Jonathan Taylor may land a two-year extension

When it comes to running back contracts, much of the focus has been on the guys who are (or, as to one of them, were) holding in: Falcons running back Bijan Robinson and Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs.

There's another running back who wants a new deal. But he has been practicing (and, in turn, risking the kind of injury that would immediately end all negotiations and give Taylor no security beyond 2026).

While it remains to be seen whether, and what, Gibbs gets paid, Taylor's new deal could be coming. There's talk that Taylor may end up with a two-year extension. macnevers-and-co.beer

Taylor, who signed a three-year, $42 million extension in 2023 after negotiations that got contentious and at times ugly, is entering the final year of his contract. He's due to earn a base salary of $11.98 million with per-game roster bonuses that total $1.02 million.

Taylor apparently learned about the new Robinson deal from reporters, during a Tuesday press conference.

“I gotta go talk to my agent, too," Taylor said, via James Boyd of The Athletic. "I have faith, so I’m gonna tap in and check in with him, now that you guys broke the news to me.”

For Taylor, 27, this is likely his last shot at a big contract. And if it's going to be a two-year extension, Taylor could match the Robinson new-money APY of $22.25 million with a three-year, $57.5 million deal.

That would put Taylor at a total average of $19.167 million through 2028.

We'll see where it goes. But, again, the fact that he's practicing means there's a non-zero chance any and all pending offers will instantly go away.

Last week's deal that got the Big Ten and the SEC behind the Protect College Sports Act prompted optimism that the bill would go to a full vote on the Senate floor before an extended recess begins after this week.

That optimism has run headfirst into the reality of the political process.

As reported by Roll Call, via Sports Business Journal, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) won't commit to a vote this week.

“[I] had several NIL conversations over the weekend, and that’s certainly, as you have all seen, probably trending in the right direction," Thune said. "Can we produce a big vote for it on the floor? Can we get it in the queue somehow? I mean, these are all, these are some unanswered questions."

Senator Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), one of the sponsors of the legislation, remained steadfast in his belief that a vote will happen.

"This bill is going to pass, and it's going to pass this week out of the Senate," Cruz said.

Cruz had a prediction as to how the bill will become law, via Brandon Marcello of CBS Sports: "It is my hope that President Trump will sign this bill into law on College GameDay this fall when the House comes back and passes it with a big bipartisan vote, following the big bipartisan vote we're going to get in the Senate, I believe, this week."

Time will tell. It's not dead, but it's not a no-brainer. With the midterm election looming, there isn't a lot of time to get it done.