Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor is the most recent player that seems to be falling victim to the crash of the market at his position. Despite having one season remaining on his rookie contract, his relationship with the team has deteriorated.
Jonathan Taylor has begun training camp on the physically unable-to-perform list and no resolution seems to be coming. He has since requested a trade, saying that the back injury that the team claims he has isn’t true.
Given the state of the running back market, it’s hard to imagine the Colts getting much in return for him. A mid-late round pick is probably all they could expect as teams aren’t paying a premium price for running backs any longer.
Alas, given his talent and still being on his rookie deal, a team could take a shot. Where could Jonathan Taylor be a good fit? Here are three perfect trade destinations for him.
The Washington Commanders made a bold decision this offseason when they seemed to give the starting quarterback job to 2022 fifth-round pick, Sam Howell. Howell started the 2022 season finale against the Dallas Cowboys and won, showing enough that the Commanders are confident in him to start.
The best way to make life easy for a young quarterback is to surround them with as much talent as possible. The Commanders have a strong wide receiver trio with Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson and Curtis Samuel; Jonathan Taylor could round things out in the backfield.
The Wisconsin product would be a sizable upgrade on Brian Robinson Jr. as an early down thumper. He has shown some receiving chops as well and could be a true three-down back in a revamped offense led by Eric Bieniemy.
Adding Jonathan Taylor could be a recipe for success in Washington. With the makings of a dominant defense, a strong running game could be enough to keep them competitive in 2023.
The Chicago Bears are a team that any running back that could be on the move should be keeping an eye on. They have a system conducive to success on the ground and playing in a backfield with Justin Fields should lead to plenty of production.
Looking to take a big step forward in 2023, the Bears should check in on Jonathan Taylor and see how much it would cost. He is someone that would be a good fit in their offense and could see some big numbers playing off of Fields.
The Bears lost David Montgomery this offseason to the Detroit Lions in free agency and replaced him with D’Onta Foreman and Travis Homer. Neither of those players can elevate the offense in the same fashion Jonathan Taylor could
Coming into the offseason, the one position that the Miami Dolphins needed to upgrade on the offensive side of the ball was running back. The team struggled to get going on the ground last season and upgrading there would make this a virtually impossible group to slow down.
Adding Jonathan Taylor to the backfield with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle at wide receiver would present the Dolphins with arguably the best offensive skill position trio in the NFL. Consistent production out of the backfield is all the Dolphins are missing from having the best offense in the NFL.
Putting Taylor into the mix would also help take pressure off of Tua Tagovailoa, who suffered two documented head injuries last season. Taking the ball out of his hands a little more often would help keep him healthy. Having a running back the caliber of Jonathan Taylor to hand the ball off to would help immensely.
