Jonathan Taylor: It Won't Be a 'Distraction' If No New Colts Contract Before Season

Indianapolis Colts star Jonathan Taylor doesn't expect his contract status to cause any issues if he and the team don't have a long-term agreement in place before the 2023 season starts.

The 2020 second-round pick is entering the final year of his rookie deal and will hit free agency in 2024. He said Wednesday the absence of an extension shouldn't present a distraction:

Through his first two seasons, Taylor looked prime to get a multiyear contract sooner or later—one that provided long-term security regardless of whether it reset the market. Then the 2022 season happened.

The 2021 All-Pro ran for 861 yards and four touchdowns and caught 28 passes for 143 yards in 11 games. He played through an ankle injury and eventually underwent surgery in January.

Taylor could play hardball with the Colts and hold out in pursuit of a new contract. Ezekiel Elliott deployed that strategy in 2019, and the Dallas Cowboys finally acceded to his demands.

Of course, Elliott was subsequently a prime example of why paying your running back top dollar can prove to be a bad investment. Partly because of that, it feels like the market is tightening even further with the position.

Saquon Barkley was once again a Pro Bowler and finished third in the Comeback Player of the Year voting in 2022. All that earned him from the New York Giants was the franchise tag.

Miles Sanders' four-year, $25 million pact with the Carolina Panthers is the biggest deal handed out to a running back so far.

Taylor's ankle injury couldn't come at a worse time because it provided the Colts with a compelling reason to let him play out his rookie contract and go from there. They'll have the franchise tag in their back pocket and a strong buyer's market for running backs.

If Taylor returns to an elite level in 2023, perhaps he'll get a big pay next offseason. But even then, his leverage could be limited.