Colts, All-Pro Taylor agree to extension
All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor and the Indianapolis Colts agreed on a contract extension Saturday, the team announced.
A person with knowledge of the details told The Associated Press the deal is worth $42 million, with $26.5 million guaranteed, over three years. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the terms have not been revealed publicly.
San Francisco's Christian McCaffrey ($16 million annually) and New Orleans' Alvin Kamara ($15 million) are now the only running backs making more money than Taylor per year.
The agreement was announced after the Colts activated Taylor (ankle) from the physically unable to perform list and removed the questionable designation from his status for today's game against the Tennessee Titans (2-2).
Taylor started the season on the list following ankle surgery and an ugly offseason contract dispute. He missed all of the team's offseason workouts and all of training camp while rehabbing from surgery.
Taylor had been frustrated with the amount of money teams are paying running backs. He complained about league owners undervaluing running backs in general, citing the $10.1 million franchise tag number. It's the lowest of any position other than kickers or punters.
He eventually made a trade request and the Colts gave him permission to find a trade partner.
Taylor returned to practice this week and was eager Thursday to put the dispute behind him and get back on the field.
“If somebody wasn't committed, they wouldn't be here. Right now, I'm here and my No. 1 goal is really to attack this first practice,” Taylor said in his first public comments since June. “It's been over 290 days, I believe. When you're not doing what you love, you're going to notice it, so my main goal has been to attack this first day.”
LEAGUE COULD ADD INTERNATIONAL LOCATION » The NFL could stage a game in yet another international location as early as 2024, commissioner Roger Goodell said Saturday.
Goodell spoke at a fans' forum in London, which is hosting three games this season before the international slate switches to Germany for two games in November.
The league recently confirmed that cities in Spain and Brazil are under review as potential hosts in the future.
“I do see us playing in more markets very soon, as early as next year,” Goodell said. “We actually have three or four markets that are here this weekend and next weekend that are interested in hosting a game.”
The NFL declined to comment beyond Goodell's answers at the fan event.
BILLS ACTIVATE MILLER » Buffalo Bills edge-rusher Von Miller is set to play against Jacksonville today in what would be his first game since tearing a ligament in his right knee 10 months ago.
The Bills (3-1) activated the NFL's all-time active sacks leader from the reserve-physically unable to perform list on Saturday, a day after arriving in London for their “home” game against the Jaguars (22) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. And it comes after Miller on Friday called it a “safe bet” that he would play following three straight days of practicing on a limited bases.
The 34-year-old has been sidelined since being hurt a 28-25 win at the Detroit Lions on Nov. 24. He was cleared for practice in late August, but the Bills elected to provide him more time to recover by placing him on PUP to start the season, guaranteeing he would miss the first four weeks.