The Indianapolis Colts are extremely unlikely to trade running back Jonathan Taylor, though many sites have run stories that the possibility could exist eventually. That is because Taylor is entering the final year of his contract and could become expendable if Indy gets off to a bad start this coming season. The answer could come from the New England Patriots.
Not that the Pats are going to make a move for Taylor, though they could, one assumes. Instead, if Taylor is shipped away, Indianapolis will need to acquire a player who could partially replace Taylor's production. Very few running backs would be true replacements for the growing legend.
Assuming, for all matters here, that Taylor is traded away, Indianapolis might then look to add Antonio Gibson from the Patriots. The Colts wouldn't need to offer a high-round draft pick for Gibson. New England already has a longtime starter in TreVeyon Henderson, and Gibson will be coming off a torn ACL he suffered in Week 5 last season.
New England Patriots could hold the answer if the Indianapolis Colts trade Jonathan Taylor
Still, Gibson is just 28 years old, wasn't overused in his career before his injury in 2025, and is a very effective receiver out of the backfield. His best seasons were the first two of his six-year career, but he is likely capable of excellence. He didn't suddenly get worse, but the way he was used changed.
As a rookie with the Washington Commanders after being a third-round draft pick in 2020, the same year Jonathan Taylor was drafted by the Colts, Gibson had 11 rushing touchdowns. In his second season, he ran for 1,037 yards and had 10 total touchdowns.
In his past four seasons, however, he has only had 11 total starts and no season with more than 149 carries. That is key to the Indianapolis Colts' needs. Jonathan Taylor is elite; Antonio Gibson is not, and it would take a rotation of backs to try to fill the void by trading Taylor.
Currently behind Taylor, Indy has DJ Giddens and rookie Seth McGowan, among others. A trio of Giddens, McGowan, and Gibson would likely be effective in head coach Shane Steichen's system.
As for dealing Taylor, the team should be able to get a high-round 2027 draft pick, if not exactly a first-round choice. Possibly a second-round choice and another mid-round pick would do the trick. That isn't to diminish the greatness of Taylor, but the NFL simply has a diminished view of the running back position.
Moving Taylor would give Indianapolis more high-round draft picks to help keep building a team that can contend for the playoffs every year. That might not be the case with Chris Ballard if he is let go because the Colts don't make the postseason this coming season, but the new general manager would at least have more draft selections to help create his own vision of what Indy should be.
Those picks might not include a fifth-round pick or later if that is what it takes to add Antonio Gibson, but that's fine. As much as the Colts shouldn't trade Taylor, if they do, Gibson would help offset the loss a tiny bit.
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