The Green Bay Packers have a new reason to watch Jonathan Taylor ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.
Josh Jacobs fractured his right ring finger during Sunday’s win over the New England Patriots.
Not long after, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio wrote about Taylor’s market.
Florio named Green Bay among Taylor’s prior suitors and wrote that Indianapolis expects to take “the best offer that’s on the table.” He also noted “a trade is expected to happen” before the deadline.
But Jacobs’ injury, the unknown around the running back’s personal life and the Packers’ RB depth give general manager Brian Gutekunst issues to weigh before the deadline.
Jonathan Taylor Would Give Packers Help Past This Season
Taylor would offer more than insurance for Jacobs.
The Indianapolis Colts running back has 656 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns this season. He has added 26 catches for 220 yards, giving him 876 yards from scrimmage.
His contract goes beyond the current playoff race, too. Taylor signed a two-year, $44 million extension in August, keeping him under contract through 2028.
That would require Green Bay to consider how both backs fit into its plans for coming seasons. Any offer would involve more than plugging a temporary hole.
Green Bay already committed its 2027 first-round pick to the Micah Parsons trade. Any Taylor move would, therefore, draw from its remaining selections or future drafts, which matters for a roster with needs past running back, especially if Jacobs can keep playing.
The Colts have already moved two noteworthy starters, sending Quenton Nelson to Seattle and DeForest Buckner to San Francisco. Taylor now waits to learn whether he will follow them out.
“The hay’s in the barn,” Taylor said Sunday, per Colts.com. “Now we just play the waiting game.”
Indianapolis lost its fifth straight game Sunday, falling 27-23 to Dallas.
Josh Jacobs Injury Complicates Packers’ Deadline Decision
Green Bay’s situation changed during its 45-27 victory at New England.
Jacobs left after four carries for five yards. The injury affected his ability to hold the football, leaving his availability as a question for the week ahead.
“Catching is obviously gonna be tough,” Jacobs said, via Packers.com.
The Packers had other absences in their backfield as well. MarShawn Lloyd missed Sunday’s game with a knee injury, while Chris Brooks remained on injured reserve.
Kaleb Johnson supplied some relief. He ran for 68 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, helping Green Bay reach 129 rushing yards.
It was the Packers’ first 100-yard rushing game of the season.
At 6-3, Green Bay hosts Minnesota next. Gutekunst must weigh that promising performance against the uncertainty surrounding Jacobs and the cost of adding Taylor.
The trade deadline arrives Tuesday, November 10, at 4 p.m. ET.
Packers Get Jonathan Taylor Trade Update Amid Josh Jacobs Injury