Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has been one of the most productive players at his position since entering the NFL in 2020. And with the trade deadline less than three weeks away, several teams around the league are reportedly hoping to pry him away from Indianapolis.
It’s not yet clear whether the Colts are willing to sell. But after a 2-4 start and the firing of general manager Chris Ballard this week, many around the league expect teams to check in on Indianapolis’ biggest names, with Taylor at the top of the list.
Teams Interested In Taylor
Multiple teams would be open to trading for Taylor, a source told ESPN’s Stephen Holder on Thursday. However, it remains unclear whether the Colts are actually ready to start dealing players before the Nov. 10 deadline.
It’s easy to see why teams would want him. Taylor, 27, leads all active players in rushing yards per game (89.9), and he ranks second only to Baltimore Ravens star Derrick Henry in rushing yards since 2020, with 8,090 career yards.
He has stayed productive this season, too, piling up 492 rushing yards and seven touchdowns through six games.
Any team trading for Taylor would also have him locked in long-term. He signed a three-year extension with the Colts in August.
Colts In Turmoil
The Colts dropped to 2-4 with a loss to the previously winless Tennessee Titans on Sunday, blowing a 13-point lead at Lucas Oil Stadium as the home crowd booed and chanted “Fire Ballard!”
The next morning, the Colts fired Ballard, who drafted Taylor and signed him to both of his contract extensions. Owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon had put Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen on notice before the season, and more significant changes are widely expected once a new GM is hired.
Taylor isn’t the only Colt drawing trade buzz, either. Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, who will be a free agent after the season, didn’t rule out a move when asked about it Thursday.
“We’ll see,” Buckner said, via ESPN. “If that happens, we’ll see how it goes.”
All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson, who is in the final year of his deal, could also be used as a potential trade piece as the Colts continue their rebuild.
‘That’d Be Crazy Right Now’
While a possible trade is clearly a conversation around the league, Taylor isn’t necessarily concerned with that thought.
“I haven’t given any thought,” Taylor said. “That’d be crazy right now, especially because we’ve got a great Minnesota Vikings team that we have to go against. I think it would be a discredit and a disservice to my teammates and this whole organization to think about what could, what should, what may be.”
The Colts face the Vikings and the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have a combined 9-2 record, over the next two weeks. Needless to say, how those games go could decide whether Indianapolis starts listening to offers for Taylor.
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