Source: Details on the teams interested in trading for Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor
Things are starting to heat up on the Jonathan Taylor trade front. This comes after the news of the Indianapolis Colts granting Taylor to seek a trade partner. After taking time to take in all the info I've been able to gather, it's time to break down the current state of the Jonathan Taylor trade […]
Things are starting to heat up on the Jonathan Taylor trade front.
This comes after the news of the Indianapolis Colts granting Taylor to seek a trade partner. After taking time to take in all the info I've been able to gather, it's time to break down the current state of the Jonathan Taylor trade saga.
Trade Timeline
With NFL teams having to cut their roster down from 90 to 53 next week, the importance of a trade coming together quickly is crucial. And a team source shared with me that if a deal doesn't get done by the NFL cut-down day on August 29th, the likelihood of a trade greatly diminishes.
Teams now have less than a week to agree with the Colts on a trade package and likely a new contract for Jonathan Taylor. A deadline could potentially speed up a trade, but it could also cause discussions to fizzle out if teams can't meet the Colts' timeline.
Indianapolis Colts Asking Price
It's now been well-documented at this point that the Colts are expecting a 1st round pick / a package that equals a 1st round pick in return for RB Jonathan Taylor. And for any trade to come together, a new contract for Jonathan Taylor will likely have to be negotiated.
While this level of trade package originally seemed unlikely, a league source has recently told me that they have heard the offers the Colts will receive are "Higher than expected." They went on to share that prior to then, they thought the highest offer the Colts would receive would be "A max of a 2nd and a mid-day three pick" in return for Taylor.
Interested Teams
The first report on the number of teams who have reached out came from Stephen Holder of ESPN, who shared that six teams have reached out so far. He also shared that two of those six have made offers to the Colts.
This report led me to search for answers on who these teams are. As well as gauging how serious their interests are. After speaking with multiple league sources, I was able to verify that the following teams have expressed interest:
- Chicago Bears
- Los Angeles Rams
- Miami Dolphins
Chicago Bears:
The Bears backfield currently has multiple young, intriguing players, headlined by Khalil Herbert and rookie Roschon Johnson. While both have plenty of upside, neither has the star power that would come with acquiring Jonathan Taylor. They are also arguably in the best position to acquire Taylor if they elect to do so due to their draft asset and projected 2024 cap space being the 2nd highest in the NFL.
A league source shared with me that the Chicago Bears reached out to gauge what it would take to acquire Jonathan Taylor. However, no offer came from these introductory conversations, and I was told an offer "Isn't imminent at this time."
Los Angeles Rams:
The Los Angeles Rams 2023 season did not go as expected. Due to multiple injuries across the entire roster, they would end the season with a record that would grant them the 6th highest draft position for the 2023 NFL Draft. A pick they didn't own the rights to, as the pick went to the Detroit Lions as a part of their trade to acquire Matthew Stafford. Last season may have stung for the Rams, but they are still only 1 season removed from lifting the Lombardi Trophy high after winning Super Bowl LVI. 2024 will be the first year the Rams own 1st round pick since 2016 when the team selected QB Jared Goff.
A league source shared that the Rams have expressed interest in Colts RB Jonathan Taylor. No offer has been extended from the club at this time, but I was told, "I expect them to check in again once more offers have been extended to see if they would have interest in entering the race."
Miami Dolphins:
The Miami Dolphins are arguably the only contender that I've been able to confirm their interest in acquiring Jonathan Taylor. Their offense is headlined by star pass catchers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. And their QB is coming off his best season in the NFL that sadly ended after a scary run of concussions cut his season short. The Dolphins have not been afraid to make big moves in recent years as they traded for stars Jalen Ramsey and Tyreek Hill. Their division (AFC EAST) will be a fight week in and week out as two other teams have Super Bowl aspirations in the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets. So, could acquiring a player of Jonathan Taylor's magnitude help swing the division in their favor?
A league source shared with me that the Dolphins are one of the teams to express interest in Jonathan Taylor. And I can confirm that they are one of the two teams who have extended an offer to acquire Taylor. A source also detailed the teams' interest by saying, "At this time, they definitely feel the most motivated to get a deal done."
Most Likely Outcomes
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay made it publically known that he has no interest in trading his star RB. This tells me there won't be much room for compromising their price tag to complete a trade. So it'll take a team meeting the Colts' asking price before next Tuesday's deadline.
The two most likely endings to this saga at the moment are Taylor's trade request not being accommodated and he remains an Indianapolis Colt, which could result in the team extending him themselves. Or the other being that the motivated Miami Dolphins' trade package is able to convince the Colts to end their standoff with Jonathan Taylor by making him a Dolphin.
Things in the NFL change rapidly, though as just two days ago, a team source shared with me that a trade seemed "Highly Unlikely", but last night, the same person shared that the situation is "Progressing towards a trade, but I'm still not 100% sure one comes together in time."
Correcting a false narrative surrounding the Indianapolis Colts and Jonathan Taylor
Sharing why the Colts still value RB Jonathan Taylor despite public belief.
Featured Image By: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports
