Jonathan Taylor’s days in Indianapolis might be numbered.
NFL fans and media members alike could have reached that expectation back in the summer when Taylor reportedly requested a trade from the Colts. But after Indy apparently made very steep demands to interested teams, the possibility of an in-season Taylor trade seemingly became less likely.
But a lot has changed since the late-summer drama in Indianapolis. Multiple teams could use running back help and the current market might be conducive to Taylor relocating. ESPN’s Dan Graziano, for one, believes the 2021 rushing leader will be traded before the Oct. 31 deadline.
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“I’ll say yes,” Graziano wrote in an ESPN column published Wednesday. “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.”
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Graziano’s colleague, fellow NFL insider Jeremy Fowler, doesn’t believe Taylor will be traded by the end of next month. While the 2020 second-rounder would be an upgrade over most backs around the league, Fowler can’t see any team willing to part with the capital it would take to acquire Taylor.
As Graziano noted, Taylor will be out Sunday per PUP list rules. But once the Colts roll into Week 5, we should gain a better understanding of Taylor’s future in Indianapolis.
Featured image via Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar via USA TODAY Network
