Colts Want to Ease Jonathan Taylor’s Load, But Reality Bites

The Indianapolis Colts have made their intentions clear heading into 2026. They want to lighten Jonathan Taylor’s workload. The 27-year-old back led the NFL with 323 rushes last season, the second time in his six-year career he has topped the league in carries and the third time he has surpassed 300.

Running backs coach DeAndre Smith put it plainly through recent comments reported by ESPN’s Stephen Holder. The team sees the benefit in finding extra bodies to share the load so Taylor stays at his best.

“We definitely need to find ways to take some of that workload off him. If I can find another guy or two that can take some of those carries off, he’s just going to be that much better. So, it’s definitely been a constant conversation. I’m aware of it. When he’s healthy, we’ve got a chance to win every game. So, that’s always the first thing I think about: making sure he’s available every week.”

Head coach Shane Steichen echoed the challenge. Taylor simply makes it difficult to sit him when he is rolling.

“Obviously, he’s a hell of a player. It’s hard to take him off the field when he’s running so good.”

Last Season Showed Just How Much Taylor Carried

The numbers from 2025 paint a stark picture. Taylor accounted for 323 of the Colts’ 372 running back carries. That is roughly 87 percent of the team’s ground work falling on one player. Quarterback Daniel Jones, before his season-ending ruptured Achilles, added 45 rushes. Fifth-round rookie DJ Giddens chipped in 26 carries across nine games.

In one standout performance against the Falcons, Taylor ripped off 32 carries for 244 yards and the game-winning score. He finished the year with 1,585 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns while posting the highest share of his team’s rushing attempts (73.1 percent) of any player in the NFL.

Those kinds of touches take a toll. The Colts know it. They also know Taylor has shown durability in recent seasons after missing time earlier in his career. He played 31 of 34 possible games over the past two years and remains one of just three backs with multiple 300-carry seasons since 2020 alongside Derrick Henry.

Backup Options Surface at Camp

The question now is whether Indianapolis has a trustworthy option to spell Taylor. Giddens, in his second year, currently sits as the primary backup. The Colts added depth in the 2026 draft by selecting Seth McGowan in the seventh round out of Kentucky. The rookie brings fresh legs and has shown enough in early camp to push for meaningful snaps.

History offers caution. Since Zack Moss departed after 2023, no Colts back behind Taylor has produced consistently. The team has lacked a reliable change-of-pace or short-yardage complement that forces defenses to prepare for more than one threat.

Still, the staff keeps searching. Developing that second option could pay dividends late in games and deep into the season when fresh legs matter most.

Taylor Stays Locked In, Eyes Long-Term Future

Taylor has never shied away from work. He described himself as “very meticulous” about his offseason preparation and made it clear he will handle whatever role the team gives him.

“Whether it’s a large workload or a minimum workload, I’m prepared and ready to go.”

Those words carry extra weight. Taylor enters the final season of his three-year contract. An extension that keeps him in Indianapolis for the rest of his career remains the goal. The Colts have built their identity around his physical, between-the-tackles style. Finding ways to protect that asset while keeping the run game effective sits at the center of their planning.

You can sense the tension on the practice fields outside Indianapolis this summer. The humid air clings to jerseys as coaches watch Taylor move. He still looks explosive. He still demands the ball when he gets hot. Yet the conversations about managing his touches continue because everyone understands what happens when a workhorse stays on the field too long.

The Colts are not trying to diminish Taylor. They are trying to extend him. The next few weeks of camp will show whether Giddens, McGowan, or another option can earn enough trust to make that plan a reality on Sundays.