The Indianapolis Colts have fallen far from where they’d like to be at this point in the season.
Having entered a spiral, the Colts could end up selling off several pieces.
With this in mind, top trade chips have been circulating in rumors for weeks.
Here’s what we’re seeing from the latest conversations.
Latest NFL Trade Rumors Involving the Colts
On Josh Downs…
At the time of this writing, 25-year-old Josh Downs appears to have two front-runners named likely landing spots: the Kansas City Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On Nov. 5, Moe Moton of Bleacher Report listed both organizations as potential destinations.
The day before, Christopher Kline of FanSided emphasized the Steelers’ need for the wide receiver.
But Jesse Newell of The Athletic highlighted the Kansas City on Nov. 4.
“The Colts are in sell mode after firing general manager Chris Ballard, and Downs requested a trade last week while hoping to land with a contender,” he wrote.
“In the last year of his contract, Downs would be a pure rental for this season. He’d come in on an affordable contract, though, in the final year of his rookie deal; that’s notable as the Chiefs try to navigate the deadline without much salary-cap wiggle room.”
It’s truly a toss-up between the two organizations — both would benefit from bringing Downs aboard.
On Jonathan Taylor…
Per Dan Graziano of ESPN, Indianapolis shouldn’t “lower their demands” just yet.
“The Colts are still asking for a lot for RB Jonathan Taylor and taking the stance that they don’t need to move him,” Graziano noted. “Unlike the recently traded Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner, Taylor is not in the final year of his contract.
“He’s 27 years old and could absolutely be a part of Indy’s future if someone doesn’t give the Colts the draft capital they’re seeking. I do get the sense, though, that enough teams are interested in Taylor that it’s too soon for the Colts to think about lowering their demands. I would guess he gets traded, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it was the Giants who made that move.”
New York certainly isn’t out of the realm of possibilities, but there would be competition.
Other destinations include the Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks… must I go on?
As described by Bucky Brooks of NFL.com on Oct. 30, “Taylor is the throwback RB1 who can mask a team’s deficiencies with his rugged running style and big-play potential. With several rosters needing an upgrade in the backfield, the Colts star could emerge as a hot commodity in the next week.”
Well, the next week has arrived, and fans are still waiting for clarity.
In the meantime, expect more rumors about Taylor to surface.
On Daniel Jones…
Daniel Jones has faced endless heat throughout his season.
Per Austin Mock of The Athletic, cutting Jones would be a massive financial decision.
“The Colts are in the midst of a rebuild, so as I mentioned earlier, this is an easy decision,” he explained. “You take on the $35.2 million in dead cap — it’s only $8.8 million in 2027 with a post-June 1 designation — and you move on.
“Whether you draft a rookie or sign a veteran, it doesn’t really matter in 2027, as the Colts aren’t winning any time soon. Take another spin on the quarterback roulette wheel and hope you find something. If not, they can try again in 2028 when they have their own first-round pick.”
Sure, notable Jones trade rumors have been few and far between, but with Indianapolis needing a makeover, anything could happen.
NFL Trade Rumors: Colts’ Josh Downs, Jonathan Taylor & More