Another heartbreaking and terrible news has hit the Indianapolis Colts: Jim Irsay has disappointed his team members by concluding the contract of selling the entire team for no reason, and that has caused a total shutdown.
The Indianapolis Colts have received even more devastating and awful news: Jim Irsay has let his team members down by finalizing the deal to sell the entire team for no explanation, which has resulted in a complete shutdown.
Among the NFL owners that are unwilling to renegotiate the collective bargaining agreement are Jim Irsay of the Indianapolis Colts, who expresses discontent with the current state of the running back market.
Irsay stated in a tweet on Wednesday that it would be “inappropriate” to renegotiate the CBA because reaching an agreement on the current conditions “took years of effort and hard work and compromise in good faith by both sides”:
NFL Running Back situation: It is incorrect to imply that a particular player category wants to negotiate again after the fact that we have already negotiated a CBA that took years of effort, hard work, and sacrifice by both parties. There are agents that are peddling “bad faith.”
Irsay’s remarks could not have come at a worse time, since Jonathan Taylor, the team’s standout running back, is about to get paid a lot as he approaches the last year of his rookie deal.
Since being chosen in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft, Taylor has been a vital member of the Indianapolis offense, having started his career with back-to-back seasons with 1,000 or more yards rushing.
He also just finished a 2022 campaign in which he ran for 4 touchdowns and 861 yards in 11 games. Throughout the season, he struggled with an ankle injury that required surgery in the offseason.
Taylor is anticipated to contribute significantly more to the Colts’ offense in 2023 after he returns to full health, with rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson leading the charge.
However, in terms of a contract, none of the accomplishments will probably matter because the Colts can franchise tag Taylor following the 2023 season in order to avoid having to pay him a big salary or losing him as a free agent.
This offseason, the problem gained attention when top running backs like Tony Pollard of the Dallas Cowboys, Josh Jacobs of the Las Vegas Raiders, and Saquon Barkley of the New York Giants were all given the $10.1 million franchise tag.
By the deadline of July 17, Barkley, Jacobs, and Pollard were unable to reach an agreement with their respective clubs over long-term agreements; as a result, they had to choose between holding out and playing the 2023 season on the franchise tag.
After agreeing to a one-year, $11 million contract, Barkley and the Giants are anticipated to participate in the 2023 campaign. Pollard will likely play for the Cowboys as well, but with a franchise tag.
Jacobs, on the other hand, has not signed the franchise tag or reported to training camp. He has stated that he is open to holding out for the 2023 season, but it is unknown if he will do so.
Also, Dalvin Cook is still a free agent this summer following his release by the Minnesota Vikings, who decided to cut the seasoned running back because of his $14.1 million 2023 salary cap hit.
Several NFL running backs, including Cook, took part in a closed Zoom conference on Saturday to talk about “the depressed market for players at their position,” per ESPN.
According to ESPN, “no major plans emerged from the meeting,” but Cook gave some insight into the talks when she appeared on the Rich Eisen Show on Tuesday. She said that the players’ main goal is to improve the market for future generations.
“The NFL is where my younger brother plays. He’s barely twenty-three. Hence, it seems like I’m attempting—we’re attempting to get this thing going for the near future,” Cook remarked at 3:23. “We got backs in the league that’s only 22 or 23 years old that deserve a better future than what they’re trying to give us right now.”
With running backs like Barkley, Jacobs, Pollard, Derrick Henry, Austin Ekeler, and D’Andre Swift set to become free agents after the 2023 season, the market is only going to get harder as time goes on. Therefore, the upcoming offseason may represent a turning point in the situation.
