With Indianapolis Colts’ star running back Jonathan Taylor eligible to return in Week 5, the trade speculation surrounding the 2021 rushing champion is ramping up again.
Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Wisconsin product requested a trade from the Colts two months ago following a meeting with owner Jim Irsay. The 24-year-old is in the final year of his rookie contract, and then he’ll be eligible to enter free agency next March.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler addressed the latest Taylor trade buzz ahead of Week 4’s games. According to Graziano, Taylor is still unkeen about playing again for the Colts, who are adamant about not giving him the long-term deal he wants:
“I’ll say yes. From what I understand, he still doesn’t want to play for the Colts, and they still don’t want to give him a long-term contract. The time since the preseason has mellowed out the market a bit and maybe created more fertile ground for a deal. Taylor has to miss at least one more week while on the physically unable to perform list, but it wouldn’t surprise me if his first game of the season was in a different uniform. The Browns might end up being more motivated to make a deal than they want us to believe after the Nick Chubb injury.”
Fowler, however, thinks that Taylor will remain with the Colts this season. Fowler simply doesn’t believe that a team will “give up a Day 2 pick for a running back.”
Taylor led the NFL in rushing during the 2021 campaign with 1,811 yards and 18 touchdowns (also tops among the NFL that year). Though he missed six games last year, Taylor still finished with 861 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
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Plenty of teams should have interest in Taylor, who remains on the physically unable to perform list with an ankle injury. By being placed on the PUP list, Taylor has to miss a minimum of four games, and he’ll be eligible to return in Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans.
The Colts host the 1-2 Los Angeles Rams this Sunday.
