The Indianapolis Colts are under new management with Shane Steichen coming over from the Philadelphia Eagles. After spending two seasons as their offensive coordinator, he will be taking over the head coach position in Indianapolis.
It will be interesting to see how different the offense looks under his watch than in previous seasons with Frank Reich as head coach. But, as always, the key component to this offense getting on track will be finding a quarterback. Until that happens, Steichen will be lucky to replicate the success that Reich had during his tenure as head coach.
Another thing that people will keep an eye on is how Steichen uses running back Jonathan Taylor. Taylor was the best running back in the NFL during the 2021 season when he led the league with 332 carries, 1,811 yards and 18 touchdowns.
It was a truly dominant performance as Taylor looked like the centerpiece of this offense for years to come. Unfortunately, he was unable to replicate that success in 2022 as he struggled with injuries, appearing in only 11 games and not being anywhere near as effective.
Heading into the final season of his rookie contract, the Wisconsin product will look to get things back on track to set himself up for a nice payday in free agency in 2024. However, that chance may come with another franchise.
Connor Orr of Sports Illustrated made some bold predictions for the 2023 NFL season. The one he made for the Colts was that Taylor will be traded at some point during the year.
“This isn’t necessarily a bold take. They’ll have a new offensive philosophy and will need to start long-term planning around a running game that potentially suits a different back. Taylor is hitting free agency next year and, like Christian McCaffrey with the Panthers in 2022, can only do so much for the franchise before it’s senseless to hold onto him without recouping value.”
With a few other holes on the roster, it would make sense for the Colts to explore trading Taylor. Paying a running back top dollar has not been a recipe for success in recent seasons. The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, for example, both had backfields led by players on rookie contracts.
If Taylor can stay healthy in 2023, he will likely seek a contract near the top of the market. He has improved as a pass catcher, making him a true three-down running back and upping his value.
A strong running game is a young quarterback’s best friend. If the Colts opt to use their first-round pick on a rookie in the 2023 NFL Draft, paying Taylor would be easier to stomach.
But, if they pay top dollar for a veteran this offseason, it would make signing Taylor to a long-term lucrative contract that much tougher. At that point, trading him for some draft capital to recoup some value would be a smart decision.
