Saturday evening, the NFL world heard a shocking news bite as it was reported that Indianapolis Colts star running back Jonathan Taylor had requested a trade.
It seems crazy, but after meeting with Jim Irsay, Taylor asked to be dealt. In response to the request, Irsay said "We will not trade Jonathan Taylor. That is a certainty. Not now or not in October," per ESPN.
Now, as crazy as it sounds, what if the Colts actually entertained a deal? What could they get for maybe the league's best, young running back? Let's take a look at five potential trades Indianapolis could pursue.
The Indianapolis Colts could start by trading Jonathan Taylor to the Washington Commanders
This first deal is the least exciting of them all, as the Colts would deal Taylor to the Washington Commanders. Washington has been in between giving the ball to both Antonio Gibson and Brian Robinson, with no real, clear-cut leader in the back field. This way, Washington would know who their leader is.
In this trade, the Colts would get Robinson in return, who becomes their immediate starter and has three years left on his deal. Robinson is more of a downhill runner, but also possesses a sneaky ability to catch a pass here and there.
In addition to Robinson, the Colts would get a first and third-round pick in 2024, along with a fourth rounder in 2025. They would also deal a sixth rounder to Washington in conjunction with Taylor.
Once again, this isn't the sexiest of deals as Robinson might be the least exciting player coming back in any of these trades. However, the draft haul is definitely attractive.
Trade number 2 with the Chicago Bears
Next up, we come to maybe the most electrifying back field this league would see if the Chicago Bears somehow combined Justin Fields and Taylor in the same back field. Fields ranked in the top 10 in rushing last year among all players. You add Taylor behind him? That's deadly.
Chicago added a lot of weapons around Fields this offseason, and ideally would like to see him run less, if they can help it. Getting a workhorse like Taylor would make that a reality, and would give them the best running back room in the NFC North.
In this trade, the Colts would get third-year pro Khalil Herbert back from the Bears who then becomes their starter. Right now, Herbert is expected to carry the number one role for the Bears, with D'Onta Foreman close behind him. In Indianapolis, Herbert would give the Colts a quick-cutting back they can give the ball to a number of times each game.
In addition to Herbert, the Colts would also net a first-round pick in 2024 along with a third rounder next year. The Bears have the draft capital and the financial assets to get a deal done with Indianapolis, and then turn around and extend Taylor if that's what he truly desires.
This could set the Bears up nicely for the future, but also give the Colts a couple of highly-valuable picks in next year's draft. The Bears finished with the worst record in football last season, and might still be another year away from contending. So, their picks in next year's draft will still be attractive.
Trade number 3 with the Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are always in the market for a juicy deal. This is a total Les Snead trade, too, meaning it's one of the higher-priced packages any team in this list would offer, and Snead doesn't care. He's notoriously given up draft picks in the past without remorse, simply because he loves to take those chances on winning right now.
The Rams have already had their fair share of tension between the organization and Cam Akers, which now becomes dissolved with this trade. Akers gets a fresh start with the Colts, and Indianapolis would definitely give him a shot to prove his worth. Coming out of Florida State as a second-round pick back in 2020, Akers is going into a contract year now and has plenty to show if he's going to get a second contract in 2024.
Meanwhile, the Colts would net a first and third rounder in next year's draft, plus a fourth-round pick in 2025. In addition to giving up Taylor, the Colts would also send a 2024 fifth rounder back to the Rams.
In Los Angeles, you would love to see a healthy Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp together for 2023. But, add in Taylor, and that takes some pressure off those guys. Now, the question becomes whether or not the Rams' defense can hold up their end of the bargain.
Trade number 4 with the Los Angeles Chargers
Next up, we have an intriguing landing spot and trade, overall, with the Los Angeles Chargers. Their starting running back, Austin Ekeler, has been in headlines over the last couple of months. At one point, he was granted the ability to seek out a trade. However, nothing ended up happening there.
Lately, Ekeler has spoken out about the current running back market and how they are the only position that gets treated the way they do. It would be pretty ironic for the Colts to make a deal like this, taking in a guy who also feels undervalued. But, getting a first and second-round pick in addition to Ekeler makes it worthwhile.
Wby would the Chargers make a deal like this, when Ekeler is already a fantastic player? It's simple, really. Ekeler is 28 years old, whereas Taylor is only 24. The Chargers could justify giving Taylor the kind of money he wants over Ekeler, because four years in running back years is an eternity.
Now, the Chargers would have Justin Herbert and Taylor locked up. They'd have Mike Williams locked up, plus a first-round talent in Quentin Johnston. That offense would be absolutely buzzing for the foreseeable future.
Trade number 5 with the Buffalo Bills
Finally, we come to a team that is truly in the hunt for a Super Bowl. Over the course of the offseason, the Buffalo Bills have been rumored to be in on one more playmaker on offense. At one point, they looked like a favorite for DeAndre Hopkins. Other times, they were rumored to move up in the draft and select a top wideout.
Ultimately, they took tight end Dalton Kincaid in the first round and skipped on Hopkins. While Kincaid is a weapon, the Bills could still use a move like this. Landing Taylor and putting him in the same back field as Josh Allen would be filthy.
The Bills need to continue doing whatever they can to pursue a Super Bowl, especially because their division is only getting tougher by the day, it seems. Aaron Rodgers is now a Jet, New York's defense is ascending, and the Dolphins offense is one of the most explosive in the game, while Miami also added Jalen Ramsey.
In this deal, the Colts would simply get young running back in James Cook, plus a first rounder from Buffalo. It's not as huge as the other deals, but Buffalo gives up a former second-round running back with many talents, along with a first-round draft pick in exchange for maybe the best running back in the game.