Jonathan Taylor Stays with Colts: Shocking NFL Trade News

Segment Spotlight: Quick Hits From The Sporting Tribune Today

Colts Keep Jonathan Taylor as Potential Contenders Decline to Make a Deal

Jonathan Taylor remains with the Indianapolis Colts despite multiple teams reportedly offering a second-round pick and additional compensation. No team offered a first-round pick, and the Colts wanted a blockbuster return before they would consider trading him.

The decision is especially surprising after the Colts began moving players, including Josh Downs to the Chiefs. If Indianapolis was committed to a fire sale, the argument is that the organization should have accepted the best available offer for Taylor rather than keeping him because it wanted to recover draft capital lost in the Sauce Gardner trade.

Keeping Taylor also raises questions about his role behind a struggling offensive line. He should not have to absorb hits in the backfield simply because the Colts held out for a first-round pick. Someone already lost his job following the Gardner deal, and Taylor should not have to bear the consequences of that decision.

Taylor’s comments after Sunday’s game also sounded like a farewell. He thanked Indianapolis fans, spoke about growing his family and having his children there, and appeared to signal that his time with the team was ending.

Teams such as Seattle, Green Bay and New England could have pursued Taylor but declined to meet Indianapolis’ asking price. That hesitation suggests those organizations may think they are having good seasons without fully believing they can win a championship.

Seattle, for example, had an opportunity to pair Taylor with Zach Charbonnet after letting K9 leave. Green Bay also could have strengthened its running game while Jordan Love was playing well, although the organization may have been cautious after the Micah Parsons deal.

By comparison, Jacksonville and Chicago acted like organizations that believe they can win. Trading draft picks sends a clear message throughout a building that the team is all in.

If Taylor’s asking price was too high, interested teams still had alternatives. They could have called about Derrick Henry or Saquon Barkley. Showing interest in other available running backs might also have helped drive Taylor’s price down. Instead, the lack of action suggested that several potential contenders did not truly believe they could win the Super Bowl.