Jonathan Taylor Says He Hasn't Asked Colts for a Trade

Jonathan Taylor is not asking out. The Colts running back told reporters Thursday that he has not requested a trade, even after Indianapolis shipped away two of its biggest stars earlier this week. "I haven't heard anything, and I can't control that," Taylor said, per ESPN's Stephen Holder. "Obviously, you guys know that I'm always proud to wear the horseshoe, proud to be here."

That matters because Taylor is now the best player left on a roster that looks like it is being taken apart. The Colts traded guard Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday. Indianapolis is 2-5, and several teams have already reached out about Taylor's availability. It is still unclear whether the Colts would actually move him before the Nov. 10 trade deadline.

Taylor Is Not Waving the White Flag

When a reporter brought up a rebuild, Taylor pushed back. "You think we're rebuilding?" he asked. "For me, being a competitor ... no one goes out there to wave the white flag. We're going out there to compete. We're going out there to get a W."

He also did not hide how much losing Nelson and Buckner hurt. "Those guys are the gold standard of the NFL," Taylor said. "And obviously the business side of things, that's where it sucks at. I wish some way, somehow, I could have done more, because I wanted to win for those guys."

Taylor said he spoke with principal owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon this week but did not share what was said. He knows how this works. He asked for a trade during his 2023 contract standoff with the Colts, and he said Thursday that "the day may come" for any player, whether they like it or not.

What He Means to This Offense

Taylor signed an extension in August that runs through the 2028 season, so any team trading for him gets more than a half-season rental. On the field he is still the engine. Through seven games he has 140 carries for 587 yards and eight rushing touchdowns, roughly 20 carries a game.

The catch is the line in front of him. Nelson was one of the best guards in football, and Taylor is averaging 4.2 yards a carry this year, well under his 4.8 career mark. Losing an anchor like Nelson does not make that easier. For Colts fans, the hope is that Taylor stays and becomes the face of whatever comes next.

Next Up: Jacksonville

Taylor said his focus is on Sunday's road game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. If he is still a Colt after Nov. 10, he will be carrying a lot of the load for a team trying to stop a slide.

Smacktok Pick Lean

We lean higher on Taylor's carries in Jacksonville. He has been getting about 20 a game and he is the clear focal point of what is left of this offense. We are more careful on his yards per carry, since he is already at 4.2 and the Colts just traded away one of the best guards in football.