Colts Notebook: No deal, Taylor remains on PUP

INDIANAPOLIS – Jonathan Taylor still doesn’t want to play for the Indianapolis Colts.
The team still hopes the relationship can be mended.
Not much changed Tuesday with the passing of the NFL’s 53-man roster cutdown deadline – and, with it, Indianapolis’ unofficial deadline for trading the disgruntled running back.
No deal was consummated, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting the Miami Dolphins and a mystery team made offers that did not meet the Colts’ demand for a first-round pick or something of equivalent value.
Taylor also did not come off the physically unable to perform list he’s been on since July 25 when the team reported to training camp at Westfield’s Grand Park. That means he’ll miss at least the first four games of the regular season – home against the Jacksonville Jaguars (Sept. 10), at the Houston Texans (Sept. 17), at the Baltimore Ravens (Sept. 24) and home against the Los Angeles Rams (Oct. 1) – while this stand-off continues.
The first game Taylor could be eligible to play in is an Oct. 8 date against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium. The 24-year-old – who hasn’t participated in any on-field activity since Indianapolis’ Dec. 17 loss at the Minnesota Vikings – must play in at least six games for an accrued season that will make him a free agent in March.
That’s about the only certainty as this contract dispute rolls on.
The NFL trade deadline is Oct. 31, so that could be the next checkpoint on this journey.
Indianapolis kept three running backs on the initial 53-man roster – rookie Evan Hull, Deon Jackson and Zack Moss.
Moss is recovering from a broken arm suffered early in training camp, but the Colts are hopeful he’ll be ready to play Week 1 against the Jaguars.
Jackson has 267 rushing yards, 209 receiving yards and three combined touchdowns over 25 games in his first two seasons with Indianapolis.
The Colts’ running game struggled during three preseason games, with no running back producing a carry longer than 9 yards.
Taylor is scheduled to make $4.3 million under the final season of his rookie contract but is looking for a long-term deal, preferably in a new NFL city.
ROSTER MOVES
The most eye-opening name among Tuesday’s roster cuts might have been fifth-round rookie cornerback Darius Rush. The former South Carolina star returned an interception for a touchdown in the preseason opener against the Buffalo Bills but apparently lost a battle with seventh-round pick Jaylon Jones.
The 21-year-old from Texas A&M impressed as a gunner in punt coverage after All-Pro special teamer Ashton Dulin went down with a season-ending knee injury.
“(Jones) has done an unbelievable job and made a lot of plays,” special teams coordinator Brian Mason said Sunday of the rookie’s special teams performance. “He was somebody that we tried to put in as many positions as possible to evaluate. Throughout training camp and preseason, he just kind of took advantage of opportunities and kept getting more and more opportunities.
“He kind of surprised us at how well he fought and how well he improved his technique at being a gunner and showed up in games doing that, and it was a lot of fun to watch.”
Indianapolis also waived linebacker Liam Anderson, safety Henry Black, safety Marcel Dabo, running back Jake Funk, running back Jason Huntley, defensive end Khalid Kareem, wide receiver D.J. Montgomery, linebacker Donavan Mutin, wide receiver Amari Rodgers, defensive tackle Caleb Sampson, offensive tackle Dakoda Shepley, wide receiver Mike Strachan, cornerback Isaac Taylor-Stuart and cornerback Kevin Toliver II.
Tight end Pharoah Brown, safety Ronnie Harrison Jr., defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad, wide receiver Breshad Perriman, offensive tackle Dan Skipper, wide receiver Vyncint Smith, wide receiver James Washington and wide receiver Juwann Winfree were released.
Players who are waived must clear waivers before signing to the 16-man practice squad or joining a different team. Players who are released can immediately sign to the practice squad or with another team.
The Colts also placed linebacker JoJo Domann, defensive end Titus Leo, offensive lineman Danny Pinter and tight end Ricky Seals-Jones on injured reserve.
Cornerback Chris Lammons was placed on the reserve/suspended list and will miss the first three games of the regular season.