Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - PAYDAY: Indianapolis Colts LOCK UP Jonathan Taylor With Extension

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Indianapolis Colts have locked up their most explosive player throughout his prime. Let's get to it. You are Locked on Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast, part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. All right, welcome to Locked on Colts, part of the Locked on Podcast Network. I am your host, Jake Arthur, the Indianapolis Colts beatwriter for Roundtable Sports. And today we are going over Jonathan. Taylor's brand spanking new to your contract extension, which locks him into the Colts through

Starting point is 00:00:40 28 and essentially brings him to the age of 30, which, as we all know for running backs, is really that fork in the road. Do they continue down the path of longevity, like a Frank Gore or a Derek Henry, someone who's able to play really long, or are the wheels starting to kind of come off? So I think this is kind of a win-win, both for the Colts and Jonathan Taylor. Again, two years, which he's already entering his final year of his contract. He tack two years onto it. It's a $44 million base, up to $47 million, including incentives, with $39 million guaranteed.

Starting point is 00:01:22 It is the largest third contract for a running back in NFL history, and it's also the third biggest running back contract ever. Jonathan Taylor now, one of the most well-paid NFL running backs of all time. throughout his career. His $22 million average per year is now second in the NFL only to Bejohn Robinson, who signed his own contract extension on Tuesday morning, 22 and a half million. So Bejohn, going into his second contract, being one of the biggest young stars in the league, obviously, you know, he's going to kind of get that little leg up there. But obviously, that seems to, his deal seems to have sparked the final stages of talks between the Colts and Taylor.

Starting point is 00:02:05 Taylor previously expressed that he wanted to be a cult for life. And this at least, I think, takes him through his prime of being a cult. We'll see what it looks like here in a couple years when he is about the term 30 years old. But the cult's not taking any chances. This is a win now move, but also move for the future, obviously. And it is a reflection of, you know, kind of what Carly Ursaid Gordon stated recently. Chris Ballard said at the beginning of free agency, that they're not going to make moves or not make moves based on the questionable footing of Chris Ballard and Shane Stike and kind of the main figureheads

Starting point is 00:02:47 with their positions being in limbo. This is a Colts decision, not a, like this is something that impacts the Colts, not impacts Chris Ballard, if that makes sense. The Colts will go on and exist beyond these next couple years, whether this is Chris Ballard's final year or not. So, yeah, the Colts locking in their most vital offensive piece, non-quarterback division. It gives them the flexibility to move on from an aging running back or add another year or two at the end of this thing if he is kind of trending in the Derek Henry, Frank Gore direction. Why do the Colts do something like this when, you know, You know, he's a running back who that's a depreciating asset.

Starting point is 00:03:36 And, you know, historically, he has not made a difference really in whether they make the playoffs or not. My school thought on that is he is weighed heavily towards the games that they actually have won. Try and imagine what the Colts would be like not having Jonathan Taylor, essentially. So all the games they have won since 2020 with him there, he's played a pretty enormous part in it. So they would have been much, much worse off. Yes, they're still looking for another final piece that kind of gets them over the hump into the postseason. But surely they will not have been in the area that they have even gotten to without Jonathan Taylor. Something I'm kind of keeping an eye on.

Starting point is 00:04:21 It doesn't impact anything significantly one way or the other. But Taylor did pass Edron James franchise record for. rushing touchdowns last year. He is now 1,629 yards away from breaking the franchise rushing yards record. So with a huge year this year, which sounds like the Colts might be kind of banking on that, Taylor might be the most accomplished, statistically accomplished running back in Colts franchise history after this whole thing here. So again, this is a very important move for the Colts to make today. You avoid having Taylor get discrars. unto which it never really sounded like he got to that point.

Starting point is 00:05:05 He always sounded very optimistic about this. But you keep your arguably your best player happy. You kind of keep the clouds away of some of these trade rumors that have floated out there throughout the offseason of, you know, Jonathan Taylor is the Colt's biggest trade piece. Not anymore. I mean, financially sure, another team might be willing to take that on. It's not about that. It's more of the commitment from the Colts.

Starting point is 00:05:30 you don't make this move if you have any inkling of potentially trading a guy like that. So Jonathan Taylor is here to stay. Again, locked into 2028. We'll take a look at some of the details of this, whether there's kind of like a rip cord after a season like there is with the Daniel Jones deal. Again, Daniel Jones's deal was two years. John then Taylor's extension is two years. We'll see what it's like.

Starting point is 00:05:54 One of the details come out, dead cap, all those things, where there is cap relief in this. if something were to go wrong. So I think those things are important to note as well when those details do come out. Coming up next, though, guys, we're going to talk about, you know, Jonathan Taylor wasn't the only really important Colts veteran entering the final year of his deal. Here in the second, we're going to talk about who might be next, what's realistic among moves that the Colts might actually make.

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Starting point is 00:08:24 someone who maybe has a little bit of a control freak side to them before I get into something. GameTime helps me know those two things ahead of time. I can buy tickets with a lot more confidence. So take the guesswork out of buying tickets to every type of event with GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account and use code locked on for $20 off of your first purchase. Terms apply. Again, create an account and redeem code, L-O-C-E-D-O-N for $20 off. Download the GameTime app today. All right, welcome back to. to the show, everybody.

Starting point is 00:08:58 Before we move on, don't forget to check out the Every Dare Club for ad-free audio episodes of the show, as well as access to a group chat with other listeners and Zach and myself. Just tap the link in the show notes or go to Lockedoncultz.supercast.com to join in today. All right, so again, just to recap,

Starting point is 00:09:16 Jonathan Taylor taken care of today, two-year contract extension. He already is entering the final year, so that carries him through 2028, to the point where he's about 30 years old, but he is not the only one here that is kind of in flux with their contract situation. Quentin Nelson is obviously the other big one. That is another guy who, like Jonathan Taylor, is going to rank near or at the very tip

Starting point is 00:09:43 top of the salary game there. So Jonathan Taylor now second in the NFL among running backs in average per year. That'll probably get, you know, usurped here shortly once Jamir Gibbs finally gets his deal done but quentin nelson probably will be the highest paid guard when all is set and done he wants to be here uh he sounded far less optimistic than jonathan taylor did though now there's a big caveat that just as a person and how they are with how they speak jonathan taylor's a lot more bubbly than quentin nelson awesome things could be coming right down the pipe and you would never know judging by how quentin talks uh so i do think though

Starting point is 00:10:26 that now that the Colts have Jonathan Taylor out of the way and his deal done, I do think the next focus is on Quentin Nelson. And the Colts normally only do one of these deals per summer. I would be a little surprised if they do another one. But at the same time, it's Quentin Nelson. It's a guy who you know you want with your franchise for the long term. You went ahead and paid one non-essential position in running back now. If we're going by the Colts thinking, you know,

Starting point is 00:10:54 Quentin Nelson is an essential player. they might want to go ahead and get him signed up. So Quentin Nelson, I do think ultimately it's likely that the Colts get something done with him. I just don't know when. Again, it would be a little surprising if they lock up yet another extension this summer because they don't always do multiple ones. But again, at the end of the day, it's Quentin Nelson. We shouldn't be surprised with anything that the Colts want to throw out there regarding him.

Starting point is 00:11:19 Also, Josh Downs, I think it's going to let it ride. uh he his running mate in the receiver room alec pierce bet on himself uh and cashed in mightily uh pierce might have dang near doubled his his annual salary with his performance so uh josh downs that's a guy who i think the colts will probably wait and see um you know does he stay healthy this year does he respond to the uptick and productivity that we're expecting to see from him now that Michael Pittman Jr. is gone. The Colts are, the Colts want to wait and see. So does Josh Downs, I think.

Starting point is 00:11:58 For Downs, you obviously want to bet on yourself and let your value rise for the Colts. You're just going to kind of ride the wave and see how it goes. Could he become more expensive? Absolutely. But could you get him cheaper for something like $10 to $15 million per year? Maybe. We're just going to see how the season goes. Josh Downs is a talented player who's.

Starting point is 00:12:20 you want to be a part of your future. But the price tag could waiver greatly. So I do think there's probably benefits to both sides. In all honesty, his stock is probably going to go up and the Colts are going to wind up having to pay more if they wait. But I think that's just how that one's going to go. DeForest Buckner is another one. This one's obviously trickier.

Starting point is 00:12:44 He's coming back from the neck injury. He's going to be 33 years old by season's end. I don't know about this. one. I absolutely think that Colts are going to wait and see. If Buckner, you know, makes it through the season and everything, then he might just be at the stage of his career where he's signing one-year deals to return, you know, just kind of nickel and diming it for however else long he wants to play. Grover Stewart, kind of the same boat, except without the injuries. He's still physically in good shape. Same age, though, 33 years old. I could see the Colts giving him like a

Starting point is 00:13:20 two-year deal or something by the end of this you don't want to let him leave maybe let him explore for agency because at his age he's probably not going to get a huge deal somewhere else but i do obviously think the colts are going to want to bring him back they still throughout his career he's been here through 2017 they have never been able to find a compliment to him behind him to ultimately replace him with buckner you've got colby wooden who might prove to be really good at a Tommy Wada, Bawaray might prove to be really good. So you could see an avenue there where you've got young guys behind him who can replace him. We don't see that yet with Grover Stewart. They have very unknown guys, Tim Smith and Campbell, who we know far less about them than we do

Starting point is 00:14:04 Colby Wooden and Tommy Adabweary. But we'll see. One, I think the Colts should do any time now. They probably don't really risk losing it much next year because they've kind of been doing these short deals with him. Rigoberto Sanchez. I don't really know why they haven't locked him up to like a long-term deal. Punting is not as volatile as kicking is. And Rigo has been as steady as they come. Over the last two years, he has set new career bests in certain statistics. Two years ago, he put up his best yards per punt. Last year, he put up his best net yards per punt. I also think he had his best mark in punts down inside the opponent's 20 last year. So like Rigo is as good as ever. It's a punter. It's not going to cost you much. I would do that one. I'd give him like a three,

Starting point is 00:14:57 four year deal. What's it going to hurt you to do that? And then whoever wins the kicking competition between Blake Groupie and Spencer Schrader, they are both in the final years of their deal. We got to see who's going to win this kicking competition. Right now it looks like Blake Groupie's got the leg up there. But you never know how things are going to go. I think they're going let it they're going to kind of give spencer schrader the the grace of letting this thing ride out so things could always change but i do think group he probably ultimately wins uh that battle if that happens i think you probably give him like a two-year deal i'd be real iffy with kickers i probably wouldn't give a kicker or anything other than like two years at a time unless it was someone like

Starting point is 00:15:38 a long-term kicker like a giskowski or ven a terry or someone who has a long history of productivity groupie really doesn't yet Schrader doesn't either so I'd probably just give these guys one or two year deals at a time but nonetheless you probably want to go ahead and lock up your kicker you may wait until after the year which I get that

Starting point is 00:15:59 but that is it for us now guys we got practice coming up here in a few hours practice number seven for the Colts it is the evening practice Zach is going to be touching down here in any any time now actually so we will be together bringing you guys all the information that you need thank you

Starting point is 00:16:16 for making Lockdown Colts your first listen of the day. Now, heads up that the Lockdown NFL Top 100 is here. It was voted on by the hosts, the NFL hosts of the Lockdown Podcast Network. Our Top 100 was formed by experts that cover these teams and players every single day. So find the full list on Lockdown Sports Today on YouTube or wherever you get your podcast. Don't miss our reaction show to where the Colts players landed on Friday. If you don't already, follow at Lockdown Colts at Jake Arthur, NFL, and at Zach Hicks, too, on social media.

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Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - PAYDAY: Indianapolis Colts LOCK UP Jonathan Taylor With Extension

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