Indianapolis Colts Give Running Jonathan Taylor Permission to Seek Trade

The Indianapolis Colts might be ready to move on from their biggest star. Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the team has given disgruntled All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor permission to seek a trade.

Colts have given All-Pro RB Jonathan Taylor permission to seek a trade, per league sources. Other teams now are weighing whether to make an offer to the Colts and what would be fair value. pic.twitter.com/AT7GgJGLAQ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 21, 2023

Taylor is entering the final year of his rookie contract and has been angling for a new contract, but the Colts are evidently unwilling to meet his demands. Taylor has been nursing an ankle injury and missing practice for much of the offseason.

Taylor joined the Colts as the 41st overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft and instantly established himself as one of the better backs in the league. He has posted stellar averages of 89.3 career rushing yards per game and 5.1 rushing yards per attempt since entering the league, and he even led the league in rushing yards (1811), yards from scrimmage (2171), and total touchdowns (20) in 2021.

Taylor was solid yet again in limited action in 2022, averaging 78.3 rushing yards per game at 4.5 yards per carry over 11 injury-riddled appearances. Unfortunately for him, even the NFL's best backs are failing to find big money. Las Vegas Raiders running Josh Jacobs, the 2022 league leader in rushing yards (1622) and yards from scrimmage (2053), has failed to make any headway on a new deal and may be forced to play out the 2023 season on the franchise tag.

Taylor clearly hasn't seen contract terms that suit him from the Colts, but the harsh reality is he's very unlikely to see them from another team, either. No general manager is handing out big money to a running back, let alone a big contract and trade compensation.

Taylor will have to put together a career season in 2023 to have any chance of resetting the ice-cold running back market. Even that would probably result in a franchise tag. It's a passing league now; the league's highest-paid backs - Christian McCaffrey (four years, $64 million) and Alvin Kamara (five years, $75 million) - are indispensable as pass catchers. Unless Taylor can approach their level, the Colts (and most other teams) will continue to see him as disposable.