The New York Giants have surprisingly emerged as the frontrunner in the NFC East division heading into Week 8, despite losing star quarterback Jaxson Dart to a season-ending injury in their second game of the year. The Giants could clearly make a playoff push, as their division is up for grabs, but in order to do so, they may need some more help.
As a result, New York has reportedly established itself as one of the top teams trying to acquire star running back Jonathan Taylor in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts, who are tearing apart their roster. While the Giants have made it clear they are a suitor for Taylor, they received a concerning update on their pursuit of him ahead of Sunday’s slate of action.
Giants Run Into High Asking Price From Colts for Jonathan Taylor
The Giants have undergone some highly publicized struggles at the running back position so far this season. Cam Skattebo was supposed to be the lead option, but his struggles with fumbling have made John Harbaugh and the coaching staff wary of consistently leaning on him. Former Pro Bowler Najee Harris recently got released, and Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary both have struggled to consistently rack up yards on the ground when called upon.
That’s where a trade for Taylor could come into play. Long regarded as one of the top running backs in the league, Taylor has managed to remain productive, even while playing on a struggling Colts team that is now undergoing a fire sale. Through seven games, Taylor has racked up 140 carries for 587 yards and eight touchdowns.
Along with the Minnesota Vikings, reports have emerged indicating that New York is leading the pack in trade talks for Taylor. Whereas Indy flipped Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner last week, though, it hasn’t found a deal for Taylor just yet. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, that’s because the Colts’ asking price for Taylor is viewed as too high, but the overarching belief across the league is that he will still eventually get dealt.
As the Colts continue to field trade offers for star RB Jonathan Taylor, sources say the Vikings, Giants, Broncos, Bengals and Packers are among the teams that have checked in,” Schultz reported in a post on X. “The asking price is believed to be too high right now, but sources do believe a trade is leaning to be more likely than not at this point.”
Should the Giants Trade for Jonathan Taylor?
Skattebo is fresh off a monster performance against the Houston Texans in Week 7 that saw him rack up 124 yards and a score on 17 carries, and even then, the Giants still don’t seem committed to him. Taylor would obviously be an upgrade over Skattebo, but giving up what will likely be a large amount of draft capital for him would be a bit of a head-scratcher.
The Colts seem to want a first-round pick in exchange for Taylor, but it would register as a pretty big shock if they managed to get that sort of return for him. New York will get to enjoy its Sunday off as part of its bye week, but you can bet the front office will be keeping close tabs on the action as it unfolds before plotting its path forward in these trade negotiations for Taylor.
Giants Get Worrying Jonathan Taylor Trade Update From Insider