The Pros and Cons of the Colts Trading Jonathan Taylor

Now that the Colts have traded Quenton Nelson to the Seahawks and DeForest Buckner to the 49ers, the question is who’s next? Could it be star running back Jonathan Taylor?

The Colts have clearly established themselves as the primary sellers of the trade deadline, but just how many players will they trade? Dealing Nelson and Buckner made sense, since both players are set to become free agents this offseason. Would they deal Taylor, who remains under contract through 2028? Per Jake Arthur, Shane Steichen notably said Wednesday that Taylor has not requested a trade, though he would not specify if either Nelson or Buckner did.

As the Colts weigh whether or not they’ll trade their star running back, here are what the pros and cons of the potential move would be.

The pros

The primary “pro” for trading Taylor is the opportunity to accumulate more draft capital. The Colts will be without their first-round pick in 2027 because of the Sauce Gardner trade, but have already picked up an extra third-, fourth- and fifth-round pick in the Nelson and Buckner trades.

If the Colts do move on from Taylor, the pressure will be on to get a good return and hit on the pick(s). The same will be true with the picks they received for Nelson and Buckner, though both were going to command less since they are on expiring contracts. Since Taylor is signed through 2028, the Colts must ensure the value they get back and the pick they’d end up using is worth it to deal a player who has been a major hit so far.

Outside of bringing in more draft capital, trading Taylor now could allow the Colts to get the best possible return back and move on before he exits his prime. Taylor is coming off a great 2025 season and is only 27, but it’s possible that by the time the Colts are ready to contend again, he’s aged out of his prime or is no longer under contract with the team. Some running backs, such as future Hall of Famer Derrick Henry, have seen success in the early part of their 30s, though that is not the case for many others.

The cons

As previously mentioned, Taylor is under contract through 2028 after they extended him this past summer. That extension served as a sign of how the Colts view Taylor: a face of the franchise. The Colts drafted Taylor in 2020, and he’s spent his entire career in Indy so far. That could, of course, change given the state of the team, though ESPN’s Adam Schefter said he doesn’t think the Colts want to trade Taylor.

The primary reason the Colts shouldn’t trade Taylor and keep him instead is he’s simply very good. With Nelson on his way to Seattle, Taylor is now the team’s best player and still in his prime. He’s rushed for over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in every season he’s played at least 14 games. He is coming off a 2025 season which saw him rush for 1,585 yards and an NFL-leading 18 touchdowns while making his third career Pro Bowl. While he has started the 2026 campaign on a slower note, he still ranks fifth in rushing yards (587) and eight touchdowns (tied for first).

The Colts might be building toward their future, but it will be easier to do so with Taylor on their team. After all, they still need weapons on offense, and no one has been as reliable for them as Taylor. If they don’t keep Taylor, they’d be relying on seventh-round pick Seth McGowan to lead their running game, and need to use either draft capital or money in free agency to acquire another running back anyway. Taylor remains an explosive, great back, who could be even better if the Colts’ offense was humming anywhere close to the level they were early on in 2025.

While the Colts might not be good again until Taylor is creeping up on 30, they could turn things around quickly, the way teams such as the Bears and Patriots have in recent seasons, though those teams were able to draft star quarterbacks with top-three picks. Even if they don’t, at the very least, Taylor can provide a much-needed playmaker for the Colts’ offense as they transition into the post-Chris Ballard era.

The Colts have an important decision to make on their best player. What they ultimately choose will set the tone for the next few years of Colts football.

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