Is this the Most Exciting NFL Trade Deadline Ever? | Don’t @ Me w/ Dan Dakich
“I think that move’s pretty good. The Quenton Nelson move, I don’t know. I mean, he’s a guard. He’s 30 years old. They gotta pay him. Josh Downs wants out; if Jonathan Taylor gets traded, you know now we’re talking. But, I always think the trade deadline in the NFL is much ado about nothing. But this year I don’t know.”
It seems the Indianapolis Colts are indeed willing to talk about trading running back Jonathan Taylor after all.
Multiple teams have reached out to the Colts amid their fire sale to see if Taylor is available, per ESPN and NFL Network. The talks “are said to be active and ongoing.”
Among those teams who have called the Colts and owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon are the Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks.
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Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor takes off on a run Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026, during the game against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. (USA TODAY Network)
ESPN also reported that at least one offer included a second-round draft pick with additional compensation for Taylor.
The Colts have already made it clear they would be sellers before the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline following the firing of GM Chris Ballard after a 10-year stint with the franchise.
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Indianapolis traded Quenton Nelson, their All-Pro guard and former first-round pick, to the Seahawks. Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner also reunited with the San Francisco 49ers just hours after Nelson was dealt this past week.
Wide receiver Josh Downs, who is in the final year of his rookie contract, also reportedly requested a trade. The Colts have reportedly told teams he’s worth a third-round pick, though they wish to keep him if possible despite the trade request.
Taylor, on the other hand, has expressed his desire to stay put in Indianapolis, but he also understands that’s out of his control. The Colts made it clear they’re looking to accumulate draft picks amid a season where they’re 2-5 in the AFC South.
Irsay-Gordon and Taylor reportedly met this week and had an “in-depth conversation to discuss the future,” per ESPN. It is believed Irsay-Gordon would like Taylor to be a part of the Colts’ rebuild, though the franchise understands the type of return Taylor, who just signed a two-year extension before the start of this season, could have if dealt.
Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts warms up before an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., on Oct. 25, 2026. (Getty Images)
The Colts have already secured a 2027 third- and fourth-round pick as well as a 2028 fifth-round selection from the Nelson and Buckner deals. Indianapolis is also without a 2027 first-round pick, which the New York Jets own after dealing Sauce Gardner to the Colts in 2025.
Ahead of the Colts’ game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Taylor addressed the trade rumors surrounding him.
“I haven’t heard anything,” he said on Thursday, per FOX59’s Mike Chappell. “I can’t control that, obviously. Like you guys know, I’m proud to wear the horseshoe, proud to be here. Similar to Quenton [Nelson] and [DeForest Buckner], they were proud to wear the horseshoe, they were proud to be here. But obviously, circumstances may cause otherwise. Hopefully that day may not come, but I can’t control that.”
Head coach Shane Steichen understands the business of the NFL like Taylor, which is why he’s trying to focus on this upcoming game and the players he has on the roster. It’s hard losing Nelson, a linchpin at left guard, and Buckner, a veteran leader on the defensive line, ahead of a key divisional matchup.
But those are the cards Irsay-Gordon and the front office have been dealt, as they look ahead to building for the future instead of the remainder of the 2026 season.
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor practices before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., on Oct. 25, 2026. (IMAGN IMAGES)
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If the Colts are indeed willing to trade Taylor for the right package, a team would be getting one of the best at his position in the NFL. The 27-year-old has rushed for at least 1,100 yards in four of his six NFL campaigns, and he’s on pace for another after rushing for 587 yards with eight touchdowns through seven games.
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