Jonathan Taylor and the Colts' fire sale: Why Indy may keep its star RB, and who could be next

Jonathan Taylor has not been traded. The Indianapolis Colts sent Quenton Nelson to Seattle and DeForest Buckner to San Francisco on Tuesday. But two of the NFL’s top insiders say the team’s owner isn’t ready to part with her star running back. The deadline is 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 10.

Here’s the case for and against a deal and where things stand. (Our earlier coverage has the first round of trade talk and the teams linked to Taylor.)

Did Jonathan Taylor get traded?

No. ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show that Colts co-owner and CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon doesn’t want to trade Taylor. “My understanding is the owner doesn’t want to trade Jonathan Taylor,” Schefter said, per Sporting News. “And if I had to guess today, I would say, I don’t think they will trade Jonathan Taylor.”

Later Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of ESPN and NFL Network said on SportsCenter that teams are calling. “Jonathan Taylor, the star running back, is a name that teams I know are calling about,” he said, according to ClutchPoints. “Just have not gotten the indication that the Colts and specifically Carlie Irsay-Gordon actually want to trade Taylor.”

There’s a caveat. Pro Football Rumors noted that publicly signaling Taylor isn’t available could also help the Colts drive up his price. It added that “if the team receives an offer it believes would better serve the franchise in the long term, minds can be changed.”

Why Irsay-Gordon may want to keep him

• He’s driving the offense. Taylor’s eight rushing touchdowns are tied for the league lead, ClutchPoints reported. It also counted 765 scrimmage yards through seven games, at 4.2 yards per carry.
• He’s signed long term. Taylor signed a two-year, $44 million extension in August that keeps him under contract through 2028, according to Pro Football Rumors.
• It’s her deal. Irsay-Gordon took over after her father, Jim Irsay, died last year. Pro Football Rumors noted that Taylor’s extension was one of her first big contracts in charge.
• The line just got thinner. With Nelson gone and quarterback Daniel Jones struggling, PFR argued the offense could be “overmatched” without Taylor in the second half of the season.

Why a trade still can’t be ruled out

The Colts are 2-5, on a three-game losing streak, and don’t own their 2027 first-round pick. That pick went to the Jets in last year’s Sauce Gardner trade, Front Office Sports reported. Irsay-Gordon fired general manager Chris Ballard last week. Assistant GM Ed Dodds is running the personnel department for the rest of the season. “[He] knows what he’s doing [and] will fire-sale everything,” one agent told FOS.

There’s also a contract quirk. According to Pro Football Rumors, Taylor’s $15 million base salary for 2027 doesn’t become fully guaranteed until Feb. 19, 2027. That could let a team treat him as a rental. On the other hand, the Colts would take more than $20 million in dead money if they moved him before the deadline.

What the Colts got so far, and who else could go

Rapoport named Downs and Stewart as players who could be moved, ClutchPoints reported. Schefter also mentioned Downs, who is in a contract year, according to PFR.

What’s next for Taylor

Taylor and the Colts (2-5) visit the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2) on Sunday afternoon, ClutchPoints noted. For now, the reporting points to Taylor staying, though the Colts have until Nov. 10 to change course.

FAQ

Earlier coverage: Jonathan Taylor trade talk: Schefter says Colts ownership doesn't want to deal the star RB (Oct 27)