Reason behind Jonathan Taylor's 'shift in attitude' with Colts revealed

Entering training camp, Jonathan Taylor's desire to get paid was no secret, but Stephen Holder of ESPN revealed what may have led to the sharp turn in the falling out between the star running back and the Indianapolis Colts. 

According to Holder, the Colts reportedly asked Taylor, who had undergone minimally invasive ankle surgery during the offseason, to report to Indianapolis before training camp to be examined by the team's medical staff, which allegedly angered the former All-Pro. 

"Taylor viewed the request warily, according to sources," Holder wrote. "He believed it was part of an effort to pressure him to return to the field for the start of camp, despite his stance that he needed more time to recover." 

While many saw the now-infamous hour-long meeting between Taylor and owner Jim Irsay as the moment things went south, it was probably the icing on a bitter cake that's been baking for a while. Sources told Holder that many among the Colts' brass, including Irsay and general manager Chris Ballard, were taken aback by Taylor's "level of anger" once he reported to training camp, which may have stemmed from the team's ask before his arrival. 

Things have only gotten uglier since. Once Taylor's trade request leaked, a team source said Taylor had complained about previously undocumented back pain, leading many to believe the Colts would potentially move the running back to the non-football injury list, thus putting his 2023 salary in limbo. While Taylor has vehemently denied the report, Holder added that sources believe a move to withhold his pay is "unlikely." 

Regarding the trade market, Holder says the Colts believe there's a "short list" of teams that could be interested in Taylor. Whether or not a trade materializes seems like a rhetorical question, but when, to whom and for what remains up in the air. With only so many franchises in the hunt for Taylor, the Colts must prepare to take a severe hit when it comes to compensation. Recently, Jeff Darlington of ESPN said the potential return for Taylor would be "minimal."