As the dispute between Colts running back Jonathan Taylor and his team continues over his contract situation, Indianapolis reportedly spoke with the Dolphins and Packers about potential trades centered around its young star ball carrier.
Reports emerged earlier this week indicating that Colts general manager Chris Ballard plans to hold on to Taylor for now, as he didn’t feel Indianapolis was receiving fair value in trade proposals for the franchise running back. The Colts had a self-imposed 4 p.m. deadline on Tuesday to get a trade done before moving forward with Taylor on the roster.
While it’s unclear what the Packers offered for Taylor, a report from All Dolphins indicated that the Dolphins were very much a player in trade talks. However, Indianapolis had an asking price that included young star Miami wideout Jaylen Waddle and more, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. ESPN’s Stephen Holder added that Miami discussed varying deals that included players and draft picks, but the specifics of what the Dolphins offered are also unknown.
When asked directly, Miami general manager Chris Grier said that offers were never formally exchanged for Taylor, but that there were exploratory talks held. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst was less direct than Grier, as he simply indicated that the team tries “to be in every conversation … to make the Packers better.”
Miami’s running back room is currently being led by Raheem Mostert, with Jeff Wilson Jr., Salvon Ahmed and rookies De’Von Achane and Chris Brooks on the roster. The Packers have a room consisting of veteran Aaron Jones and former second-round pick AJ Dillon, who is entering the final season of his rookie deal.
Taylor would be a boon to whichever franchise is lucky enough to land him. In three professional seasons, he has established himself as one of the premier running backs in the NFL. In 43 career games, Taylor has carried the ball 756 times for 3,841 yards and 33 touchdowns. He has also caught 104 passes for 802 yards and three additional scores with the Colts.
