This isn’t the Jonathan Taylor I do know.

The Jonathan Taylor I’ve seen during the last three years is quiet and humble. He doesn’t search consideration. He goes about his enterprise in an unassuming approach. He punishes linebackers, not Colts followers.

The Jonathan Taylor that confirmed up at coaching camp final week? That man is broody and has a perpetual scowl on his face. He roams the sideline like a ghost with unfinished enterprise who can’t discover peace till he will get the contract he believes he deserves.

NFL careers are brief. NFL careers for working backs are even shorter. Taylor needs to be paid and deserves to be, however the present local weather for working backs is dire. Dalvin Cook dinner and Ezekiel Elliot are nonetheless available on the market as free brokers. Large time names aren’t discovering speedy properties.

Sure, Taylor needs to be paid, however that doesn’t clarify the about face he made during the last week. Simply in June, Taylor was all in regards to the crew.

What modified between every now and then? There are two doable explanations.

Clarification 1: Jonathan Taylor and Victor Oladipo have the identical agent.

Oladipo was the face of the Pacers and was in line for a profitable contract extension. All of that immediately modified as he went from pointing two fingers down on the courtroom stating this was his metropolis to asking if he may play for y’all within the bubble. The state of Indiana cherished Oladipo, identical to they cherished Taylor. The recommendation each males acquired from their illustration was dangerous.

Each Taylor and Oladipo have to be receiving profession damaging recommendation from the identical agent who advised them they may get more cash than was out there, right? That may be the simple clarification, nevertheless it isn’t right. As a substitute, Taylor is represented by Malki Kawa who’s turning into shortly infamous during the last week for his contentious tweets.

Oladipo lastly awakened and altered his illustration, nevertheless it was too little too late. Hopefully, Taylor doesn’t make the identical mistake.

Clarification 2: Jonathan Taylor has been physique snatched.

That is probably the most believable clarification for what is going on. Taylor should have been physique snatched. It’s the solely factor that is smart. Taylor should have joined the working again Zoom name, drew the brief straw, and had one of many House Jam Monstar creatures take over his physique. What else would make him pull his hood up, shuffle alongside the sideline, refuse to affix his crew on the sphere, and create a dramatic scene?

The connection between him and the Colts is turning into extremely strained and is approaching a degree of no return. He nonetheless has a 12 months left on his rookie contract. You realize who else has one 12 months left on his rookie deal? Michael Pittman. You realize who has been on the sphere for coaching camp? Michael Pittman. You realize who remains to be within the good graces of Colts followers? Michael Pittman. The best way Taylor is approaching a brand new contract has been fully totally different. It has been weird and unsettling. These two phrases have by no means been used to explain him as a participant throughout his Colts tenure.

I don’t know if we have to name the Ghostbusters or Bugs Bunny, however somebody must get Jonathan Taylor again to his previous self. Taylor used to run on the sphere like a person possessed. Now, he simply appears like a possessed man.