Colts excuse Jonathan Taylor for personal matter amid RB's contract standoff

Jonathan Taylor is once again away from Indianapolis Colts training camp — but for reasons reportedly separate from his contract standoff with the team.

The Colts announced that Taylor was excused from the team due to a personal matter, via NFL Network's Mike Garafolo:

“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.”

Per ESPN, the absence is not related to Taylor's contract status.

Taylor reported to training camp July 25 and requested a trade four days later after a meeting with Colts owner Jim Irsay. Taylor is eligible for a contract extension as a third-year player, but Irsay and the Colts have declined to discuss one with him.

The situation hasn't exactly improved since then, with the Colts reportedly considering withholding Taylor's entire 2023 salary by placing him on the non-football injury list, Taylor's agent Malki Kawa saying he doesn't believe the relationship can be salvaged, Taylor's backup, Zack Moss, breaking his arm and Irsay describing everyone involved as grist in the temporal mill of the NFL.

Taylor has spent this entire time rehabbing an ankle injury after undergoing surgery in January, landing on the PUP list and returning to camp Monday.

There are more than three weeks remaining until the Colts' season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 10. If Taylor isn't read to suit up by then or decides not to, the Colts will likely feature a running back group headlined by Deon Jackson and the recently signed Kenyan Drake.