The Indianapolis Colts have granted running back Jonathan Taylor permission to seek a trade, and they reportedly are seeking heavy draft compensation in a potential deal.
Even though the Colts have said they have no plans to trade Taylor, something has changed. It may just be a ploy to let him test his true value on the market, and the Colts have no plans of simply giving him away.
According to Stephen Holder of ESPN, the Colts reportedly are seeking a first-round pick—or a package of similar value—in a potential deal.
Source: The Colts are seeking a first-round pick — or package of picks that equates to as much — in a potential Jonathan Taylor trade.
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) August 21, 2023
Considering the state of the market for the position, Taylor and his agent may find a difficult time finding a trade partner. This potential team would have to give up high draft capital and then sign Taylor to an extension, likely to the point of making him one of the highest-paid backs in the league.
With that said, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported there is some interest from teams around the league.
Jonathan Taylor’s agent Malki Kawa has begun the process of calling teams. It won’t be cheap, but there is interest. https://t.co/8CyUOUNxq5
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 21, 2023
Taylor is currently on the PUP list rehabbing his ankle after he underwent a clean-up procedure in January. The Colts have said they expect him to practice when he’s medically cleared.
We’ll see if anything comes from this as the saga surrounding an epic relationship deterioration takes another step.