Jonathan Taylor is in camp, and he’s not hiding where his head is at. The Colts running back said he’s fully participating while leaving the contract work to his agent and the team, and he made it clear he still wants to stay in Indianapolis for the long haul.
“ I have faith, ’’ he said, via Fox 59. “ There have been good conversations, and I have faith between my agent and (the Colts’) front office.
Like I’ve already said, I’d love to be a Colt for life. I have faith things are moving in the right direction.’’
That confidence is being matched from the top of the Colts’ front office. General manager Chris Ballard had strong praise for Taylor’s value and pointed to the way he can turn a run into a problem defenses can’t clean up once he gets into the open field.
“ Jonathan Taylor has been an excellent, excellent player for the Colts, ’’ he said. “ I’ve always appreciated (him) from the day we drafted him.
I mean, I think I told y’all when we drafted him, I’m at the Ohio State game - the Big Ten Championship - and he popped one, and they were loaded on defense. And like he does the same thing here.
Like where Jonathan (Taylor) is so special is when he gets on the second level, he is very difficult to handle. ’’
There’s also good news on the defensive side in Indianapolis. Colts defensive end DeForest Buckner said he’s been medically cleared to get back to training camp after neck surgery, and he sounded relieved to be back in this spot.
“ There was a lot of teamwork involved with the whole operation and the recovery, ” he said, via Fox 59. “ I’m just happy to be at this point.”
In Jacksonville, Brian Thomas Jr. is trying to put last season behind him and turn his offseason work into a much bigger 2026. The Jaguars receiver said he’s chasing a “big step” in his development as he enters the third year of his career, and he’s already drawn notice for how he’s looked during the offseason program.
“It’s just another step,” Thomas said, via Mark Long of the Associated Press. “It’s just a big step in where I’m trying to go and where I’m headed.”
Thomas’ numbers dipped sharply last season, when he finished with 48 catches for 707 yards and two touchdowns after a rookie year that brought 87 receptions, 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns. He said the drop-off came down to a “lack of concentration” and some off-field issues.
“It was just really a lack of concentration, not being focused on the task at hand,” Thomas said. “I don’t really try to make excuses. Even with all the off-field stuff that’s went on - had a rough last offseason - but I just got to focus on the task at hand, lock in and go out there and do my job.”
Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said Thomas understands where he needs to improve, and he’s liked what he’s seen from the receiver’s mindset and effort this offseason.
“It’s hard to not hear everything,” Coen said. “For him, I know there were standards in which he wanted to improve upon.
… I’ve been very pleased with the way that he has attacked this offseason. He’s come out here and worked his (butt) off, having a great attitude and then making plays.
That is something that you cannot simulate in routes on air. You cannot simulate that type of confidence until you do it in practice.”
In Other News...
Jarrian Jones Is Forcing A Bigger Jaguars Camp Question
By the time the Jaguars wrapped their third training camp practice on July 31, Jarrian Jones had already made sure his name was part of the conversation. The second-year cornerback came away with two interceptions during red zone work, including one against Trevor Lawrence, giving Jacksonville another glimpse of a defense that can make life awkward even in a controlled setting. It was also a practice full of moving parts up front, with the team experimenting along the offensive line and shifting Anton Harrison to left tackle.
That kind of day tends to sharpen the bigger camp question for a roster still sorting itself out: how much can Jones force his way into a larger role before the pads come on for real? Coach Liam Coen said the first full pads practice is set for August 3, and that should offer a better read on whether the early flashes translate when the collisions get heavier and the competition gets less scripted. [Read more 🡒]
Why Jaguars Fans Should Be Rooting Hard For Parker Hughes
Parker Hughes has already taken the long way to Jacksonville. The former Middle Tennessee State linebacker was originally recruited as an offensive player in high school, then made the switch to defense in college and grew into a key piece on that side of the ball, all after navigating a transfer and a point when football nearly slipped away from him entirely.
For Jaguars fans, that kind of path makes him easy to pull for. Hughes brought home the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football award as the first player from Elizabethton High School to do it, and his rise from there to being drafted by Jacksonville gives the rookie class a little extra edge. He is the sort of player whose story already says a lot about his resilience, even before he proves what he can do on an NFL field. [Read more 🡒]
Travis Hunters Return Has Jaguars Fans Watching One Huge Camp Question
Travis Hunter is back on the practice field for the Jaguars after rehabbing an ACL injury, and his return has quickly put one of camps biggest storylines back in focus. He has been working both defensive and offensive snaps, a reminder of why Jacksonville was so intent on building a plan around his versatility in the first place. The early signs out of camp suggest he is moving better physically, and the coaching staff has already pointed to his progress as it keeps shaping how the Jaguars want to deploy him.
For Jacksonville, the real intrigue now is less about whether Hunter can handle one role than how the team will balance both without overloading him as the season approaches. The Jaguars have made it clear they expect to use him on both sides of the ball, but training camp is where that vision gets tested in real time. Every rep matters here, not just for Hunters health but for how quickly the Jaguars can settle on a workable plan. [Read more 🡒]