Packers emerge as possible landing spot for Jonathan Taylor, and latest report adds intrigue to a potential blockbuster trade scenario
The Colts are open to moving their star running back, and Green Bay is one of five teams that has shown interest in a deal.
The Green Bay Packers have another major trade opportunity in front of them. ESPN‘s Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport reported that the Indianapolis Colts are now open to trading star running back Jonathan Taylor. Green Bay is among the teams that have expressed at least some level of interest.
The Packers aren’t alone. The Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, and Seattle Seahawks are also on the list of teams that have shown interest in Taylor.
Colts change course after making other moves
Per ESPN, Colts owner and CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon met with Taylor this week. Sources described their meeting as an in-depth conversation about their futures. Indianapolis initially wanted to keep the running back even after trading guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner earlier this week. Now, the Colts understand Taylor could bring back significant compensation in a trade.
For Green Bay, the on-field fit is easy to see. The Packers rank 32nd in EPA per rush, dead last in the NFL, and the running game has been one of the team’s biggest issues. Additionally, the perception around Josh Jacobs’ legal situation could have changed after new evidence was released in his case.
The contract situation for JT
Taylor is making $23 million this year, but his base salary is just $6.98 million because most of his earnings come from a signing bonus he got when he signed a two-year extension in the offseason. Therefore, a trade right after Week 8 would require the Packers to absorb $3.87 million in base salary. On top of that, Taylor has a $60,000 per-game roster bonus, which adds another $600,000 for the rest of the season.
The bigger commitment comes later. Green Bay would also take on $16.02 million in 2027 and $17.98 million in 2028. None of that money is fully guaranteed at this point, though. Taylor’s 2027 base salary is injury guaranteed only for now, and it becomes guaranteed on Feb. 19, 2027.
That structure gives the Packers some flexibility. If things don’t work out, the team wouldn’t be locked into the full deal before that date in February.
The real cost comes in draft capital
According to the A to Z Sports NFL trade simulator, a fair deal would send Taylor to the Packers in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick, which carries equivalent value.
That’s where the decision gets complicated. Green Bay already sent its 2027 first-round pick to acquire edge defender Micah Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys last year. As a consequence, paying a second-rounder for a running back would leave the Packers without their top two selections in a strong 2027 draft class. Running back is also a position where teams have often hesitated to spend premium draft capital.
But more than that, Taylor is a premier player at his position, and at 27 years old, he still has a chance to play at a high level for several more years. At the very least, he could stay productive through the end of his current contract. Taylor was a second-round pick in 2020 after playing his college career at Wisconsin.
The question is whether the Packers’ front office believes Taylor is worth the draft capital, given how much it has already spent to build this roster.
