The Indianapolis Colts are off to a 2-4 start this season and are weighing their next steps after firing general manager Chris Ballard on Monday. Amid the uncertainty, an ESPN source suggested that several teams could be interested in acquiring running back Jonathan Taylor before the Nov. 10 trade deadline.
The Colts have three games before the deadline, including a Week 8 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars and a Week 9 showdown against the Dallas Cowboys. That gives the team time to assess its options before deciding on Taylor’s future.
As speculation clouds Taylor’s future in Indy, his wife Ayanna has addressed the trade rumors on social media.
Jonathan Taylor’s Wife Sends Clear Message on Colts Future
Taylor is coming off back-to-back seasons with at least 1,400 rushing yards and remains one of the Colts’ key players. Through Week 6, he ranks No. 10 in the league with a PFN RB Impact Score of 80.2.
When reporters asked Taylor about his future Thursday, he said he hadn’t given a potential trade much thought, especially with the team preparing to face the Minnesota Vikings. He added that focusing on trade scenarios would be unfair to his teammates and the franchise.
His wife, however, acknowledged that a departure from Indianapolis could be a possibility. In an Instagram video shared Saturday, Ayanna spoke about the uncertainty surrounding their future with the Colts.
“My husband is currently the starting running back for the Colts,” Ayanna began. “His name is Jonathan Taylor, and we have been on the team for seven years. That’s kind of unheard of in the NFL.
“You’re very lucky if you’re able to do so, and we’re in a situation that we’ve never been in before. This might be the first time we may not be on the same team. We might get traded,” she added.
Taylor was selected by the Colts in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and Ballard later signed him to two contract extensions. Taylor’s most recent extension was a two-year, $44 million deal signed in August that keeps him under contract through the 2028 season.
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Unlike the previous round of negotiations, when Taylor was seeking a new contract, the latest agreement reportedly came without the same tension or a trade request.
However, Ayanna explained how much the situation has changed since then.
“The Colts were already in the hot seat last year, but then we went on this crazy hot streak with our new QB [Daniel Jones], and everything looked great until he got hurt,” Ayanna continued. “Then we started losing game after game. But because the potential was still there, the GM and the coach were able to keep their jobs for another year.
“Fast-forward to today, our record is 2-4, and we just lost to a winless Titans team. They were 0-5, and now they’re 1-5. Hence, they fired Chris Ballard. Players who once seemed untouchable may now be on the table. Hence, the rumors circulating around my husband.”
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The Colts’ struggles could push the team to consider moving some of its key players as the Nov. 10 trade deadline approaches.
Indianapolis currently ranks No. 23 in the league with a PFN Team Impact Score of 72.9.
However, The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones reported that, based on conversations with sources in Indianapolis and around the league, the Colts would likely need a few more weeks to assess their situation before deciding on Taylor’s future.
One team executive also said that Indianapolis’ ownership remains fond of Taylor, suggesting the Colts would need to suffer more losses before seriously considering a trade.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.