Colts normal supervisor Chris Ballard has a dialog with each rookie who joins the workforce. He tells them that there’s moving to be some degree after they no. It’s in most cases about cash. 

“It’s going to be hard,” Ballard tells the freshmen. “Just know that that doesn’t change my care level for you.”

That was once Ballard’s largest message concerning the ongoing oath saga with Jonathan Taylor. In a just about 30 minutes press convention Wednesday, ruled through questions concerning the famous person operating again, Ballard expressed a constancy to repairing the connection with Taylor.

It’s one this is damaged. Person who has devolved dramatically over the life couple months. A multitude that spilled onto social media. 

[Arthur: Jim Irsay’s tweet adds tension to Colts’ contract stalemate with Jonathan Taylor]

Amid all of that and the workforce’s reluctance to broach oath talks — proprietor Jim Irsay informed native newshounds that he wouldn’t accomplish that till Taylor’s rookie do business in expires nearest this season — Taylor asked a industry on the finish of July. 

“I care deeply for Jonathan Taylor,” Ballard mentioned. “I have great respect for Jonathan Taylor. … I won’t quit on the relationship. I won’t do it. I think too much of the young man. I think too much of what he’s given our organization and how hard he has played for us. 

“I’m no longer going to sit down right here and provide you with some rosy image, like the entirety is OK,” he continued. “It sucks. It sucks for the Colts. And it sucks for our fanatics. It does. It’s the place we’re at and we need to paintings thru it, and we’re moving to do the entirety we will be able to to paintings thru it.”

Ballard confirmed that the organization gave Taylor permission to seek a trade partner, but he wasn’t dealt ahead of final roster cuts. The NFL’s trade deadline is Oct. 31. For now, Taylor is on the Physically Unable to Perform list, which means he must miss at least the first four games of the season, tending to an ankle injury Ballard says is still legit, despite growing speculation to the contrary. 

When asked if Taylor understands how much he cares about him, Ballard didn’t have an answer, just saying there’s a “wonderful layout” he tries to juggle between business and personal. 

When asked if Taylor has given any indication that he’s willing to still play for the Colts, Ballard again didn’t have a direct answer, saying, “We’ll retain running thru it.” 

[Arthur: Jonathan Taylor is still a Colt heading into regular season. Now what?]

But Indianapolis’ general manager will keep believing in the relationship when there’s been no evidence his faith will reap rewards. 

“Relationships are repairable,” Ballard stressed. “They’re repairable. Guys get emotional and whisk a stance. You were given in an effort to paintings thru the ones. Should you ever on your week had a excellent pal and a partner, community member that you just’ve had a confrontation with and upcoming you draw a layout within the sand and say this particular person is out of my week. Neatly, negative. I cruel, how do you do this? You’re employed thru it, and confidently you return out at the alternative facet higher as a result of it. 

“In our country right now, everywhere, you can’t just disagree,” he persevered, talking widely. “You can’t. Because if you disagree, you’re totally wrong and you draw a line in the sand and then the relationship is broken. Like, how do you come to solutions that way? How do you come to a solution? How do you get to the root of the problem and fix it?”

[Arthur: What could Colts’ running game look like without Jonathan Taylor?]

The surrounding of the Colts-Taylor courting is in all probability summed up absolute best through what was once mentioned on the finish of Ballard’s press convention, when he was once requested how the surrounding of the running-back marketplace has performed a job into what he feels is honest for all sides. 

And he took the similar stance that he did again in January, nearest the Colts’ 2022 season — that superior gamers, without reference to place, deserve supremacy buck.

“The running-back market is what it is,” he mentioned, “but great players are what they are, too.” 

Later he was once reminded that Taylor is a superior participant. 

So why can’t he be paid?

“We won four games last year,” Ballard spoke back. “We won four games.” 

Why is coming off a unholy season a barrier for paying a participant you consider is superior? 

It comes off as a deficit of appreciate. And powerful relationships, the sort Ballard needs, are constructed on appreciate. 

“I’m not going to sit here and say I’ve got the magic answer,” Ballard mentioned. “No. This is complex, and it’s just something we’ve got to work through and find an answer.”

Ben Arthur is the AFC South reporter for FOX Sports activities. He in the past labored for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Community, the place he was once the Titans beat scribbler for a while and a part. He lined the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for 3 seasons (2018-20) previous to transferring to Tennessee. You’ll be able to observe Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.

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