Jonathan Taylor Downplays Severity of Ankle Injury, Status TBD for Colts vs. Jaguars

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor isn't expected to practice Thursday but remains optimistic that his ankle sprain isn't too serious.

He and the team have yet to finalize his status for Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport first reported on Monday that Taylor was dealing with a sprained ankle and might be out of action for a time, though he avoided a more serious injury.

The 25-year-old battled persistent ankle trouble throughout the 2022 season, which necessitated surgery after the year concluded. His recovery from the procedure extended into the start of the following season and he missed the first four games.

As shown earlier in Taylor's career, high ankle sprains often keep a player off the field for multiple weeks and extending to a month or more.

While it's good news if the 2021 All-Pro isn't sidelined for that long, a recurrence of his ankle issues is concerning. The injury potentially disrupts what has been a strong start as well. Taylor has run for 349 yards and four touchdowns through two games.

The Colts are probably drawing up contingency plans for Sunday if their starting running back remains an uncertainty to this point.

Trey Sermon is the backup in Indy's unofficial depth chart, but he has carried the ball just nine times so far. Third-stringer Tyler Goodson has yet to register a carry period.

Especially with quarterback Anthony Richardson (hip) limited in practice, it could be tough sledding for the offense if Taylor is out.