The Minnesota Vikings are among the teams with a reported interest in Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor ahead of the Nov. 10 trade deadline. After the loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9, the Colts fell to 2-7 and now are at a crossroads with their Taylor decision.
While the Colts might want to hold onto their star running back, if their rebuild sees them not being competitive during his prime years, then it’s best to secure the draft capital to aid them in this process.
Nonetheless, if the Vikings are weighing whether to give up the draft capital to land Taylor, SNY’s Connor Hughes believes the New York Giants should go all in and give up their first-round pick next year to beat out teams like Minnesota to land the Colts star.
“Although nothing is imminent, the Colts right now really want that first-round pick, and the Giants are deciding whether or not they want to offer their 2027 first-round pick or try to put together a package of other selections,” Hughes said in a Nov. 8 video after the Giants beat the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9.
“I think we’re getting to the point where the Giants should offer that first. They should do whatever they can to get Jonathan Taylor because this is a team that, for whatever reason, just finds ways to win football games.”
Giants Need to Bolster Running Game Despite Week 9 Win
Despite beating the Eagles, the Giants struggled to run the football, recording 80 rushing yards, 22 of which came from QB J.J. McCarthy. As a result, Hughes believes it’s time to get aggressive to cover a major weakness on the team.
“They are feisty,” Hughes added. “They are physical; they are superb in situational football. And you get the sense that this passing attack with J.J. McCarthy can be pretty good, but they need to play some semblance of complementary football on that side of the ball, and that is not happening right now. The Giants ran 31 times against the Eagles for 80 yards, with 20-plus of those yards coming from J.J. McCarthy on the ground.
“That means Devin Singletary was completely ineffective. Everything else for the Giants was completely ineffective. Taylor can change that. He might be on the backside of his career, but you’re still getting an elite-level runner in 2027. You believe he’s still going to be pretty dang good in 2028.”
Vikings Get Positive Jonathan Taylor News From Insider
Meanwhile, the Vikings received encouraging news on the Taylor trade rumor if they do want to edge out a team like the Giants for the running back. NBC Sports NFL insider Mike Florio shared the latest on the Taylor trade rumors after the Colts’ loss to the Cowboys, and it appears a deal might be looming.
“The trade chatter regarding Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has lasted for two weeks,” Florio wrote in a Nov. 8 article on Pro Football Talk. “It will last at least two more days. The current belief in league circles is that the Colts will take the best offer that’s on the table as the deadline approaches at 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday…
“So whether it’s the teams that have been linked to Taylor (Giants, Vikings, Seahawks, Broncos, Packers) or someone unexpected (like the 49ers), a trade is expected to happen before the clock strikes 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 10.”
Taylor has played 422 total snaps for the Colts so far this season, leading to a 62.8 overall PFF grade. Moreover, he has carried the ball 148 times for 610 rushing yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 4.1 yards per attempt on the ground and forcing 19 missed tackles as a runner.
Meanwhile, in the passing game, Taylor has caught 26 passes on 34 targets for 220 receiving yards.
Giants Receive Jonathan Taylor Trade Verdict Amid Vikings Rumor