The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, and speculation surrounding some of the biggest names in the sport has reached fever pitch. No player has been more talked about in recent weeks than Indianapolis Colts star running back Jonathan Taylor, who may or may not have just played his final game for the organization that selected him 41st overall in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Taylor’s Colts fell to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, 27-23, and the running back rushed 13 times for 46 yards while adding 18 receiving yards on five receptions. In the locker room, Taylor was asked what he thought about whether this was indeed his last game with the Colts or not.
“I think you play every game like it’s your last, but at the end of the day, this is the place I grew up,” Taylor said. “I think I’ve talked to you guys about it: You go to college, you’re a young man, but you’ve really grown up, you’ve started a family and you’ve really embraced this city, the people, and you’re like…this place has helped me become the man I am today. If this is (my last game), I’m very grateful to the city of Indianapolis.”
Taylor was then asked what he hoped fans would remember most about him if he were to be traded in the next 48 hours.
“I just hope they appreciate it and know I appreciate it and it’s been a pleasure to show off not only my hard work but the team’s hard work every week, every year,” Taylor said. “Just know it was a pleasure.”
For a franchise that included Hall of Famers like Edgerrin James, Marshall Faulk and Eric Dickerson, Taylor is one of the best running backs to ever call it a Colt. He is the organization’s leader in rushing touchdowns with 77 and ranks second in rushing yards with 8,254. Taylor’s 89.2 rushing yards per game entering this week ranks fifth in NFL history.
When the Colts traded offensive guard Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks and defensive lineman DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers, speculation grew that they might trade their star running back. According to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, the New York Giants offered Taylor a second and fifth round pick a few weeks ago. This offer would now be out of the question unless there was a lower price.
There are other teams that could use a good running back. The Green Bay Packers recorded the fewest rushing yards (485) by a team above .500 in eight games in NFL history. Josh Jacobs injured his hand against the New England Patriots, and he hasn’t exactly looked electric in his return from the commissioner’s exempt list. The 6-1 Minnesota Vikings could potentially go from contender to contender if they added a weapon like Taylor, and the same could be said for the Denver Broncos.
Ultimately, perhaps the Colts value Taylor more than any other team. It is possible that it is not moved at the trade deadline. But he said goodbye in the locker room on Sunday, just in case.
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