Report: Colts have minimized Jonathan Taylor’s current interactions with the team

According to ESPN’s Stephen Holder, the Indianapolis Colts have currently minimized disgruntled star running back Jonathan Taylor’s interactions with the team:

“That’s a continuation of how things have played out the past couple of weeks, when (Jonathan) Taylor’s time around the team has been minimized, according to sources, at the request of the team,” Holder writes. “Taylor often departs for the day before the Colts’ midday practices, following his morning ankle rehab sessions.”

When asked, Colts head coach Shane Steichen noted that Taylor was not with his teammates during this past Sunday’s home loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

It appears that some of the recently created distance between the two sides has been at the request of the Colts, who likely don’t want the added off-field distraction that Taylor’s tumultuous relationship with the franchise presently provides—instead indicating a desire to keep the focus on the field, and ultimately trying to win football games this year.

While national reports surfaced over the past weekend that Taylor (ankle) could be ready to play as soon as Week 5—when he’s initially eligible off of PUP, what version of Taylor that is for Indy, and whether it’s even with the Colts still remains to be seen.

For what it’s worth, longtime Colts media member (and insider) Mike Chappell of Fox59/CBS4 doesn’t personally believe that Taylor remains in Indianapolis—being ultimately traded to end this continued contentious saga at some point:

“I still think they trade him,” said Mike Chappell on 107.5 The Fan’s ‘Query & Company’ on Tuesday with local media host Jake Query. “. . . I’ve come to the conclusion in my mind that they are going to get rid of him because the relationship is broken. . . .”

“And Stephen Holder had a note today where we have not seen Taylor, he’s working out at the complex, but then he’s leaving late morning or whatever when he’s done rehabbing, and I think Stephen mentioned that it was at the team’s request.”

“That being the case, that tells you that they don’t want him around, and he certainly doesn’t want to be here. He’s given us every indication. Remember in (training) camp when he left for a week to go work out on his own. That’s never done, never ever done. So I just don’t know how in four weeks, three weeks whatever it would be, you’re essentially an employer making an employee work, who doesn’t want to be here but he’s under contract.”

Time will tell whether this rocky relationship gets mended or is simply well beyond repair.

However, despite recent signs that tensions may be cooling between both sides, it doesn’t look all that promising right now. We should know more in a few weeks when Taylor theoretically is eligible to come off of PUP. Until then, this situation remains entirely fluid.