Bengals Reportedly Near Jonathan Taylor Trade With Colts

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Bengals Reportedly Closing In on Jonathan Taylor Deal With Colts

The Cincinnati Bengals and Indianapolis Colts reportedly appear close to a deal involving Jonathan Taylor. Simon Applebaum was identified as the source of the report, and the Bengals were said to be negotiating with the Colts.

Taylor would improve Cincinnati’s offense and help establish its running game, but the move would not necessarily put the Bengals over the top. Their defense remains a concern, even if adding Taylor could solidify them as a playoff team with a chance to make a run.

The Bengals already have Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase, and they scored 70 points last week. However, they still need a dependable running game, particularly for cold AFC North games in December. Chase Brown was not viewed as the answer, while a lineup featuring Taylor, Higgins, Chase and Burrow was described as a ridiculous offense.

Even with Taylor, Cincinnati’s running game was not considered superior to Pittsburgh’s in a cold-weather matchup. Pittsburgh’s defense would still provide a significant advantage in that type of game.

Another concern is Cincinnati’s tendency to start slowly. The Bengals have gone back-to-back games without playing well in the opening 15 minutes, forcing them to spend the rest of the game trying to recover. They recently fell behind Tennessee 13-0 before becoming available at minus 2.5 in-game.

Tennessee earned credit for its aggressive start. Tennessee and Miami may not win many games, but the discussion cautioned against automatically fading either team at large numbers.

The segment ended with questions about whether Taylor would play for the Colts this week if he is not traded and whether there is a way to get ahead of that possibility before Sunday.