Double bad news arrived for the Minnesota Vikings backfield Wednesday.
First, Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen cast some doubt over whether the team would deal running back Jonathan Taylor before the trade deadline.
In his Wednesday press conference, Steichen told reporters Taylor hadn’t requested a trade, answering simply “no.”
Now, that doesn’t mean the Colts won’t trade Taylor. But it would be more likely to happen if Taylor wanted out of Indianapolis.
That update came as Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters in his own press conference running back Aaron Jones wouldn’t practice Wednesday. Jones suffered a left MCL sprain in Week 7 versus the Colts.
Jones could still play this Sunday against the Detroit Lions. But even with a healthy Jones, the Vikings could potentially trade for a running back to ignite their slumping offense.
Taylor has rushed for 587 yards and a league-leading eight touchdowns this season.
Colts Not Likely to Trade Jonathan Taylor?
Even before Steichen’s press conference, there seemed to be new growing doubt that Taylor would be on the move before the trade deadline.
On Wednesday morning, ESPN’s Matt Bowen and Jeremy Fowler predicted just a 30% chance the Colts would trade Taylor.
“Teams I’ve talked to aren’t totally sold that Indianapolis will trade Taylor despite heavy interest — at least not yet,” wrote Fowler. “He is signed long term and would be a boon for next year’s coaching staff, whether it’s the current group or entirely new.”
Fowler, though, pointed to Tuesday’s trades as something that could change Indianapolis’s desire to deal Taylor. The Colts traded both offensive guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner for draft picks.
“The tenor of Indy’s season is getting ugly, which affects all key players and could spark even more movement,” added Fowler.
Steichen’s press conference happened after theosetrades, so the Colts head coach saying Taylor hasn’t requested a trade means those moves haven’t directly lead to the running back wanting out.
Of course, that can change. The Vikings might be hoping it does change. Multiple pundits, including Fowler and Bowen, have linked Minnesota to Taylor if he’s made available.
Taylor has registered four 1,000-yard campaigns in his NFL career. During 2021, he led the league with 1,811 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns while making first-team All-Pro.
Based on his current per game average, Taylor is on track for 1,425 rushing yards. The running back could also reach a new career high in rushing touchdowns.
Vikings’ Aaron Jones Not Practicing Wednesday
Jones not practicing Wednesday isn’t super alarming, but it’s also not great news. The Vikings consider the veteran day-to-day with the injury. That’s not ideal with the team’s pivotal NFC North matchup against the Detroit Lions upcoming Sunday.
This past weekend, Vikings fellow running back Jordan Mason just returned from injury. He hadn’t played since Week 1 because of a fractured thumb.
Jones has rushed for 436 yards and two touchdowns this season. Mason ran for 68 yards on the ground with 15 carries in his return Sunday.
The Vikings have Demond Claiborne on the active roster, and DeeJay Dallas returned to the team’s practice squad. But the two backs have nine rushing attempts combined despite Mason missing four games.
Trading for Taylor would give the Vikings a significant backfield upgrade and additional depth for their banged up position.
Vikings Get Update on Potential Jonathan Taylor Trade Amid Aaron Jones News