Jonathan Taylor was ‘frustrated’ with contract situation on Zoom call with Austin Ekeler and other RBs ahead of game season

Jonathan Taylor has signed a 3-year-long, $42 million contract extension with the Colts.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor had reportedly been unhappy with his contract situation ahead of the 2023 NFL season.

According to ESPN, Taylor was one of several star running backs who took part in a Zoom meeting organized by Austin Ekeler of the Los Angeles Chargers. During the meeting, the running backs discussed the suppressed market for their position and exchanged ideas for potential solutions.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Taylor had appeared “visibly frustrated” about his contract during the meeting.

At that time, the 24-year-old Taylor was entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract for the 2023 season, with a base salary of $4.3 million.

Also Read: Jonathan Taylor signs three year long, $42 million contract extension with Colts

Taylor’s contract had an average annual value of approximately $1.95 million, ranking him 40th among all running backs, according to Spotrac.

This contract did not align with Taylor’s performance, as he was only two seasons removed from an outstanding campaign in which he led the league in rushing yardage, rushing touchdowns, total yards from scrimmage, and total touchdowns.

Following a remarkable collegiate career at Wisconsin, Taylor burst onto the NFL scene as a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft, amassing 1,169 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns as a rookie.

In the subsequent season, Taylor elevated his game by rushing for 1,811 yards and 18 touchdowns while averaging 5.5 yards per carry. He also contributed as a receiver with 40 receptions for 360 yards and two scores, earning him second place in the NFL Offensive Player of the Year voting.

Expectations were high for Taylor entering the 2022 season, but ankle injuries limited him to just six games, and he played many of those games at less than 100% health.

Consequently, Taylor recorded a career-low 861 rushing yards and four touchdowns that season. Despite the challenges, his yards per carry average remained strong at 4.5.

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Taylor faced a challenging situation, as he needed a standout season to potentially secure a significant contract extension. However, even an outstanding performance might not have been sufficient, as other star running backs like Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs were also tagged and not signed to long-term deals.