The Indianapolis Colts still seem potentially like they will trade Jonathan Taylor by Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline. It’s not a given, but it’s not off the table, either.
And that means everything else happening with running backs around the NFL matters when it comes to how the Colts approach this decision.
Take, for example, the news out of Green Bay on Monday. Josh Jacobs is going to miss time with an injury.
The Packers had already been floated as a trade destination for Taylor. Will they be a little more desperate now?
Josh Jacobs Impact on Jonathan Taylor
The Josh Jacobs injury came out during Green Bay’s press conference on Monday.
“RB Josh Jacobs, who suffered a fractured ring finger, will have surgery to repair it, coach Matt LaFleur told reporters,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Monday. “Injured Reserve is a possibility as Green Bay looks into timelines.”
If Jacobs was placed on IR, that would come with a minimum absence of four games.
The Packers already played the first chunk of the season without Jacobs for off-field personal conduct problems, and now they could be without him again.
While the injury and Jacobs’ off-field behavior aren’t related, he has proven to be a lot less reliable this season than the Packers would’ve liked.
Taylor, on the flip side, is one of the most reliable RBs in the NFL. The Packers would certainly benefit from having him, if they were willing to pay the cost.
Jonathan Taylor Trade Cost
In a perfect world, it’s believed the Colts would want to get a first-round pick for Taylor.
As it is, the reported best offer as of Monday was a second-round pick and a fifth-round pick.
The Colts are likely looking for three or four draft picks for Taylor, including a second-rounder. And the best way to get to that cost is to have the demand go up.
If the Packers all of a sudden need a running back that much more, maybe they’d throw in the extra pick that gets a Taylor deal done.
The Colts may trade Taylor regardless. Some reports have indicated that Taylor will go to the highest bidder.
But if that’s the case, Indianapolis sure wouldn’t mind if the bids still went up by Tuesday afternoon’s deadline.
The Packers are now a lot closer to a major RB need than they were before Jacobs’ injury.
Colts’ Jonathan Taylor Trade Cost Helped By Josh Jacobs Injury