The New York Giants stood pat at the NFL trade deadline, despite rumors and reports leading into it that the team was planning on getting aggressive.
One player the Giants reportedly had their eye on the most? Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor. The team had an offer of a second- and fifth-round pick on the table, per NFL insider Jay Glazer.
Of course, a deal never got past the finish line ahead of the deadline, and Taylor remains in Indianapolis as a member of the 2-7 Colts.
But how does Taylor feel about staying in Indy? Did the Pro Bowl running back want to stay with the team that drafted him, or would he have welcomed a change of scenery?
Jonathan Taylor on Staying With the Colts
Speaking with the media for the first time since the trade deadline, Taylor was asked about not getting dealt, and was honest about his situation with the Indianapolis Colts.
“That’s way above my pay grade. Those are some hard decisions that you have to make. I’m glad I don’t have to make those decisions. I’m glad I just have to come in here, make sure that I’m at my best each and every single day for my coaches and my teammates. So I would hate to be in that situation,” Taylor told reporters.
“I would hate to be in that situation. But I know that they have a vision and a plan for it. And right now, we just gotta execute right now. The best thing that’s gonna help us is executing, going out, getting a win versus Miami. Moves have already been made. It’s time to go win versus Miami, baby.”
It sounds like Taylor is being a good soldier for the Colts. He was one of the few moves they didn’t make at the NFL trade deadline.
Indianapolis had already traded away Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner several weeks ago, but on Tuesday, they also moved on from wide receivers Keenan Allen and Josh Downs.
It’s unclear whether Taylor would’ve welcomed a change of scenery at the deadline. He never publicly requested a trade or said he wanted out.
Why Didn’t the Colts Trade Jonathan Taylor?
New York Giants were probably wondering to themselves Tuesday evening why the Indianapolis Colts didn’t want to trade away their star running back.
After all, they don’t have a first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, and it’s obvious that their season is going nowhere. Why not get some premium picks back for their best remaining player?
According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, they never felt the pressure to make a deal because they have him under contract through the 2028 season.
“Remember, Quenton Nelson, DeForest Buckner and Keenan Allen were all in the final year of their contracts. Taylor is not. He’s 27 years old and signed for two more years. They didn’t have to trade him,” reported Graziano.
“He can be part of the solution next year and beyond. So they held firm on their price, asking for a first-round pick or some package of picks that would be reasonably equivalent to that. And no team emerged that was willing to give them that.”
The Giants were never willing to go as high as that first-round pick, and it was probably wise for them to do so.
Giants Target Jonathan Taylor Gets Blunt on Not Getting Traded