Ex-Badgers star Jonathan Taylor second-highest-paid NFL running back
· Yahoo Sports
Former University of Wisconsin star and veteran NFL running back Jonathan Taylor has agreed to terms on a two-year, $44 million contract extension with the Indianapolis Colts, according to multiple reports.
The 27-year-old would have become a free agent after the 2026 season but now remains with the Colts through 2028.
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The deal makes him the second-highest-paid running back in the NFL at $22 million per year, just south of the $22.5 million-per-year agreement between Atlanta and Bijan Robinson. The Falcons and Robinson reached an agreement earlier this week on a three-year deal worth up to $75 million.
Taylor, a three-year standout with the Badgers, joined the league as a 2020 second-round draft pick and is within reach of the Colts' all-time franchise rushing mark, with 7,598 career yards and only Edgerrin James (9,226) to catch.
Taylor has made three Pro Bowls, including the last two, and is coming off a year when he led the league with 18 rushing touchdowns and 323 rushing attempts. He had 1,585 rushing yards and caught 46 passes for 378 yards.
Taylor was at the heart of a battle over the positional value of a running back during his last contract extension and it looked as if he might be traded before the start of the 2023 season before reaching an accord with the Colts. Success by Saquon Barkley and other players like Robinson and Taylor have seemingly helped resuscitate the reputation of running-back value.
Taylor had more rushing yards through his junior season than any player in NCAA history – 6,174 yards in 926 attempts (6.7 yards per rush) with 50 rushing touchdowns. He was twice named All-American and finished top-10 in the Heisman Trophy voting all three years at UW, with two Doak Walker Awards, recognizing the nation's best running back.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Ex-Badgers star Jonathan Taylor second-highest-paid NFL running back