Taylor's agent rips Irsay after Colts owner talks RB market controversy

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay addressed the state of the depreciated running back market Wednesday, taking a shot at agents selling "bad faith" and insisting the current collective bargaining agreement shouldn't be altered to help the position.

"NFL running back situation: We have negotiated a CBA that took years of effort and hard work and compromise in good faith by both sides. To say now that a specific player category wants another negotiation after the fact is inappropriate. Some agents are selling bad faith," Irsay tweeted.

The comments didn't sit well with Malki Kawa, Colts running back Jonathan Taylor's agent, who took a shot at Irsay on Twitter:

Colts general manager Chris Ballard addressed a potential Taylor extension and the running back market.

"The market is what the market is," Ballard said, according to James Boyd of The Athletic. "But saying that you pay good players, you pay guys that are gonna help you win, regardless of the position. We think very highly of Jonathan. ... We think that'll play out over time and work out the way it should either way."

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport showcased a personal desire for the sides to work through their issues Thursday, but Kawa doubled down with another public statement.

A second-round pick in 2020, Taylor is entering the last year of his rookie contract with two 1,000-yard seasons under his belt. In 2021, he led the NFL with 2,171 scrimmage yards and 20 total touchdowns en route to a first-team All-Pro nod.

Taylor, who was limited to 11 appearances in 2022 due to injuries, has averaged 5.1 yards per rushing attempt in three NFL seasons.

The 24-year-old is one of numerous running backs who've criticized the perceived treatment they have received recently. Several voiced their concerns after all of this year's franchise-tagged running backs - Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, and Tony Pollard - didn't sign multi-year contracts before the July 17 deadline.

Pollard will play under the one-year tender with the Dallas Cowboys and earn $10.09 million in 2023. Barkley recently signed a one-year deal with the New York Giants, but Jacobs is holding out from the Las Vegas Raiders' training camp. Several high-profile free-agent running backs remain unsigned, including Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott.

San Francisco 49ers star Christian McCaffrey leads all running backs with a $16-million average annual salary. Only four NFL positions' highest-paid player earns less per year: kicker ($6 million), fullback ($5.4 million), punter ($3.68 million), and long snapper ($1.58 million).