Colts Open to Trading Jonathan Taylor, and the Rebuild Keeps Going

Colts Open to Trading Running Back Jonathan Taylor

Indianapolis is now willing to trade Jonathan Taylor, sources told ESPN and NFL Network on Saturday. Multiple teams have called, and talks are described as active. The teams thought to have at least some interest are the Broncos, Packers, Vikings, Giants and Seahawks.

Owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon met with Taylor this week and would prefer he stay through the rebuild, but the Colts want a package like the second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-round picks San Francisco sent Carolina for Christian McCaffrey in 2022, per ESPN. Taylor, 27, is signed for $15 million in 2027 and $9.46 million in 2028. He says he has not asked for a trade.

Whether you like it or not, the day may come.

Taylor leads the franchise with 77 rushing touchdowns and is second in rushing yards with 8,185. The Colts have already sent Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner away this week for a 2027 third, a 2027 fourth and a 2028 fifth, and receiver Josh Downs, who requested a trade, is also being shopped.

Colts at Jaguars Odds: What the Market Did

Indianapolis (2-5) visits Jacksonville (4-2) on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET. DraftKings opened the Jaguars at -4.5 and lists them at -10, per ESPN's odds feed as of October 31 at 9:02 AM ET.

The feed does not say why a line moved, so what follows is our reading and not a reported cause.

Our Read: Why a Taylor Trade Matters Beyond the Backfield

A trade market for a back is a statement about the whole franchise, and there are four ways we read it.

• The Colts are selling, not hedging. Two Pro Bowl linemen are gone and the owner's affinity for Taylor has not stopped the team from listening. That points to a full reset.
• The price is the story. A McCaffrey-sized ask is high for a running back in a league that has often treated the position as replaceable. Whether a buyer pays it is unknown, and the cheap contract is the main argument that one might.
• The market may already be pricing a thinner Colts team. The spread moved 5.5 points in a week of trades. Taylor is expected to play Sunday, so his absence is not what the number reflects, but the direction fits a team losing talent.
• The evidence cuts both ways on his value. Eight rushing touchdowns tie for the league lead, yet a lot of that is volume on a team that has lost three straight.

None of this tells us who wins Sunday. It tells us the Colts are being run for 2027 and beyond.

What to Watch Before the Trade Deadline

• Whether Taylor and Downs both suit up Sunday, as ESPN expects.
• Which of the five reported suitors makes a real offer, and whether any meets a four-pick ask.
• Any further sales from a roster that ESPN says is not done changing.
• Whether the Jacksonville line moves again before kickoff.

Check any two moneylines in our hold and no-vig calculator

Odds describe a price and not an outcome. Set a limit before you bet, and bet only where it is legal.

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