have their contracts handled.  

 

I do think for the most part we as fans tend to take the Colts side on things and see things from their perspective which makes sense, for the most part we are fans of the Colts first.  However, I do think there is another way to look at this from the player’s perspective that many here don’t want to see or refuse to consider.  It doesn’t mean their side is right all the time but by the same token the teams side isn’t always right either.  I’d go one step further and say I don’t think either side is 100% right the vast majority of the time.  I think for the most part these are complicated issues that aren’t as black and white as we sometimes make them out to be, sometimes there is a lot of gray in there.

 

 I believe it couldn't be clearer that different positions have different pay scales. And the evidence is very clear that RB's value to winning a SB is going down. Is this a Grey area. Not at all. 

 I will be closely watching his blocking and receiving under this regime.

[GoColts8818]

29 minutes ago, colts89 said:

Just a quick reminder that the best player currently on the Indianapolis Colts (if healthy) might actually play this weekend. Pretty exciting stuff!

Yeah I hope Buckner plays Sunday too.

[BProland85]

13 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

Yeah I hope Buckner plays Sunday too.

It’s huge if the Colts are missing Buckner or Stewart. They need to dominant the poor Titans OL and get to Henry before he picks up steam. 

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 hour ago, CamMo said:

I finally watched the entire presser after only seeing bits and pieces on Twitter today. And my overall take of it was…

The second hand embarrassment I was getting from him laying it on so thick about his “injury” and how he is just SO EXCITED to be healthy again so he can help bring our little ol’ city a championship is just 🙈 dude was liking tweets about how the Colts are holding him hostage a few weeks ago. You don’t have to air it all out but I did expect more genuineness.

 

The part when he said he commended the guys who have to rehab and come back from injury because of how hard it is. Just…come on dude. I think Superman’s use of the word “gaslighting” is actually accurate and warranted.

 

I’ll be very interested in how the media reacts to this tomorrow.

It’s funny how we can all watch the same press conference and get very different feelings from it.

I’m a Colts fan, so at the end of the day if he scores TDs and helps us win, I don’t really care. But woof…

 

My point earlier, as long as he plays great and helps us win, I don't care how he sounds to some. The Patriots cheated for 20 years and nobody cares outside of us and probably Pittsburgh because it affected how many Championships we won and Pitt won, nobody cares because the Patriots 6 Championships stand in the books with no ASTERICK by it.

 

It isn't like JT is a criminal or did anything bad, he just wants to be paid for being a top 3 RB in the league. It is not only a sport, but also a business. If he gets severely injured tomorrow, the league isn't going to take care of him or are the fans. It is not like he has made 30 million dollars and squandered it away, that would be on him.

[chickenMan]

49 minutes ago, colts89 said:

Just a quick reminder that the best player currently on the Indianapolis Colts (if healthy) might actually play this weekend. Pretty exciting stuff!

Yeah, why wouldn't he be? AR got over his concussion last week!

 

Just kidding, of course.

 

In all seriousness, I would wager that JT will play as much as he can and to the best of his ability, and then find the highest offer in free agency, which absolutely won't be us. I love JT, I think he's the best running back we've had since Edge, and he may be the best running back in the league, but no running back is worth the premium in today's day and age, not when quarterbacks make as much as they do (just look at how much Mahomes and Burrow are making....we're gonna have to pay AR that eventually). Ballard knows he can't spend that kind of money on a position like that. I hate the business side of the NFL, but it is what it is. Could always be worse, could be like the NBA, where players are constantly ditching the Pacers simply because they don't want to play in Indiana...

[CamMo]

6 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

My point earlier, as long as he plays great and helps us win, I don't care how he sounds to some. The Patriots cheated for 20 years and nobody cares outside of us and probably Pittsburgh because it affected how many Championships we won and Pitt won, nobody cares because the Patriots 6 Championships stand in the books with no ASTERICK by it.

 

It isn't like JT is a criminal or did anything bad, he just wants to be paid for being a top 3 RB in the league. It is not only a sport, but also a business. If he gets severely injured tomorrow, the league isn't going to take care of him or are the fans. It is not like he has made 30 million dollars and squandered it away, that would be on him.

I’ll be cheering as loud as anyone if he scores a TD on Sunday. Or ya know, whenever he plays….

[Hoose]

31 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

Yeah I hope Buckner plays Sunday too.

I agree. Buck is the Colts’ best player. And they’ll need him Sunday to win. 

[2006Coltsbestever]

3 minutes ago, CamMo said:

I’ll be cheering as loud as anyone if he scores a TD on Sunday. Or ya know, whenever he plays….

I get why some are upset with him with holding out, I was upset with it, I didn't think his presser was all that good but it wasn't bad either. Everyone on planet earth has told a lie at 1 time or another. Whether he is liar or not, doesn't matter as long as plays great on the field. Bill and Tom lied for 20 years and everyone knows it and so does the media but yet they are regarded the GOAT's.

[ShuteAt168]

4 hours ago, Colt.45 said:

 

Ballard gave a press conference, acted professionally, said all the right things, said he loves the player and all that jazz about how the situation stinks as if he aint the guy responsible for it. If you're holding Taylor responsible for deflecting the direct questions about the situation then why shouldn't the person responsible for the situation held to an even firmer standard? Chris Ballard did not answer questions about franchise tagging, didnt directly answer questions about why this star player was not getting paid. We all know the line about four games was nonsense, and we know the line about new coach and system is also a deflection. 

 

For me, I got the same from both. They're both acting in their interest. I expect JT to be traded if a good offer comes in. If it doesnt, then we see where it all goes. Either way, Ballard has not answered anything about the conditions for keeping the player long term AND paying him - if he has show those answers to me, everything else is carefully worded deflection. Irsay's CBA comments simply put stuff out there in public and inflamed the situation but that comment shows everything. Hold the Colts and Ballard to THAT and the direct payment questions not all this other stuff. Nice words are nice when you hold the winning hand.

 

This seems straightforward. The player wants to get paid, the Colts have given no answer or guarantee on that yet the one who's being asked for guarantees is the player.

Deflection is deflection. Did Ballard answer any direct questions? Did you leave his press conference thinking he was a guy who would definitely pay the player and meet the player's needs? Nah, he deflected. His stance is correct, he shouldn't pay a RB big money but he isnt coming out and saying that though, is he?  

JT has done same, albeit less eloquently and convincingly. Again, losing hand. 

Agree mostly and well said. I think Ballard struck the more appropriate tone — a serious and disappointed attitude. JT acted like everyone was gathered and paying attention in order to celebrate his health and return from injury. Like, “yay me, isn’t it great I’m back!” He looked foolish to me when he dodged the questions with a non-related answer. It makes sense since Ballard is supposed to be a public communicator but you can’t read an article about JT without hearing how smart he supposedly is so I expected him to comport himself better. 

[AKB]

2 hours ago, GoColts8818 said:

My thoughts too unless he’s tagged in which case we may go through all this again en t year.

hopefully not, but cant blame the team for using every tool at their disposal. at the end of the day the organization is more important than any individual player

[2006Coltsbestever]

9 minutes ago, AKB said:

hopefully not, but cant blame the team for using every tool at their disposal. at the end of the day the organization is more important than any individual player

It isn't about 1 player I agree 100% but you need very good/great players to win and when healthy Taylor is great. 

[2006Coltsbestever]

What some don't realize is, we could get away with letting Edge James go because we had Peyton, Reggie, and Marvin. We don't have that luxury now. 

[AKB]

26 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

It isn't about 1 player I agree 100% but you need very good/great players to win and when healthy Taylor is great. 

yeah but if he doesn't wanna be on the team then u gotta let him move on 

[Nickster]

8 hours ago, Superman said:

 

To the bolded, I don't understand how you could possibly see it this way. From the opening two minutes of each presser, they're totally different.

 

JT: [walks up to the podium and looks around, waiting for someone to talk, takes a sip of water] 

Q: 'JT, I guess I'll start, do you want to be a Colt?'

JT: 'First of all, it feels good to be healthy...' [30 seconds of talking about being healthy, never addressing the question that was asked]

 

So if you wanted that to be the first thing out of your mouth, why'd you stand up there and not say anything, when everyone was giving you the opportunity to make your opening remark?

 

In contrast, Ballard's presser.

 

Ballard: [about a minute of standard stuff about the roster, and then...] 'All right, now let's address the elephant.... It sucks for the Colts, for the fans, and for Jonathan.... We're going to work through it and try to repair the relationship.... Did we give him permission to seek a trade, yes we did.... I'm not just going to let him walk out of the building, I'm going to do what's right for the Colts.... 

 

How is this the same approach in your mind? Or what about when asked if they could have done something differently?

 

Ballard

Q: 'Do you think you could have done more to resolve this?'

Ballard: 'I feel like I've been honest with him.... I'm sure both sides would have done some things differently.'

 

JT

Q: 'If you could do it all over again, would you change anything?'

JT: 'Everything I've done to get healthy I would do the exact same.' [proceeds to ignore the questioner trying to clarify the question while giving an answer that everyone in the room knows is off topic]

 

I could keep going... But we're probably never going to agree on this, and that's fine. But I don't think it's because I'm closed minded, or because I had improper expectations. 

He’s gonna be president some day lol.

[2006Coltsbestever]

9 hours ago, Superman said:

 

To the bolded, I don't understand how you could possibly see it this way. From the opening two minutes of each presser, they're totally different.

 

JT: [walks up to the podium and looks around, waiting for someone to talk, takes a sip of water] 

Q: 'JT, I guess I'll start, do you want to be a Colt?'

JT: 'First of all, it feels good to be healthy...' [30 seconds of talking about being healthy, never addressing the question that was asked]

 

So if you wanted that to be the first thing out of your mouth, why'd you stand up there and not say anything, when everyone was giving you the opportunity to make your opening remark?

 

In contrast, Ballard's presser.

 

Ballard: [about a minute of standard stuff about the roster, and then...] 'All right, now let's address the elephant.... It sucks for the Colts, for the fans, and for Jonathan.... We're going to work through it and try to repair the relationship.... Did we give him permission to seek a trade, yes we did.... I'm not just going to let him walk out of the building, I'm going to do what's right for the Colts.... 

 

How is this the same approach in your mind? Or what about when asked if they could have done something differently?

 

Ballard

Q: 'Do you think you could have done more to resolve this?'

Ballard: 'I feel like I've been honest with him.... I'm sure both sides would have done some things differently.'

 

JT

Q: 'If you could do it all over again, would you change anything?'

JT: 'Everything I've done to get healthy I would do the exact same.' [proceeds to ignore the questioner trying to clarify the question while giving an answer that everyone in the room knows is off topic]

 

I could keep going... But we're probably never going to agree on this, and that's fine. But I don't think it's because I'm closed minded, or because I had improper expectations. 

Good read and you read people well like me. With this situation it is a bit different and why JT and Ballard have kept this in house as much as possible. Everything either one of them say will be nitpicked and they know it. No matter what they say, they can't win the fans unless of course, JT says - he wants to be a Colt for life and Ballard says we have a great contract ready for him. Outside of that, nobody is going to walk away being happy with this. It really doesn't bother me as long as JT plays good, especially great and we win. I am not worried about next year, we will cross that bridge when it comes. 

[coltsfan_canada]

I like the OP ID and the post

 

Problem Child

 

[1959Colts]

 

Doyel: Colts RB Jonathan Taylor doesn't want to be here anymore and all but said it

 

https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/columnists/gregg-doyel/2023/10/05/rb-jonathan-taylor-doesnt-want-to-play-for-indianapolis-colts-anymore/71070258007/?utm_source=indystar-dailybriefing-strada&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailybriefing-headline-stack&utm_term=Content List - Stacking - optimized&utm_content=pind-indianapolis-nletter65

[masterlock]

19 hours ago, Matabix said:

I couldn't finish it. Dude was being attacked. Hopefully he can finish out the season, get a new contract. 

It was uncomfortable, that's for sure. But he wasn't under attack. The media's job is to elicit the truth by asking the right questions. That's just them doing their job. 

[ADnum1]

JT will want to be here if he gets PAID !!!

 

[iuswingman]

12 hours ago, GoColts8818 said:

So do teams, should they honor it when they release a player when it benefits them?  For the record by the letter of his contract Taylor has honored it.  There is nothing in his contract that says he can’t ask for a new one before it up and we see both teams and players do this all the time in the NFL.  Right or wrong he found a way with the “injury” to not be in violation of his contract.  I agree his “injury” was at best questionable but the Colts agreed to play along with it which means rather they bought it or not they accepted it.  
 

I am not going to say he did everything ethically right but let’s not kid ourselves teams don’t either.  I am not saying the Colts did anything ethically wrong in this case, I stand by what I’ve said all along they handled things perfectly, but Taylor and the Colts don’t work in a vaccum they are part of a larger picture.  I think if you ask most players they don’t feel the way running backs contracts are being handled is ethical from their perspective when compared to how other players who excel have their contracts handled.  

 

I do think for the most part we as fans tend to take the Colts side on things and see things from their perspective which makes sense, for the most part we are fans of the Colts first.  However, I do think there is another way to look at this from the player’s perspective that many here don’t want to see or refuse to consider.  It doesn’t mean their side is right all the time but by the same token the teams side isn’t always right either.  I’d go one step further and say I don’t think either side is 100% right the vast majority of the time.  I think for the most part these are complicated issues that aren’t as black and white as we sometimes make them out to be, sometimes there is a lot of gray in there.

 

If the contract says a player can be terminated early, then terminating them early is still honoring the contract.   

 

People say Taylor isn't honoring the contract because he appeared to be faking an injury.  That is definitely a violation of the contract and I bet the Colts aren't fighting against that because they are still holding out hope of salvaging the relationship with Taylor.

[DougDew]

12 hours ago, Colt.45 said:

Yup. That's exactly what the player is doing while also rightfully/legally angling wanting a raise. He's playing within the rules so far, he aint Chris Jones-rich just yet and even Jones backed off that talk once the money started squeezing, and like JT he saw that the team was filling his role just fine albeit not at the ELITE level.

 

 

Yep.  The NFL allows players to claim to have an injury, without doctors corroboration, AFAIK.  Luck did the same thing.  If its not written in the rules, NFL teams have set precedents by not requiring a doctor's note.  What JT did with the ankle is within the rules.  The Colts put him on PUP, and the rules require him to come off now.

 

I assume that if he gets "injured" the first game he gets in, the team will abide by whatever processes there are. 

 

What we actually think might really be going on is just speculation

[iuswingman]

11 hours ago, chickenMan said:

Yeah, why wouldn't he be? AR got over his concussion last week!

 

Just kidding, of course.

 

In all seriousness, I would wager that JT will play as much as he can and to the best of his ability, and then find the highest offer in free agency, which absolutely won't be us. I love JT, I think he's the best running back we've had since Edge, and he may be the best running back in the league, but no running back is worth the premium in today's day and age, not when quarterbacks make as much as they do (just look at how much Mahomes and Burrow are making....we're gonna have to pay AR that eventually). Ballard knows he can't spend that kind of money on a position like that. I hate the business side of the NFL, but it is what it is. Could always be worse, could be like the NBA, where players are constantly ditching the Pacers simply because they don't want to play in Indiana...

 

Probably a good bet.  We didn't keep Faulk, we didn't keep Edge... we were ahead of the game in the area of not paying to keep RBs.

 

Other than Gore, have we had much in the way of starting RBs in their upper 20s or 30s?  Edge was 27 in his last year as a Colt so guess that is borderline.

[MikeCurtis]

Just a thought.......

 

Have any of us, wanted to quit our job, but stayed, because the timing for another employer or another offer wasn't right?

 

I bet you went back to work and did your best, at your current job.......

 

My hope is that this is what is happening with JT.

 

For myself, the good Lord brought me to the current job, and will open another job up, if wants me to do something else.....

 

 

 

[GoColts8818]

20 minutes ago, iuswingman said:

 

If the contract says a player can be terminated early, then terminating them early is still honoring the contract.   

 

People say Taylor isn't honoring the contract because he appeared to be faking an injury.  That is definitely a violation of the contract and I bet the Colts aren't fighting against that because they are still holding out hope of salvaging the relationship with Taylor.

Actually contacts don’t say that, that’s CBA rules that allow that. They have standard language that says they can be cut for just cause and what not.  It’s very unusual for a NFL contract to have a clause that allows for a flat out say you can release this guy without just cause by this date, like the Peyton Manning situation.  
 

I’ve conceded that Taylor probably faked his injury but rather he did or didn’t became irrelevant in regards to his contract when the Colts decided to go along with it and not challenge him on it.  Thus, ethical or not, he’s in compliance with his contract.  I understand why the Colts decided to go along with it but it doesn’t change the fact he has violated his contract because the Colts choose to “believe” him about his injury.

 

I fully agree Taylor probably hasn’t acted in the most ethical way here but like I said teams don’t always either and while that doesn’t make either side okay to do it, it does cause the other side to feel it’s okay to do it.  

[GoColts8818]

13 minutes ago, MikeCurtis said:

Just a thought.......

 

Have any of us, wanted to quit our job, but stayed, because the timing for another employer or another offer wasn't right?

 

I bet you went back to work and did your best, at your current job.......

 

My hope is that this is what is happening with JT.

 

For myself, the good Lord brought me to the current job, and will open another job up, if wants me to do something else.....

 

 

 

The thing is Taylor doesn’t have another job offer and if he doesn’t perform well teams are going to question if he’s the same player he was and lower any offer he would get and we already know running backs get smaller offers to start with.  So his only chance to get the contract he wants is to play well.

[GoColts8818]

37 minutes ago, iuswingman said:

 

Probably a good bet.  We didn't keep Faulk, we didn't keep Edge... we were ahead of the game in the area of not paying to keep RBs.

 

Other than Gore, have we had much in the way of starting RBs in their upper 20s or 30s?  Edge was 27 in his last year as a Colt so guess that is borderline.

Faulk and Edge were also under Polian and not Chris Ballard.  Worth noting Polian also gave Addai a multi year second contract that was forgotten because he was released as part of the post Peyton purge by Grigson.  
 

Gore, a Grigson signing, is proof different GMs can see the world differently and do different things.

 

Ballard is an unknown when it comes to older backs, other than he did say you pay good players regardless of position.

 

The only thing we can draw from the Faulk trade and the Edge release is that Irsay is fine with letting big name backs go.  However, he did that based on what his GM told him was best for the team going forward.  While Irsay is involved in decisions it’s very rare for him to overrule his GM.  So this will most likely come down to what Ballard wants to do and I don’t think we know yet.

[GoColts8818]

10 hours ago, AKB said:

yeah but if he doesn't wanna be on the team then u gotta let him move on 

Yeah but you don’t have to do it for free.  I thought Ballard saying the franchise tag is a tool was interesting.  Yes it can be a tool for negotiations but it can also be a tool to ensure you can trade a star player and not lose him for nothing.  If the Colts tag him and Taylor does a full blown hold out at that point I could easily see the Colts trading him then under the tag.

[w87r]

5 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

Edge were also under Polian

Edge signed a 7yr rookie deal though.  That is almost a full 2 contracts now.

 

[GoColts8818]

3 minutes ago, w87r said:

Edge signed a 7yr rookie deal though.  That is almost a full 2 contracts now.

 

Yes it is and a good point but wasn’t exactly what I was going for.  I will add the Colts also tagged Edge for a year before letting him walk.  
 

As for Taylor he’s 24.  He’s not exactly an old man.  You could give him a four contract and him still not have hit the age of 30 when it runs out.  So extending him, especially for a team like the Colts that wants to run the ball first (and doubled down on that with drafting Richardson who is a runner), probably isn’t out of the question.

[MikeCurtis]

45 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

The thing is Taylor doesn’t have another job offer and if he doesn’t perform well teams are going to question if he’s the same player he was and lower any offer he would get and we already know running backs get smaller offers to start with.  So his only chance to get the contract he wants is to play well.

agreed

 

 

[Shepman]

12 hours ago, chickenMan said:

Yeah, why wouldn't he be? AR got over his concussion last week!

 

Just kidding, of course.

 

In all seriousness, I would wager that JT will play as much as he can and to the best of his ability, and then find the highest offer in free agency, which absolutely won't be us. I love JT, I think he's the best running back we've had since Edge, and he may be the best running back in the league, but no running back is worth the premium in today's day and age, not when quarterbacks make as much as they do (just look at how much Mahomes and Burrow are making....we're gonna have to pay AR that eventually). Ballard knows he can't spend that kind of money on a position like that. I hate the business side of the NFL, but it is what it is. Could always be worse, could be like the NBA, where players are constantly ditching the Pacers simply because they don't want to play in Indiana...

Colts can always place a transition tag or franchise tag on him if they want to keep him and can't get a deal done.  The best way to go may be the Transition tag letting JT and his Agent do all the work.

[Btown_Colt]

15 hours ago, John Waylon said:

I wasn’t singling you out, that has been a theme in the thread throughout the day and I just feel it’s a bit misguided. 
 

His availability was going to be required. He fulfilled that requirement today.

 

I don’t think it’s something he enjoyed or was particularly looking forward to, and so he just got it out of the way instead of letting it hang over him until it actually was required.

 

Now he can get back to practice and get ready to go. He can fully focus on that until his next required availability. 

Understood it was going to eventually happen. I was waiting to hear from him. Just thinking if he could have possibly waited until after he played, then it could have been easier to evade some of the questions? Maybe not. 
 

I’m just a little disappointed in what I’m seeing from JT the person & the way he has handled some of this. But after thinking on it some more, I’m probably  being a little hard on a 20 some year old kid too. It’s a tough spot to be in for sure.

 

JT the player, I hope I get to see him on the field Sunday and hope he gets his payday.

[Btown_Colt]

15 hours ago, TaylorStillTruckedYou said:

Hm... that's an interesting look on this.  Other than him sidestepping the question on wanting to stay a Colt, I saw nothing wrong with the interview.  Let's keep in mind that we don't know if there were any PR work being done behind the curtains from the Colts.  If the team as a whole continue to positively progress forward together, then I see nothing wrong with anything in this interview.  

 

But seems we are looking at it two different ways, so I'll respect your stance. 

Well I think he side stepped a lot of questions & flat out ignored others. Which is ok, just didn’t care for his method of doing it.

 

I just felt he could have come across more professional and sincere. That’s all.