What comes next for Jonathan Taylor?
What happens next for Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor now that he has been granted permission to seek a trade?
The Indianapolis Colts’ on-again, off-again relationship with star running back Jonathan Taylor hit another stumbling block on Monday night, with reports indicating that the Colts had given Taylor permission to seek a trade.
This was a swift reversal from the weekend, when owner Jim Irsay said he was excited to have Taylor join the squad.
In principle, nothing has changed, since the Colts will want a king’s ransom for Taylor, even if they are unwilling to extend his contract to his liking at the moment.
Tom Pelissero of NFL.com explained more on Monday night.
“Fundamentally, this doesn’t change a whole lot at this point,” Pelissero told the NFL Network. “Except that the other teams can now speak to Taylor’s agent without fear of a potential tampering charge.”
Basically, Taylor’s agent can now openly declare who his camp is speaking with, as representatives are constantly fielding calls.
“The question remains,” said Pelissero. “Who is willing to pay Jonathan Taylor on the type of contract he has been seeking, which is toward the top of the running back market? Depending on how you slice it, it might range from $10 to $15 million.
So far, the Colts have refused to accept those conditions, and Pelissero identifies the next major roadblock.
“Then also be willing to give up significant draft compensation in order to land him,” Pelissero stated.
“Refer to last year’s trading deadline. The 49ers were willing to give the Panthers a draft package that includes a 2023 second-round pick and three additional picks in exchange for Christian McCaffrey.
“My understanding is that the Colts would want considerably more for Jonathan Taylor, which is understandable. He’s 24 years old. He was the rushing champion in 2021 and has an overall career average of 5.1 yards per attempt.
“It all makes this a very difficult deal to do, but as we saw with McCaffrey last year, all it takes is one team with a real need be willing to step up to the plate.”
The 49ers handed up a substantial package for McCaffrey, but finding a team ready to do the same for Taylor this year after an injury could be more difficult.
The Indianapolis Colts, a running-based team that does not have to give up any draft picks, are the best fit for Taylor.
Taylor has stated that he wants to continue with the Colts. The Colts have stated that they want to keep Taylor. Taylor is an ideal fit for the Colts’ offensive scheme. If we were to wager on Taylor’s future team in 2023, we’d still go with the Colts.
