The latest chapter in the Jonathan Taylor saga has begun. The Colts have granted the All-Pro running back permission to seek a trade, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link).
Indianapolis had initially resisted, with Jim Irsay emphatically insisting the team was not dealing the 2021 rushing champion. But those comments came weeks ago. And rumblings of some in the organization being open to such a move have since come out. With no resolution in sight, the Colts are following the Chargers’ lead by letting their standout running back explore the market. This situation is far more contentious than the Austin Ekeler-Bolts backdrop, however, with Taylor leaving Colts camp on multiple occasions amid this standoff.
Taylor’s agent has begun calling teams, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Interest is believed to exist, but a team that acquires Taylor will both need to part with notable compensation and authorize an upper-crust extension. The latter component has given teams pause, ESPN.com’s Dianna Russini tweets. The Colts are seeking a first-round pick or a package of picks for Taylor, ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder reports (on Twitter).
No running back has been traded for a first-round pick since the Colts surrendered one for Trent Richardson in 2013, though Christian McCaffrey fetched second-, third-, fourth-and fifth-rounders last fall. The Colts are expected to want more than what the Panthers landed for McCaffrey, per Rapoport.
While the Colts made the disastrous Richardson trade, they did not extend him upon doing so. They were unable to, since the ex-Browns draftee was in his second season. McCaffrey also remains on his Panthers-constructed deal. For high-profile trade-and-extend sequences involving a running back, going back to 2015 (LeSean McCoy, Bills), 2004 (Clinton Portis, Washington) or 1999 (Marshall Faulk, Rams) is necessary. This is not widely explored modern terrain.
The Colts have tabled extension talks with Taylor, who has taken a long time to recover from the ankle injury that forced him to miss six games last season. Taylor, 24, underwent surgery in February but remains on the Colts’ active/PUP list. Of course, the fourth-year back has also been connected to using this injury as a way to stage a hold-in. Then again, Taylor still dealing with ankle pain this long after a minor surgery will only hurt his trade market. This trade news also comes after Shane Steichen said (via Holder) Taylor would travel with the team to Philadelphia for joint practices this week.
The Dolphins have emerged as an interested party. They are planning to explore the Taylor market, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson tweets. This should not be surprising, given Miami’s path at running back this offseason. The Dolphins discussed Dalvin Cook with the Vikings and D’Andre Swift with the Lions. They may or may not have reached out to the Giants about Saquon Barkley. After the Jets landed Cook, the Dolphins will look into Taylor. While the Dolphins did not want to give Cook $7MM ahead of his age-28 season, Taylor — who is heading into his age-24 campaign — is a more valuable asset.
Since Irsay made his comments about the Colts’ lack of interest in trading Taylor, the irked RB left training camp for the purposes of additional injury rehab. At least, that was the reported reason. Shortly after returning to the facility, Taylor left again due to a personal matter. Having hired a new agent this offseason, Taylor has operated differently with the Colts. The contract-year back went from wishing to retire as a Colt to requesting a trade in a matter of months.
The running back market cratering looks to have been the tipping point for Taylor, who is surely seeking to avoid playing out his rookie deal and being hit with a 2024 franchise tag. The Colts’ efforts since this impasse became public have not helped matters.
GM Chris Ballard pointed to the market when addressing Taylor’s future with the team, and Irsay — as he has increasingly done over the past two offseasons — got involved. The outspoken owner took a shot at running backs for holding meetings involving the state of their position. After a one-on-one meeting with Taylor, Irsay made the comment about not trading the former second-round pick. A rumor then emerged about the Colts considering Taylor being shifted from the PUP list to the NFI list, which would put his $4.3MM 2023 base salary at risk. The Colts have not followed through with that move, which would undoubtedly be challenged due to Taylor having denied mentioning any injury beyond the ankle issue.
Despite leading the NFL in touchdowns in each of the past two seasons and bringing elite receiving chops to the table, Ekeler was not believed to have generated much trade interest. This ultimately led to the Bolts reeling Ekeler back in with a low-level incentive package. Taylor is four years younger, but the Ekeler market may be telling here.
The Colts would obviously be a better team with Taylor, as they have Zack Moss rehabbing a broken arm and only have Kenyan Drake, Deon Jackson and fifth-round rookie Evan Hull as notable options. But this relationship has deteriorated rapidly. The Colts would have the option of franchise-tagging Taylor on what will again be a low number in 2024, but given recent events, how eager will the team be to recoup a prime asset and end this drama?
Colts are so stupid. Haha No weapons for your rookie QB. Richardson is screwed.
Colts were stupid for drafting Richardson. Minimum starts, bad footwork, and accuracy issues. Sounds like a bust to me.
Colts will be lucky to win 4 games this season… only team they will have a better record than is the Cardinals..
The Cardinals are overdue for another re-location and I imagine Irsay has a number for the Mayflower trucks if things get real ugly.
Actually, you guys are stupid. Richardson will be fine; great in time. Taylor is a whiney baby, he will hopefully be traded to Arizona & die in the desert.
Ignoring the fact that you created your own comment to call us stupid instead of replying directly to us (probably because you’re cowardly and hoped we wouldn’t see it), what’s your basis for believing Richardson will be great? We stated that he has no weapons, has minimum starts, bad footwork and accuracy issues. We have reasons for our assertion. What’s your reasons for believing otherwise? Or is it just “you’re stupid, but I cant back up my claims” ??
Well I created my own account just to respond to you. What makes you think that your judgement of his talent was actually accurate. What you got right is the fact that he does have minimal talent around him and limited starts. He does not have bad footwork and he throws a great deep ball. It has already been said that his accuracy problems in college were mainly due to drops by his receivers. Dcahen might not be right but you aren’t either.
Are you responding to me or Arty? Because those were his comments. And you already said I was right. Thanks.
I was responding to both because in the comment I responded to you grouped yourselves together. You said “we” multiple times. Pardon me for assuming that you both share your mom’s basement.
Lol dcahen must be your boyfriend or something. You seem very offended that I called him out.
That response lets me know the level of intelligence you have.
This is from NFL.com on your hero.
Dual-threat quarterback with an elite physical profile and a lot of work that needs to be done to reach a potentially high ceiling. Richardson’s frame, arm talent and mobility will demand respect as a potential first-round option. He has the ability to make plays on the move that very few of his NFL peers will be able to make. However, but his accuracy on short and simple throws left much to be desired due, in part, to shoddy footwork and inconsistent rhythm. The footwork issues can be corrected, but the challenge will be determining whether he can be at least a functionally accurate passer at the next level. Richardson’s potential to strike with the deep ball, attack the secondary from sideline to sideline and gash teams with his legs creates greater leeway in his projection as a developmental prospect. Ultimately, he will succeed or fail based on his ability to play with better post-snap recognition and deliver the football with consistency.
link to nfl.com
Enjoy losing!
Can you post Jamarcus Russel’s hagiography too?
Because every pre draft write up is 100% accurate. The colts are going to lose because they are a horrible team. Steichen will get him to hurts level in a couple years.
I’ll take that bet. Eagles ownership and GM are hundred times stronger than the Colts. Colts won’t win with Richardson. He’ll be a vagabond QB like Baker and Sam Darnold are now. Nothing wrong w/ that either. T Bridgewater has made a fortune as a backup for the better part of 8 years.
Cue Enrique Igelsias…..I can be your hero…..
He’s a Homer. Anything the Colts do is genius. He wants his team to matter come Sundays.
Funny enough all the teams with the most cap space already have their RB1. Cardinals and browns to name a couple. In my head I think Bucs Dolphins maybe Vikings make the most sense.
No team is going to give up draft picks AND give him a top salary.
No team is giving up a 1st
Not sure what Taylor hopes to accomplish. No one is giving him $14 million/year. Colts have paid him his full salary for 3 seasons now. They wanted him to play out the 4th and final year of his contract before discussing a new contract. That’s not an unreasonable request.
He is trying to control what he can of the situation. They want him to play out the 4th year and then franchise tag him for one year and move on. It is the same plan with almost all good RBs. Sucks to be an RB right now in the NFL. They beat you up for 5 or 6 years, release you unless you are willing to take a 50% pay cut, then you are waiting around for someone to sign you to a cheap (relatively) contract. You are lucky to get one year at top salary for your position.
Overplaying his hand. Timing is everything, and right now no running backs have the leverage to demand a top contract and a first-round pick.
Yah making 50 mil in a 5 year career is so horrible. They are millionaires in the NFL. Fans don’t need to hear millionaires complain about $.
Classicfinder is correct, and so is Sherminator. Taylor knows what the Colts’ plan is, as does Irsay (who is generously giving his usual sound bites on the situation). However, there’s really nowhere for Taylor to go. If he wants out for the sake of wanting out, then the best he could do is finagle a high profile trade to another team for no new contract or a lower level deal. He wouldn’t really be getting anywhere contract-wise, and he’d have to find a team willing to deal what is sure to be a very high price. No team is going to both deal that price AND give Taylor any deal close to what he wants with the season about to start. The Colts know that.
Allowing Taylor to seek a trade lets him both see how low the market is for him right now and possibly makes him more amenable to what the Colts are offering. Is it fair to Taylor to be virtually locked into a one year tag next year? Probably not. But that’s the current environment. Teams aren’t going to give up high level assets for backs who need a new deal right now-maybe at the beginning of the offseason you could have found one or two who would defy the conventional wisdom (there always are one or two), but not now. Which ones do we think would both give up a Day One or possibly Day Two pick, and hand out a multi-year extension worth, presumably, $12 million or so? There really aren’t any. The alternative, a high level pick for a one year rental, is not attractive either, especially considering that most contenders already have their backs in place (except Minnesota, who would be pretty silly for letting Cook walk with one year left, just to trade for Taylor with one year left).
This actually seems like a smart move by both the Colts and Taylor. Perhaps testing the waters will allow both sides to hone in on what his true value is, based on what other teams will offer in terms of both trade compensation and a potential contract. Unfortunately for Taylor, my guess is the information will not be to his liking when he realizes it’s not just the Colts who are unwilling to pay up for the running back position.
The Colts should trade him to someone expected to stink this year – Phoenix, Tampa, or the Rams.
Then by your logic, he should stay in Indy…
Wonder if Taylor has considered really taking it up a notch, and he/his agent tell potential trade partners he is making the switch to wr.
I’m not saying he does or doesn’t have the skills/hands/whatever to do it, but at this point why not give it a shot?
And why stop with Taylor? A.J. Dillon should announce he’s switching to TE. I’m sure a couple of these guys wallowing in chump-change land used to play defensive back. Shoot, learn to kick FG’s, the good kickers will be earning more than top rb’s before long.
No chance the Colts get a 1st. The 9ers overpaid for McCaffery. I doubt any team even matches that. Stud backs simply don’t have the value they once did. Cook could be had for money only and he sat for awhile. Knowing the type of extension Taylor wants makes his value even less.
I’ve said it before, but the 17 game season has virtually killed the concept of the single stud runningback. That’s not including any possible preseason action, or post season games. Four possible preseason games, plus four possible playoff games, plus a handful of practices? That’s a maximum of what, 23 possible games? Plus some wild luck of a trade adding an extra game due to bud weeks (obviously crazy bad luck, but it’s happened; i.e., Emmanuel Sanders going from Broncos-49ers)? Even the league’s biggest stars at that spot will need another or several other backs to share carries with him.
Now, that is absolutely not to say that teams will cease having singular stars at the position. Absolutely not. However, teams just simply need more than one guy to be able to take snaps throughout the course of the year. There are just too many potential injuries and general wear that comes with twenty or so carries a game on average from September (potentially August) to December (potentially February).
Brian Robinson and a 3rd.. get Washington their first legit RB since Portis..
One of the few teams that I thought of who could do it is Washington. Things are unpredictable with a new owner, and it remains to be seen whether he’d want to play it safe or try and make a splash. But it’s just too late in the season I think to make this high profile a trade with so little preparation for a year where Washington doesn’t figure to compete. It’d be a wasted year contract-wise for Taylor, because Washington can’t wait until 2024 and would have to do a new, relatively expensive deal following the trade, and they’re still testing the waters to even see if Howell will remain their guy. They may redo the entire staff along with the roster next year.
It’d be pretty ambitious to tear away draft capitol for a more expensive back than they currently have, in a down market, with a new owner AND a starkly different offensive coordinator (who is still feeling things out himself). Washington may be more likely than, say, Green Bay or Denver or any other common team, but it’s still a long shot.
The RB union blaming owners/coaches/media/fans for the demise in monetary value of their position need to call out the player who really effed things up for them in the first place….. Le’Veon Bell.
Bell effed things up for himself more than anyone else (although he did look quite handsome in his Dairy Queen uniform). The devaluation of the RB position really has nothing to do with him. The league adopted a passer-centric model to satisfy fans who wanted a faster pace and higher scoring game and that elevated the value of one offensive position at the cost of another. Of course models can be modified and that is something the league should perhaps consider as the expense of maintaining the current model is handcuffing many GMs trying to manage cap salary limits.
The good ones get paid. McCaffery, Henry, Chubb. The ELITE get paid, and Taylor isn’t that….
Why is everyone up in arms over the price of a RB? It’s the going market rate. People aren’t thrilled with gas prices, grocery prices, but they’re still the “going rate.” The game is flooded with backs who aren’t a huge drop off compared to cost. I feel like a lot of folks, including players, would benefit from taking a business class.
The issue here is that the drop off in elite backs compared to the next tier isn’t all that much more production and with where the league is as far as utilizing the RB position it isn’t necessary to spend on a premium RB.
The last 8 super bowl winners didn’t have a top end RB.
That is why people are up in arms about a first round ask or a CMc level package for a position that isn’t nearly as important as it once was.
The Colts don’t really want to trade him so they said an unrealistic price. No one should be up in arms about the first round ask.
I have no business taking a business class, although I could reconsider if you decide to split your Powerball Lottery winnings with me.
This is actually a smart move by Indy to allow Taylor and his agent to do this. They may find a team interested in him, but when they hear that they have to give up 1 first or 2 seconds and then pay Taylor 3-4 year contract, 60-80 million (with 45-60 million guaranteed)… all talks will be dead.
I think this is honestly a smart move by both of them. Taylor obviously wants to be paid. I get that. He will do what he wants to do to get that money.
I think the colts are smart to shop him not because of the money or value, but because you have a rookie QB who is trying to get his legs under him to become the leader of the team. Rookies and veterans alike will have to follow him and having JT be a distraction doesn’t help Richardson try and lead a team. A rookie coach, a rookie qb you need to have the right culture and by trading him you can help set that.
Taylor picked the wrong year to complain about his contract. Maybe if the Colts were competitive, not tanking for Harrison Jr.
Absolutely don’t disagree there! But with the shelf life of a RB being as short as it is, gotta get money when you can.