The Green Bay Packers are among a handful of teams interested in making a trade for running back Jonathan Taylor, but they may have to settle for a secondary target like Saquon Barkley based on the interest the Colts are getting in its three-time Pro Bowl RB ahead of the November 10 NFL trade deadline.
Regardless of which RB target the Packers favor most, the chances they explore an addition seriously in the coming week recently skyrocketed as previous allegations of physical abuse against Josh Jacobs from three new women emerged on Friday, October 30.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported on Sunday that the new developments may well result in Green Bay severing ties with Jacobs.
“Both the NFL and the Packers declined comment regarding the new statement, in response to inquiries from PFT,” Florio wrote. “Regardless of the comments from the people who are representing Jacobs, the league will do its due diligence. The Packers surely will, too. And they could, potentially, decide to move on from Jacobs — especially if any of the new information is inconsistent with anything he has previously told the team.”
Vikings, Giants Frontrunners to Deal for Jonathan Taylor
The Packers, like every other team in the NFL currently in need of a running back, probably prefer Taylor over any other option.
“The list of teams that have expressed at least some level of interest in trading for Taylor is thought to include the Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants, sources said,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport reported Saturday.
However, Jonathan Jones of The Athletic wrote Saturday that the Vikings and Giants are the frontrunners for Taylor.
“The Vikings and Giants appear to be the favorites to land [Taylor],” Jones explained. “So either the Vikings would have to rearrange a deal or two, or the Colts would have to eat some of his salary, which would likely drive the price up for the acquiring team.”
Moreover, Indianapolis may be hunting as much as a first-round pick for Taylor based on a Saturday report from Tom Pelissero. Green Bay doesn’t have a first-rounder in 2027 due to the trade the team made last August with the Dallas Cowboys for injured pass-rusher Micah Parsons.
“The Colts already turned down a 2027 second-round draft pick plus an additional pick for RB Jonathan Taylor, making clear they’d want a premium to trade the face of the franchise,” Pelissero posted to X.
Saquon Barkley More Sensible, Realistic Trade Target for Packers Than Jonathan Taylor
Given all the competition for Taylor, plus his potential price tag, the Packers might have backed off a deal for a running back — particularly because Jacobs’ return over the past two games has not made a significant difference for the league’s last-place run attack. That indicates that the issue is less about talent in the backfield and more about an inability of the offensive line to run block effectively.
However, with Jacobs now facing a greater likelihood of missing more time this season via an NFL suspension, as well as the possibility that Green Bay may just cut ties with the RB amid his ongoing off-field domestic issues, a pivot to Barkley feels far more possible.
Barkley won the Offensive Player of the Year award in 2024, leading the league in rushing with 2,005 yards that season and spring-boarding the Eagles to a Super Bowl ring. He has dealt with injury issues on and off this year, which have greatly hampered his production.
But even despite hamstring and back concerns against the Dallas Cowboys last week, Barkley put up his most productive game of the season in Week 7 and will play against the Washington Commanders on “Sunday Night Football” this week.
Philadelphia (2-5) profiles as sellers ahead of the trade deadline, which will only become more likely if the Eagles lose in Washington Sunday night where they are six-point underdogs.
Green Bay should be able to get into the mix for Barkley with an offer of a third- or fourth-round pick, which makes more sense for the Packers than breaking the bank for Taylor — a strategy that might not even work given strong interest elsewhere around the league.
Packers’ Saquon Barkley Trade Talks Get Boost via Latest Update