Jonathan Taylor agrees $44M Colts deal

Jonathan Taylor and the Indianapolis Colts agreed to a two-year, $44 million contract extension on Thursday, according to ESPN, NFL Network and other outlets. The deal has a maximum value of $47 million and includes $39 million guaranteed, the reports said. The agreement keeps Taylor under contract through the 2028 season after he entered 2026 in the final year of his previous extension. The move was reported as the NFL's 2026 preseason opened with the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. ### How big is the new deal? The two-year pact averages $22 million per season, based on the reported $44 million base value. ESPN reported Taylor's agent told Adam Schefter and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport that the contract carries $39 million in guarantees and can rise to $47 million with incentives. CBS Sports said the agreement makes Taylor the second-highest-paid running back in the league by average annual value. Spotrac listed the contract on Thursday as a two-year, $44 million extension with a $15 million signing bonus and $39 million guaranteed. Spotrac said the new agreement gives Taylor an average annual salary of $22 million. ### Why was Taylor negotiating now? Taylor, 27, was entering the final year of the three-year, $42 million extension he signed with Indianapolis in 2023. (espn.com) Spotrac showed he had been scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2026 season under that earlier deal. USA Today and IndyStar both reported the new extension now runs through the 2028 season. (spotrac.com) The timing also lands in a busy stretch for the running back market. CBS Sports reported Taylor's extension came two days after Falcons running back Bijan Robinson agreed to a record-setting extension, while NFL.com said several top backs entered training camp seeking new deals. ### What did Taylor do to earn it? (spotrac.com) Taylor scored an NFL-high 20 touchdowns last season, UPI reported. The former Wisconsin back has remained the centerpiece of Indianapolis' offense when healthy, and his production gave the Colts a proven lead runner heading into the season. The Colts selected Taylor in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft with the 41st overall pick, according to Spotrac's player page. (cbssports.com) He is now on his third contract with Indianapolis, according to MSN's summary of the agreement. ### What does this mean for the Colts' roster? Indianapolis secured one of its top offensive players before the preseason schedule fully begins. (upi.com) IndyStar reported the extension removes uncertainty around Taylor's future and keeps him tied to the franchise for the next three seasons, including 2026. (spotrac.com) The deal also gives the Colts cost certainty at a premium position in their offense. Spotrac showed Taylor had been due a 2026 cap hit of more than $15.5 million under his prior contract, though full cap treatment of the extension was not immediately detailed in the reports reviewed. ### What comes next before the games start to count? (indystar.com) The Hall of Fame Game between the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers was scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Thursday in Canton, Ohio, marking the start of the 2026 preseason, according to Yahoo Sports and NBC. Taylor's agreement was reported hours before that opener as Indianapolis continued training camp preparations with its top running back now signed through 2028. (cbssports.com) (spotrac.com)