Well, Colts G.M. Chris Ballard might be playing hardball with running back Jonathan Taylor.
Mike Chappell of Fox 59/CBS 4 reports that the Colts are considering placing Taylor on the non-football injury list. Taylor currently is on the physically unable to perform list.
“He suffered some type of back injury while working out on own in Arizona,” Chappell tweeted. “Also still rehabbing from January ankle surgery.”
The ankle injury is a covered football activity, guaranteeing his salary if he can’t play. The back injury would be not covered, allowing the Colts to not pay him.
That’s delicate territory. It’s one thing for Taylor to get injured while hang gliding or rock climbing or whatever. It’s another for him to be injured while getting ready for the season. Teams usually (but not always) protect players who get injured while doing something other than watching bowling and eating pork rinds in their free time.
When Ballard explained to #PFTPM in May 2022 that he wants players who want to be on the team, he left open the option of taking a hard line.
“Mike Tomlin says it best,” Ballard explained. “I always say, ‘You want volunteers.’ You want people that want to be here. So when you get a player who doesn’t want to be in your organization anymore, you can play hardball -- which sometimes we all do -- but you want volunteers. You want people who want to be here.”
If Ballard intends to play hardball, he either has a good reason for it (he’s a very good man who truly cares about players), or his hands are tied by owner Jim Irsay.
Regardless, an ugly situation could soon get even uglier.