The Indianapolis Colts didn’t trade Jonathan Taylor before Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.
That doesn’t mean they won’t be trading him, though. It just means Indy hasn’t traded its superstar running back yet.
That’s one of the narratives that emerged after the deadline. Insiders both shared more about what the Colts had been offered for Taylor — and turned down — and what the Colts plan to do going forward.
And it became clear that this wasn’t just about making a deal or not right now. With Taylor under contract through the end of the 2028 season, there will be more potential opportunities for a deal if the Colts decide to go that route.
Colts’ New Jonathan Taylor Trade Plan
The Colts may now turn their attention to the offseason for a Taylor trade.
This is what NFL insider Jordan Schultz shared on X on Tuesday night:
“Sources: The #Colts had multiple offers of a 2nd-round pick and more for RB Jonathan Taylor over the last week. But the organization decided that if it ever trades him, it will be in the offseason, when more buyers could be available and a permanent GM is in place.”
That’s actually a move that is often cited in Major League Baseball. Teams will choose to hold a player at the deadline, when only certain teams are shopping, in hopes that more teams are interested when the offseason arrives.
It’s also fair for the Colts to decide that their next full-throttle front office leader, after the firing of GM Chris Ballard, can be the one who decides what to do with Taylor.
Schultz’s report is also intriguing for the fact that the Colts did indeed have offers of a second-round pick plus additional assets for Taylor, yet chose not to take any.
Maybe the Colts would’ve gone for a first-round pick, or maybe they truly were holding out here and not that likely to trade Taylor.
Either way, he could still get moved. It just hasn’t happened yet.
Rest of Season Outlook
The Colts’ roster is depleted now after a few trades did go through on Tuesday, and so Taylor will be playing out the rest of this season with Indianapolis potentially struggling to be a formidable matchup.
They’ll likely give Taylor plenty of work. They’ll also probably work in rookie Seth McGowan plenty to continue to see what they have in him.
It’s going to be an odd second half for Taylor with the Colts after all the trade rumors.
Colts’ New Jonathan Taylor Trade Plan Revealed