The Indianapolis Colts have already traded away two stars, Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner.
They’ve received a trade request from a third, Josh Downs.
They could also see plenty of trade interest in expiring contracts Grover Stewart and Keenan Allen.
But none of them are Jonathan Taylor, and more than anything, it’s Taylor who the Colts’ fanbase is watching closely as the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline approaches.
Taylor is the superstar running back who was just extended in the offseason through the 2028 season but still finds himself in trade rumors anyway.
And Taylor is the player who would fetch the Colts the largest possible return in draft capital if he was eventually shipped out.
So will Taylor be moved? The most recent update on this came in a press conference with Colts head coach Shane Steichen on Wednesday, when he was asked about a potential Taylor trade request.
Did Jonathan Taylor Request a Trade?
The media asked Steichen specifically if Taylor had requested a trade.
Steichen said that Taylor has not.
This is how ESPN’s Stephen Holder wrote about the exchange on Wednesday afternoon:
The fate of star running back Jonathan Taylor remains unclear, with multiple teams expressing interest in him, according to ESPN sources.
But Colts coach Shane Steichen on Wednesday said Taylor has not asked for a trade. Asked by reporters if Taylor had requested to be traded, coach Shane Steichen answered, “no.”
“Those are hypothetical things right now,” Steichen said. “I know there’s stuff floating around out there, but JT’s on our football team.”
Whether that changes or not, the Colts (2-5) are likely to be operating under a cloud of uncertainty until the Nov. 10 trade deadline.
Taylor’s future is the single most interesting aspect of this Colts sell-off. You’d be starting a full-throttle rebuild by trading a stud RB with two years of club control left after this season.
Quenton Nelson, DeForest Buckner Trade Requests?
Steichen was also asked if the two star linemen that were traded on Tuesday had requested that fate.
The head coach just said he’d rather that remain “private,” according to Holder.
It’s not too worth reading deeper into that. Nelson had spent his entire NFL career in Indy, and Buckner had spent the majority of his NFL time with the Colts. Both had done what they could for Indianapolis. It’s a moot point now if they asked out or not.
The reality is that the Colts already look different and will likely look even more different by the time the Nov. 10 trade deadline has passed.
Colts’ Jonathan Taylor Trade Request Status Made Clear