Colts GM Chris Ballard refuses to quit on relationship with Jonathan Taylor
Colts general manager Chris Ballard clearly wants to hang on to running back Jonathan Taylor a bit longer. And for whatever ails their relationship — and the relationships between the running back and the rest of Colts brass — Ballard thinks it’s fixable.
On Wednesday, Ballard said he thinks “relationships are reparable” and isn’t going to quit on his with Taylor. The overall note Ballard struck was not one of great confidence that the situation will be fixed in short order, though.
“The situation sucks. It sucks for the Colts, it sucks for Jonathan Taylor, and it sucks for the fans. It’s where we’re at, and we’re gonna work through it,” Ballard said, according to The Athletic’s Zak Keefer.
Ballard added that Taylor is still experiencing some pain in his surgically repaired ankle.
Taylor is beginning the season on the PUP list for the Colts as he pursues a trade, a move the Colts evidently aren’t jazzed to pull off.
The Colts have made clear that any return for Taylor in a trade would require at least a first round draft pick or an equivalent amount of draft capital. While some teams have engaged, so far none have been serious suitors.
It’s also unclear how hurt Taylor is. He returned to training camp in mid-August before taking a leave of absence for a “personal matter” days later.
And now with Taylor on the PUP list to begin the year and sidelined, the trade market for the running back will likely cool until the season is well underway.
At least one team had somewhat serious interest in Taylor in a trade
Many teams were interested in gaining the former Wisconsin star running back, namely the Miami Dolphins, who many believed Taylor would be traded to. However, it’s evident not all the interested parties were brought to light before Indianapolis decided to hold on to Taylor for the time-being, as almost nobody pegged Green Bay as a potential destination.
“The Miami Dolphins weren’t the only team interested in acquiring Jonathan Taylor from the Indianapolis Colts. The Green Bay Packers also were in talks with the Colts and had legitimate interest in trading for the star running back, sources told ESPN,” ESPN’s Stephen Holder wrote. “Indianapolis moved forward after its self-imposed deadline of Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET came and went without receiving what the team deemed an acceptable offer for Taylor, who requested a trade last month and was authorized by the Colts last week to seek out a trade partner.
“But the Packers emerging as a contender remains relevant because Taylor can still be traded, even though he is on the reserve-physically unable to perform list and therefore must miss at least the first four games of the regular season.”