Jonathan Taylor stepped away from Colts training camp again, this time because of a “personal matter,” the team said Wednesday.
He had just returned to the Colts on Monday after leaving the team to receive additional treatment on his ankle.
The Colts, in a statement on Wednesday, said they had given Taylor permission to leave camp.
“Jonathan Taylor returned to Indianapolis to continue his rehab, however, he had a personal matter arise. He is not currently with the team and his absence is excused,” the team said, according to NFL.com.
Sources told ESPN that the absence was not related to Taylor’s ongoing contract standoff with the Colts, where the two sides have reached an impasse.
The 24-year-old had hoped to work out a contract extension with Indianapolis, but when the team failed to engage in talks, he requested a trade out of town.
Team owner Jim Irsay has made it clear that the Colts would not honor the request.
“We will not trade Jonathan Taylor,” Irsay said. “That is a certainty. Not now or not in October.”
However, the Colts, according to ESPN, have not ruled out the possibility of a new deal for Taylor.
The running back would be a free agent after this season when his rookie contract comes to an end.
Taylor was placed on the physically unable to perform list at the start of camp and hasn’t been on the field since December as he dealt with an ankle injury, which he had surgery for in January.
“That thing had a bunch of junk in there from a bunch of years,” Taylor told NFL.com about the surgery over the winter. “Just finally had to clean it out and make sure I’m good to go. We finally had the time to get it right, make sure I’m 100 percent ready to rock. That’s all you can ask.
“It was a no-brainer. Get that out of the way, so you can focus on maintaining your body and get ready for the season.”
Taylor was the NFL’s leading rusher in 2021 (1,811 yards) and has accumulated 3,841 rushing yards over his three seasons in the league.
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