The Jonathan Taylor to Cleveland Browns Dream is Dead

After losing star running back Nick Chubb for the season with a gruesome knee injury in Week Two, Cleveland Browns fans spent the last two weeks drawing up their best Jonathan Taylor trade packages.

Taylor and the Indianapolis Colts were of course at the center of a good ole fashioned NFL contract dispute, that included Taylor sitting out most of camp then missing the first four weeks of the season on the team's physically unable to perform list.

The All-Pro back returned to practice this week though and it appears time does in fact heal all wounds as Taylor and Indianapolis came to terms on a new three-year, $42 million extension, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network and multiple reports.

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The #Colts and star RB Jonathan Taylor have agreed to terms on a massive 3-year, $42M extension, locking him in at the top of the RB market and mending fences after a tumultuous period. $26.5M guaranteed.

Deal done by agents @MalkiKawa and Ethan Lock of @firstroundmgmt. pic.twitter.com/K0bXcWHEqo
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 7, 2023

The deal includes $26.5 million in guaranteed money. Taylor is just two years removed from leading the league in rushing yards (1,811) and touchdowns (18), a season that concluded with his first All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections.

The concept of the Browns actually trading for Taylor were always going to be a pipe dream. For starters, the asking price from Indy was pretty steep, reportedly valued at a first round pick. Cleveland doesn't own their 2024 first round pick, which was part of the Deshaun Watson trade. And if they had been willing to move their 2025 first round pick they would be signing up for a fourth consecutive year without making a first round selection.

Beyond that though, there were complications with a deal because no matter where Taylor ended up in a potential trade, he was going to want an extension. That wouldn't have made much sense for Cleveland with Nick Chubb on the books for more than $15 million next season, barring an unforeseen release or trade.

Browns general manager Andrew Berry has been adamant that he's confident with the Browns current running back situation that features second-year back Jerome Ford and veteran Kareem Hunt. Should he decide, however, that the team needs to make a move for an additional back prior to the trade deadline at months end, he'll likely be looking elsewhere.