Chris Ballard: We need to keep Jonathan Taylor healthy before we do anything

Jonathan Taylor is back in training camp, but he hasn’t trained yet. Taylor remains on the active list/physically unable to perform while rehabbing from off-season ankle surgery.

“Look, I think Jonathan’s world,” Colts general manager Chris Ballard said on SiriusXM NFL Radio, via Fox59’s Mike Chappelle. “He was a great Colt, and a great player for the Colts. Unfortunately, last year He got hurt early In the season, he was hurt all year, during which he fought until he finally got to the point where he had to have this surgery.”

Taylor recovered from state last week as he seeks to avoid recurring ankle problems he suffered last season when he missed six games. He’s now back in rehab with the team folks.

Coach Steve Steichen has not provided a timeline for Taylor’s return to coaching.

“He’s recovering,” Steichen said Tuesday. “Going forward, he’s rehabbing and I’m not going to go into detail. Like I said last week, as soon as he gets out here, he’ll be out.”

Taylor is still disgruntled with his contract. The 2020 second-round pick is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is looking for an extension that the Colts don’t want to consider until after the season.

He filed for a trade late last month and his stance hasn’t changed: Taylor still wants to play elsewhere. Owner Jim Irsay has said publicly that the Colts will not trade Taylor.

Ballard did not imply that Taylor was “holding on,” instead insisting that Taylor would return to practice when he was healthy.

Taylor underwent surgery on his ankle on January 25.

“He’s now finished rehab,” Ballard said. “Hopefully as we move forward here, we’ll get him back. But we have to get him to be 100 percent healthy before we do anything.”