Pro Football Network selected one player from each team that is ‘under the most pressure’ entering the 2024 season. For the Indianapolis Colts, the site chose running back Jonathan Taylor.
“Through camp injuries and having his name attached to the much-publicized running back value controversy, Taylor has remained in Indy. But once again, this season presents a renewed chance to prove Taylor can return to his 2021 form when he broke out for 1,811 yards.”
This is an important year for Taylor after he’s dealt with injuries the last two seasons and appeared in only 21 games during that span.
Although not producing at the level he was at in 2021 during his All-Pro season, Taylor was still effective last season, averaging 4.4 yards per rush and totaling 741 rushing yards with seven scores. This included an impressive 188-yard performance in Week 18 against Houston.
The big contributor that will get Taylor back on track this season is that he is “feeling great” after being healthy all offseason. As Taylor described, when you enter a season banged up, you’re playing catchup the entire year rather than maintaining and trying to progress.
GM Chris Ballard believes that Taylor is in store for a “really big year.”
Also factoring into Taylor’s success will be playing behind an offensive line that is returning all five starters and was one of the better units last season. Added playmaking at receiver with Adonai Mitchell could result in fewer heavy boxes that he has to contend with as well.
Taylor will also be sharing the backfield with Anthony Richardson–the two were only on the field together for two snaps in 2023. That combination will really be able to stress defenses in Shane Steichen’s RPO-heavy offense.
“To have Anthony and JT back there,” said offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, “JT has an extensive history with a lot of success, leading the league in rushing. Now we’ve got Anthony, where a defense, gosh, there may be that mesh on a run play and it’s JT going left and it’s Anthony going right, and as a defense, how do you defend that?
“You have two really explosive players that maybe have a chance to end up with the ball on a run play, how do you defend all that? It is exciting.”
Having Taylor healthy for the entire season will be an important element for the Colts’ offense with a strong run game being a young quarterback’s best friend. When there’s a run game to lean on, it keeps the offense out of predictable, long down-and-distance situations.
Although Taylor just signed a three-year contract extension last October, with how the deal is structured, the Colts can save $10.43 million in cap space next offseason if they were to move on from him.
