Do the Indianapolis Colts have any truly untradeable players? There are a lot of ways to look at a question like that, but when you come right down to it, there probably are not. Some are highly unlikely candidates. Chris Ballard’s asking price would most likely be too high to make a deal realistic. But still, if another team did in fact meet that price, what current Colt is untouchable?
I was asking this question of myself because of a recent Pro Football Focus (subscription required) article, which identified each NFL team’s most valuable trade chip. For the Colts, writer John Kosko chose running back Jonathan Taylor.
So I suppose my actual question is, would Ballard consider trading his top running back, and if so, what would he have to receive in return to agree to the deal?
Trading Jonathan Taylor is not out of the question for the Indianapolis Colts
On the surface, this would seem to be an open-and-shut case. Taylor is already one of the greatest running backs in franchise history. He just turned 27, ran for more than 1,500 yards and led the league in carries, rushing touchdowns and rushing first downs last year.
He is second only to Edgerrin James in Colts’ career rushing yards, and is either one spectacular year or two average ones from moving into first place. He has the longest run in franchise history and leads in career rushing touchdowns. Of every Colt runner who has amassed more than 1,000 career rushing yards, Jonathan Taylor has the highest yards-per-carry total, by a significant margin.
JT has the power to run in the middle and the speed to take it the distance every time he touches the ball. He is a stone-cold stud on the field.
And he may be even better off the field. He has always conducted himself with class and humility. He treats interviewers with respect. He is an outstanding team ambassador who shows up and grinds every day. He gets hurt, as all backs do, and comes back even stronger.
Removing Jonathan Taylor from this club would leave a massive hole. They have no one currently on the roster even remotely capable of picking up the slack. Quenton Nelson is the only player who has comparable value both on the field and in the team’s psyche, and Indianapolis probably has better potential fill-ins for Nelson on the roster.
This is not like the Michael Pittman situation. Pittman was another well-known player who was recently traded. But in that case, Pittman was essentially being supplanted by Alec Pierce. There is no one prepared to supplant Taylor.
Why would Indianapolis even consider making a move like this?
In six seasons, Jonathan Taylor has played in a single playoff game. It came during his rookie season, 2020.
The Colts have been a stagnant franchise despite having one of the league’s best runners. That stagnation has come about because of Ballard’s inability to ever put together a complete roster. He struggled to find a quarterback after Andrew Luck shocked the league by retiring.
Last year, when the offense was challenging the best in the league, his defense had too many holes. Ballard has never been willing to blow it all up and rebuild. In hindsight, perhaps he should have followed that course.
But now, he might be in a somewhat better position. He is finally comfortable with his quarterback situation. He got his big play receiver in Alec Pierce and a young playmaker at tight end in Tyler Warren. He has one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.
His secondary, after combating multiple injuries in 2025, should be much better this year. But he still has a debilitating weakness across his defensive front seven. Most of his reliable talent is old. Laiatu Latu is the only front seven players under 30 who amounts to a solid building block.
What kind of haul could Ballard get for Taylor, and would it be enough to repair his beleaguered defense?
Taylor is a year older than Christian McCaffrey was when Carolina traded him to San Francisco in 2022. McCaffrey was a more complete player, as devastating in the passing game as he was as a runner. But he had also had multiple injury issues that cost him a lot of time. Taylor had some similar problems early, but has been very durable for the past two years.
Carolina netted four draft picks – one in each round, two through five. Compensation for Taylor might fall a bit short of that, but it would still give Ballard multiple picks in the middle rounds. Choosing wisely, he could certainly rebuild his defense. He would also have the flexibility to package picks and move up should he covet a particular player.
Taylor’s trade value goes down next year and then begins to plummet. In other words, if Ballard was ever going to make a deal, now would be the time. Kenneth Walker of Seattle just became the first running back this century to win the Super Bowl MVP.
Saquon Barkley was vital in Philadelphia’s championship in 2024. The running back position, which was so recently devalued across the league, has made a bit of a return.
To be clear, there are no rumors – even far-fetched ones – that suggest Chris Ballard is looking to deal Jonathan Taylor. But it is not hard to see why PFF picked Taylor as the Colts’ most valuable asset and then built a case that this might not be such a bad idea. Painful? Maybe so. But if the offer is good, it’s not out of the question.