INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts' back and forth with star running back Jonathan Taylor has turned into somewhat of a soap opera over the past week. Reports seemingly coming out each day detailing a different layer to this already complicated situation.
While Taylor remains on the PUP list and out of Colts training camp, football presses on.
However, what's next for the Colts and the 24-year-old running back remains to be seen.
Monday featured the fourth practice for the Colts within training camp. Rookie QB Anthony Richardson did not practice after undergoing a minor nasal septum procedure on Sunday—the Colts off day. Colts head coach Shane Steichen said the procedure was to help Richardson breathe better, and the timing of the procedure allowed him to miss the least amount of time possible.
Richardson is expected to be back at practice Tuesday.
As for Taylor, it's hard to not deem this situation as a "distraction". Although Shane Steichen and Colts running back Deon Jackson would disagree.
"It's not really a distraction because it doesn't have anything to do with us," Jackson said. "We're not really worried about that, we're just trying to come in and play ball. That's it."
"My biggest thing is, shoot, I'm here to coach a football team," Steichen said. "That's my job as a head football coach is to coach this football team and go from there. I have to be on it every single day. I have to be on it on the practice field, I have to be on it in the meeting rooms because I expect these guys to be prepared. If I'm not prepared, how do I expect the team to be prepared? So, that's my mindset right now, and that's where I'm at."
A tell-tale sign of a disgruntled football player is body language. Taylor's has been noticeably bad throughout the duration of Colts training camp practices.
Steichen maintains that when Taylor is healthy, he will be out there and a part of this football team.
Jackson says even though Taylor is not on the field right now with his teammates, he's still the same person and teammate off of the field.
"JT has been coming in, he's a good teammate every day. He's in there in meetings, he's out there at practice with us every day. He's helping everybody, he's making sure that everybody's locked in. He's been a good teammate every day. Everybody is just taking advantage of the reps we are getting right now," Jackson said. "Even though he's not out there on the field with us, he's in there in meetings every day. He's in the locker room with us. He's making sure that everybody else is prepared to step up. He knows that at the end of the day, it's a business and the next person up is going to have to step in and contribute. That's just the kind of player that he is. We're all supportive of him, we're all rallying behind him, and we're all just stepping up."
"He's just dealing with something right now," Steichen said in reference to what injury Taylor is actually suffering from right now. "I'm going to refrain from getting into all that. Right now, he's on this football team. When the medical staff clears him, he should be out here."
Zack Moss has been taking the first team reps at running back in Taylor's absence. Adding insult to injury, Moss was escorted off of the field by Colts training staff members on Monday after suffering what appeared to be an arm/wrist injury.
After practice, it was confirmed that Moss suffered a broken arm and will most likely be sidelined for four to six weeks while recovering.
A thin running back room just got thinner. The Colts move forward with four healthy backs featuring Jackson, rookie Evan Hull, Jake Funk and rookie Zavier Scott.
The Colts are scheduled for a practice on Tuesday, Aug. 1 (Salute to Service Day) before an off-day on Wednesday, Aug. 2.