The Indianapolis Colts could be two weeks away from trading Jonathan Taylor.
The NFL trade deadline is on Tuesday, Nov. 10, and the Colts are 2-5. They have two games between now and that date. Anything less than two wins in those two games is very possibly going to end a lot of tenures in Indianapolis.
If Taylor ends up getting traded, though, it won’t be his fault. It won’t even necessarily be the fault of the Colts’ performance so far this season, either.
The easiest through line to understand a potential Taylor trade is to consider the Sauce Gardner trade.
The Colts gave up a 2026 first-round pick and a 2027 first-round pick (along with Adonai Mitchell) to get Gardner. Now, that looms large, because the Colts aren’t good but the New York Jets have their first-round pick.
That’s where Taylor has to potentially come in to save the day.
Jonathan Taylor Trade Cost
The Colts have a handful of players on expiring contracts who would be free agents after this season. Those are the first guys who usually go for a team that decides to pull the plug on its season.
But players without future control don’t bring back high-round picks in trades. It’s just not how it works in the NFL.
DeForest Buckner, Quenton Nelson, Grover Stewart and even Josh Downs would all fetch legitimate returns for Indy, but none would bring back the type of picks that Gardner cost.
Taylor, on the other hand, is different.
Of all the players on the Colts’ roster, Taylor might be the most valuable in a trade.
He’s the only guy you could imagine getting back a couple second-round picks or maybe even a first.
Jonathan Taylor Trade Is Different
Because of his potential higher cost, a Taylor trade is different. The Colts have him for two years beyond this one, so they don’t have to trade him right now. They can be selective.
If Indy gets a great offer to replenish its draft capital, it’s there for the taking.
If no one wants to pay the Colts’ price, Taylor can stay put and it’s not a big deal.
“Unlike the Colts’ other trade candidates, such as standout defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and star left guard Quenton Nelson, who are on expiring deals, Taylor inked a two-year, $44 million extension in August and is under contract through the 2028 season,” The Athletic’s James Boyd wrote on Sunday. “In theory, Taylor’s contract should make him the most valuable trade asset on the Colts’ roster since he’s more than a one-year rental.”
The question becomes who’ll get the most value out of Taylor in the next couple seasons, and how will Sauce Gardner’s trade from last year impact what the Colts do with Taylor this year? There’s a chance it all stays interconnected in a major way.
Colts’ Jonathan Taylor Trade Could Be Sauce Gardner’s Fault