Star running back Jonathan Taylor hasn’t taken the field yet for the Indianapolis Colts in training camp, but he has dominated headlines. Currently on the PUP list, Taylor is entrenched in a battle with the Colts. Taylor wants a new contract but Indy doesn’t want to make an offer until next offseason, when Taylor‘s rookie deal expires.
This has led to Taylor requesting a trade, though, team owner Jim Irsay has said that won’t be happening. That’s much easier said than done if teams are offering Indianapolis enticing packages. It seems like that’s a temptation that Irsay and the Colts will have to face.
On Tuesday, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that there are several teams expected to reach out to Indy and see if they’re willing to negotiate about a possible Taylor trade. According to Rapoport, those teams are also more than willing to offer Taylor a contract extension as well.
From Inside Training Camp: The interest in #Colts RB Jonathan Taylor is building across the league, but the question is will Indy listen? pic.twitter.com/rSTMIyc24Y
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 1, 2023
Colts will have trade partners for Jonathan Taylor
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that teams are interested In Taylor. Sure, the running back market is in a bad spot, but Taylor has proved himself as one of the best running backs in the league, has been relatively healthy, and is only 24 years old.
As Rapoport pointed out, the biggest remaining question is if Indianapolis will listen. As much as Jim Irsay says the team has no plans to trade Taylor, they have to at least consider it if they’re getting offers. The Colts will have to step back and think if they’re really going to be able to retain Taylor next offseason, or if they’ll be willing to use the franchise tag, something the organization hasn’t done since 2013.
If Indy isn’t willing to do either of those things, then they’ll have to listen to these interested teams and see if there’s a worthwhile offer. As the season nears, it’s time for the Colts to make those decisions, so all of the off-field drama can be resolved once it’s time to play football.