The Jonathan Taylor saga with the Indianapolis Colts keeps getting more and more interesting.
Taylor, who is currently on the PUP list as he recovers from an ankle injury he suffered late last season, is at odds with Indianapolis due to a contract dispute. The Colts declined to give the star running back an extension going into 2023, which prompted Taylor to ask for a trade. Indianapolis gave him permission to seek one, but Indy has been holding a hard line on its asking price.
However, the Colts may need to decrease their demands.
According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, Taylor still does not want to play for Indianapolis, and on the flip side, Indy remains steadfast in its refusal to provide him with a new deal.
With Taylor becoming eligible to return to the field in Week 5, this creates a rather strange dynamic: will Taylor seriously risk sitting out if the Colts don’t end up trading him within the next two weeks?
Graziano feels that Taylor has indeed played his last game for Indianapolis, but he also surmises that Indianapolis will give in and ultimately trade him.
He added that the Cleveland Browns seem like a natural fit, given that they just lost fellow halfback Nick Chubb to a season-ending knee injury.
The question is, will the Colts drop their asking price?
Indianapolis held trade discussions with the Miami Dolphins and Green Bay Packers last month, but the club was insistent upon receiving a first-round draft pick back in the deal—or at least a return that would be the equivalent of a first-round pick in value. The Colts reportedly asked the Dolphins for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle plus more, but were rebuffed.
As a result of Indianapolis’ asking price, talks with rival teams didn’t get very far.
But with Jonathan Taylor’s return drawing nearer, the Colts may be forced to take a lesser return. After all, Taylor’s value dips with each week that passes. He will be a free agent at season’s end, and teams are not likely to surrender a significant package for a player who may very well walk come springtime.
