The Washington Commanders (1-4-1) are coming off a bye week and entering dire straits as they remain 2.5 games out of first place in the NFC East Division heading into Week 8 with the NFL trade deadline looming on November 10.
If the current regime in Washington hopes to secure its employment future and salvage what will otherwise be a second consecutive wasted year of star quarterback Jayden Daniels‘ rookie contract, then the time for the Commanders to hesitate is over. Instead, they must act quickly and severely to improve via the trade market, and one obvious target is running back Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts.
Jeremy Fowler and Matt Bowen of ESPN authored a list of 25 likely trade candidates on Wednesday, October 28, in which they dubbed Taylor No. 1 with a bullet. They also named the Commanders as among the five most likely destinations for the 27-year-old RB alongside the Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks.
“Teams I’ve talked to aren’t totally sold that Indianapolis will trade Taylor despite heavy interest — at least not yet,” Fowler wrote. “But what Kenneth Walker III has done for Kansas City shows how a premier running back can put on new jersey colors and immediately reimagine a team’s season. And the tenor of Indy’s season is getting ugly, which affects all key players and could spark even more movement.”
Jonathan Taylor Had Strong Words on Possibility Colts Trade Him Ahead of Deadline
As for Taylor, he spoke about the swirling trade rumors on Thursday, October 29.
“I haven’t heard anything, and I can’t control that, obviously,” Taylor said. “I’m always proud to wear the horseshoe, proud to be here. And similar to Quenton [Nelson] and [DeForest Buckner], they were proud to wear the horseshoe, they were proud to be here. But obviously, circumstances may cause otherwise. So, hopefully that day may not come, but I can’t control that.”
Indy sent Nelson, perhaps the best offensive guard in the league, to the Seahawks for a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick earlier this week. The Colts also shipped Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers for a future fourth-round selection.
Should Indianapolis trade Taylor, the team is unlikely to do so for less than a second-round pick, and probably another asset later in the draft. And it is reasonable to speculate that a first-rounder could be the current asking price for the three-time Pro Bowler.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Commanders’ Leading Rusher, on IR With Groin Injury
Washington’s top rusher this season is second-year player Jacory Croskey-Merritt. He has tallied 239 yards and two TDs on 67 carries (3.6 yards per attempt) and is currently on the injured reserve list (IR) with groin strain.
Rachaad White is third on the team in rushing with 145 yards, behind Daniels in second, and has tallied 36 carries on the year.
Meanwhile, Taylor has produced 587 yards at a clip of 4.2 yards per rush and leads the league with eight rushing TDs. He has added 17 receptions for 178 yards.
Jonathan Taylor Drops Strong Words Amid Commanders Trade Chatter