Report: Colts’ Jonathan Taylor takes excused absence from training camp to attend to personal matter

According to ESPN’s Stephen Holder, Indianapolis Colts star running back Jonathan Taylor has left training camp again. This time, Taylor is attending to a personal matter that is unrelated to his ongoing contract status—with permission already granted from the team:

“The team, in a statement Wednesday, said Taylor has left camp to attend to a personal matter with permission from the club,” Holder writes.

“Multiple sources told ESPN the current absence is not related to Taylor’s contract status. The All-Pro running back has been in a contract standoff with the Colts.”

“Taylor returned this week, as expected, but ‘had a personal matter arise,’ according to the Colts.”

“‘He is not currently with the team and his absence is excused,’ the team’s statement read.”

At face value, there doesn’t appear to be any disingenuous intent by Taylor and/or his representation to further distance himself from the team—in the hopes of better facilitating a trade elsewhere.

Specifically, Holder reports the excused personal absence appears to be legitimate:

Right now, the timing appears to be purely coincidental, given the current contentious contract standoff between Taylor and the Colts (although their fractured relationship has at least slightly improved as of late publicly).

It’ll be interesting to see what happens next in the continued Taylor-Colts saga.

Colts general manager Chris Ballard recently indicated on Tuesday that Taylor has to get fully healthy first and foremost, and the next domino will likely fall from there.