It’s all going to happen very quickly now for the Indianapolis Colts.
With the NFL trade deadline approaching and the Colts on the verge of falling out of contention for this season, the next couple of weeks will determine everything — including whether or not they decide to trade Jonathan Taylor.
The idea of trading the superstar running back has only emerged in the last week or two, but there won’t be much time for it to percolate.
If a Taylor trade is really going to be made, it’ll take place in the next few weeks.
Jonathan Taylor Trade Timeline
The basic reality here is that the NFL trade deadline is on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
That follows Week 9 — with Sunday, Oct. 25 being Week 7. So it’s essentially 16 days away.
Any player to be moved this season, including a bunch of potential Colts on expiring contracts, has to be traded by Nov. 10, or else they’re staying put for the rest of the season.
So whether the Taylor trade rumors make perfect sense or not, there isn’t much time. There’s a chance his tenure with the Colts has just a couple weeks remaining before it’s over.
Factors Still To Be Determined
The biggest things that will determine whether the Colts trade Taylor or not are their next three games.
Indy was 2-4 when it fired GM Chris Ballard coming off a loss to the previously winless Tennessee Titans. The best case for keeping Taylor will be if they can rattle off a win streak.
The Colts play in Minnesota against the 5-0 Vikings on Sunday, Oct. 25 in Week 7.
They then stay on the road for Week 8 when they play at the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Colts’ final game before the trade deadline is back at home in Week 9 to host the Dallas Cowboys.
If the Colts win all three and get to 5-4, it’d be a lot easier to justify keeping Taylor.
Even two wins to get to 4-5 might convince the Colts that Taylor can stay.
But if the Colts are 3-6 or 2-7, a Taylor trade feels all the more likely.
He’s got a couple more years on his contract, so Taylor isn’t an automatic trade candidate, but if the Colts start trading away all their veterans on expiring deals, Taylor starts to feel more expendable.
And besides, Indy needs to replenish its draft capital after the Sauce Gardner trade. The best way to get a high pick or two back in a deal would be to move Taylor.
This isn’t to say it’s going to happen. But if it is, it’ll be soon.
Colts’ Jonathan Taylor Trade on Tight Timeline