It was a surprise to a lot of people when the Green Bay Packers were revealed as the mystery team in the Jonathan Taylor sweepstakes. The Packers, along with the Miami Dolphins, were hoping to acquire the star running back from the Indianapolis Colts. Alas, no deal was reached before the August 29th deadline imposed by the Colts.
The Packers and Dolphins were both reportedly willing to make Taylor one of the highest-paid running backs in the NFL had they acquired him. But, the asking price set by Indianapolis was likely too high.
There were reports that the Colts were seeking a first-round pick in exchange for Taylor. Steep, sure, but at least semi-realistic compared to what they asked the Dolphins for. The Colts wanted star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and a pick in exchange for Taylor, which was laughed at.
More recently, the market for Taylor dried up even more as the Dolphins opted to go in a different direction. They are going to seek running back help in free agency, pulling out of the Taylor sweepstakes.
That leaves the Packers as the last team standing and they are looking to take full advantage. According to an NFL executive who spoke to NFL Analysis Network, Green Bay is still in on acquiring Taylor.
“The Packers are still in on Jonathan Taylor. They have not given up hope of trying to acquire him from the Colts. It’s something to continue monitoring ahead of the trade deadline.”
Taylor is sidelined for at least the first four weeks of the season after the Colts kept him on the PUP List. But, that doesn’t necessarily deter the Packers from acquiring him in a trade, as this is a storyline to keep an eye on.
The NFL trade deadline is set for October 31st, so the teams will have about eight more weeks to work out a deal. At this point, it feels as if Taylor has played his last game with the Colts, as the relationship is beyond repair.
That is something the Packers are looking to capitalize on. They can build a trade package around Aaron Jones or AJ Dillon along with a top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Including the pick they acquired from the New York Jets in the Aaron Rodgers blockbuster would be a good place to start.
