The Indianapolis Colts have made it clear they are going to be sellers ahead of the upcoming trade deadline, and while several players could be on the move, the crown jewel that teams are pursuing is star running back Jonathan Taylor. Reports have indicated that the Colts are open to trading Taylor, with several teams making serious pushes to acquire him.
And yet, despite all the rumors, Taylor has stayed put for the time being, raising questions as to whether or not he could actually wind up getting dealt. If you ask former Indianapolis offensive lineman Brian Baldinger, though, he believes that a trade involving Taylor is inevitable, even if he may not necessarily want to join a new team.
Brian Baldinger Dishes on Jonathan Taylor Trade Rumors
The Colts entered the 2026 campaign looking to recapture the magic they enjoyed through the first half of the 2025 season. To this point, though, they have fallen flat on their face. General manager Chris Ballard has already gotten fired, with the new-look front office quickly turning around and trading Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner last week.
Considering how he signed a two-year, $44 million contract extension with Indy over the offseason, it seemed like Taylor wouldn’t be getting dealt, but in a surprise twist, reports emerged indicating he was on the market. Teams have quickly converged on Taylor, but it sounds like Indianapolis’ sky-high asking price has scared some of them off.
Amid all the rumors, it’s worth remembering that the Colts don’t necessarily have to trade Taylor. However, the front office is clearly motivated to stockpile draft assets, and while Baldinger revealed in an interview with Betway that he doesn’t think Taylor wants to leave, it sounds like he’s expecting him to get traded before the upcoming deadline.
Jonathan Taylor doesn’t want to leave Indianapolis,” Baldinger said. “This summer after they gave him a contract extension, he told me he wanted to play his whole career for the Colts … But at the same time, they’re dead men walking right now … He thought he was going to be a Colt for life. The reality is it’s a business, and so there’s going to be a lot of players that are probably going to get moved.”
Colts Must Make Final Decision on Jonathan Taylor Trade Rumors
The Colts have already tipped their hand by dealing Nelson and Buckner, so if they are going to rebuild, why stop there? Taylor is one of the most valuable assets Indianapolis has at its disposal, so you can bet it is going to do whatever it can to get as much back as possible for him if he does end up getting dealt.
The circumstances seem to indicate Taylor will be traded, as Indy has already moved Nelson and Buckner, and there are a handful of teams making aggressive pushes for him. The front office could take this right down to the wire, but Baldinger is right in saying it would register if he’s still a member of the Colts once the trade deadline strikes.
Former Colts Offensive Lineman Gets Brutally Honest on Jonathan Taylor Trade Rumors